Chapter Fourteen
Yeshua was praying in a certain place, and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, "Adonai, teach us to pray, because Yochanan taught His disciples."
So He instructed them, "When you pray, say, 'Avinu [our Father] who is in Heaven, kadosh [holy] is Your Name. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on the Earth just as it is in Heaven. Give us the bread we need today, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one who has sinned against us. Help us not to be led into temptation, rather give us victory over the evil-one."
Yeshua continued, "What if you go to your friend at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, because a another friend of mine has traveled to me and I have nothing to feed him?' Won't your friend answer from within and say, 'Do not bother me, for the door is now closed, and my children are safe in bed, so I cannot get up and give it to you?' I tell you, though he does not want to get up and give it, yet because he is your friend and because of your insistence, he will eventually get up and give it anyway, as much as you need. So, I tell you, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened for you. For every one who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks will have it opened.
"You dads, If a son asks you for bread, will you give him a stone? Or if he wants a fish, will you give him a serpent instead? What if he asks for an egg, will you offer him a scorpion? If you then, being corrupt, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will Abba in Heaven give Ruach HaKodesh to those who ask Him?"
Someone brought to Yeshua a person possessed with a deceiving spirit, blind and not able to speak. Yeshua removed the deceiving spirit. When the deceiving spirit left, the person spoke and could see. The people were amazed, and many inquired, "Is this the son of David?" {meaning the Mashiach}.
But some Soferim and P'rushim who had come from Yerushalayim accused Him, saying, "He is possessed by Ba'al-Zebul, and He casts out deceiving spirits through Ba'al-Zebu', the prince of the deceiving spirits." Others were tested Yeshua, asking Him to perform a sign from Heaven.
He knew their thoughts, so He said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and the city or house which is divided against itself will fall. If haSatan removes haSatan, then he also is divided against himself. How will his kingdom stand? Because you say that I remove deceiving spirits through Ba'al-Zebul, and if by Ba'al-Zebul I remove deceiving spirits, by whom do your sons remove them? Thus, they will be your judges. However, if I, with the finger of Elohim, the Ruach of Elohim, remove deceiving spirits, then no doubt the Kingdom of Elohim has come upon you. When a fully armed strong man guards his palace, his goods are secure. But when someone stronger than him comes upon him, overcomes him and binds him, the stronger one takes from him all his armor which he trusted in, and then divides his possessions.
"Therefore, the one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters. However, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to people, and whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever blasphemes against Ruach HaKodesh will never be forgiven. Not in this world, nor the one which is coming.
"When the unclean spirit leaves a person, it walks through dry places, seeking rest and finding none. Eventually it says, 'I will return to my house where I came from.' When he comes back he finds it unoccupied, cleansed and decorated. Then he goes and collects seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there. The last condition of that person is worse than the first."
As Yeshua taught these things a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb which bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!"
"Yes, but more blessed are those who shema the Word of Elohim and keep it!" Yeshua replied.
When the people were tightly gathered together He told them, "This is an evil generation. They seek a sign, but no sign will be given to it, except for the sign of the Prophet Yonah. For the same as Yonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of man be a sign to this generation. The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment along with the men of this generation, and condemn them. She came from a remote part of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Shlomo, but notice this: here now is one greater than Shlomo. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they did t'shuvah at the preaching of Yonah, but take notice: one greater than Yonah is here!
"No one lights a candle then puts it in a secret place, or under a bushel. Rather, it is put on a candlestick so that those who come in may see by the light. The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is pure your whole body also is full of light, but when it is evil your body is full of darkness. Be careful that there is light in you and no darkness. If your whole body is full of light, with no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle gives you light."
As Yeshua spoke one of the P'rushim asked to dine with Him, so and Yeshua went with him and sat down to eat. When the P'rush saw that Yeshua did not wash first before dinner he was amazed.
Then Adonai {Yeshua} said to him, "Now some P'rushim cleanse the outside of the cup and the plate, but your inward part is full of extortion and depravity. That is mindless! Did not He who made what is outside also make what is inside? They give alms of your possessions and suddenly all things are clean to them. Trouble will come to some P'rushim, because they tithe of their mint and rue and all garden herbs, yet they ignore justice and the love of Elohim. Continue doing {your tithes}, but do not leave the other undone! Trouble will come to some P'rushim, because they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and being specially greeted in the markets. Trouble will come to some of you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced, because you are like graves which do not appear so, and people walk over them but are not aware of it."
