“As the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man: they did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
“Likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot: they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”[37]
In these revelations of awful scenes to come, there is an apparent blending of the terrible suffering which was soon to befall Jerusalem in its utter overthrow and of the final coming of Christ at the day of judgment.
Again he urged persevering prayer by the parable of the importunate widow,[38] and enjoined humility by the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.[39] The question of divorce was presented to him, with the statement that Moses had allowed it for very trivial causes. Jesus replied, that, in the eyes of God,divorce and subsequent marriage could only be justified upon the ground of a violation of the marriage oath.[40]
Some children were brought to him to be blessed. He laid his hands upon their heads, and prayed; and then said, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”
A young man of wealth, and, as a ruler, occupying posts of honor, came to Jesus, and, rather boastfully asserting that he had kept all the commandments from his youth up, inquired what more he must do that he might enter the kingdom of God. It is said that Jesus, looking upon the ingenuous young man of unblemished morals, “loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way; sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”
This was merely reiterating the declaration, that every one who would be a disciple of Jesus must be willing, at his command, to make any sacrifice whatever. The test proved that the young man loved wealth more than Christ. “He went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”
It is recorded, when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, “How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” Then, using an expression proverbial for denoting any thing remarkably difficult, he added, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Peter, who, since the severe rebuke administered to him by Jesus, seems to have been very retiring, said, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. What shall we have, therefore?” Jesus replied,—
“Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundred-fold,and shall inherit everlasting life.”[41]