CHAPTER 73.
Jesus again visits the temple, and is favorably received by the people. Tells the parable of a king and his sons. Defines messiahship.
Next day the multitudes were surging through the temple courts, intent on hearing Jesus speak.
2 And when he came the people said, All hail! behold the king!
3 And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, A king had vast domains; his people all were kin, and lived in peace.
4 Now, after many years the king said to his people, Take these lands and all I have; enhance their values; rule yourselves, and live in peace.
5 And then the people formed their states; selected governors and petty kings.
6 But pride, ambition, selfish greed, and base ingratitude grew fast, and kings began to war.
7 They wrote in all their statute books that might is right; and then the strong destroyed the weak, and chaos reigned through all the vast domain.
8 A long time passed, and then the king looked out on his domain. He saw his people in their cruel wars; he saw them sick and sore distressed; he saw the strong enslave the weak,