Then one of the Torah experts spoke up and said, "Rabbi, by saying this you reproach us also."
"Trouble will come to some of you Torah experts also," announced Yeshua, "if you put on the people burdens too difficult to bear, but you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Trouble will come to you because you build the tombs of the prophets, but your fathers killed them. Surely you provide evidence that you think well of the deeds of your fathers, because they really did kill them, and you build their tombs. For this reason the wisdom of Elohim says, 'I will send them prophets and Shaliachim, and they will kill and persecute them. Then the blood of all the prophets, which has been spilt from the foundation of the world, will be required of this generation. From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharyah, who perished between the altar and the Mikdash. Amen, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Trouble will come to some of you Torah experts, because you have taken away the key of knowledge! You did not enter in yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering in."
Some of the Soferim and the P'rushim began to urge and provoke Him vehemently to speak of many things, waiting and seeking for Him to say something whereby they could catch Him and accuse Him.
There gathered together an innumerable crowd of people, so much so that they trampled each other.
Yeshua spoke privately to his disciples, "You must beware of the leaven of the P'rushim, which is deceitful and two-faced. For there is nothing covered which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden which will not be made known. Therefore, whatever you have spoken in darkness will be heard in the light, and whatever you speak in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. I tell you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more which they can do. I forewarn you whom you should really fear. Fear Him who after He has killed, also has the power to throw into sheol. Yes, I tell you to fear Him.
"Aren't five sparrows sold for two coins and not one of them is forgotten before Elohim? Even the hairs of your head are numbered. Do not be of little courage then, for you are more valuable than many sparrows. Also I tell you, whoever confesses me in front of people, the Son of man will also confess him in front of the messengers of Elohim. And the one who denies me in front of people will be denied in front of the messengers of Elohim. So, when they bring you to the councils and in front of magistrates and other authorities, do not consider how or what thing you should answer, or what you are going to say. For Ruach HaKodesh will teach you at that time what you should say."
One in the crowd said to Yeshua, "Rabbi, instruct my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
He responded, "Mister, who made me a judge or a magistrate over you? Be careful and beware of covetousness, for a man's life does not depend on the amount of the possessions he has."
So He spoke this parable to them, "The ground of a rich man brought a bountiful harvest. He thought to himself, 'What will I do, because I have no more room to store my harvest?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones. I will store all my harvest and my goods there. I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years, take it easy now, eat, drink, and be happy.' Then Elohim said to him, 'You fool! Tonight your soul will be required of you, then who will own those things which you have provided?' So also is everyone who stores treasure for himself and is not rich toward Elohim."
Yeshua now spoke only to his disciples. "Therefore I tell you to not worry concerning your life, as to what you are going to eat. Nor for your body, as to what you will wear. The life is more than food and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens who neither sow nor reap and who neither have a storehouse nor a barn, yet Elohim feeds them. How much better are you than the birds? Which one of you by thinking about it can add to his height one forearm's length? If you are not able to do that little thing, why worry about the rest?
"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or make clothes, yet I tell you that Shlomo in all his majesty was not adorned with the beauty of these. If then, Elohim clothes the grass this way, which today is in the field and tomorrow is put in the oven, how much more are you worth? You have such little trust!
"Don't worry about what you are going to eat or what you are going to drink, nor be doubtful in your mind. For all these things the people of the world seek after, but your Abba knows that you need these things. Rather seek out the Kingdom of Elohim first! Then all these things will be added to you. Do not be discouraged, little flock; for it is your Abba's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions in order to give to the poor. In this way you will never run out of provisions. You will have securities in Heaven which never fail, where no thief can approach, nor can a moth corrupt it. For wherever your treasure is, there your heart will also be.
"Get your armor on, with your torches burning {in preparation}. Be as those men who wait for their YHVH to return for the wedding, so that when He comes and knocks, they may immediately open to Him. Blessed are those servants, whom YHVH when He comes will find watching. Amen! I tell you, that He will get Himself ready and make them sit down to eat, and He Himself will come forth and serve them. If He comes at the second watch or the third watch and finds them working, those servants are blessed! Realize this! If the resident of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. You should also be ready, for the Son of man will come at a time you are not considering."
Then Kefa said unto him, "Adonai, do you speak this parable only for us, or for everyone?"
Adonai Yeshua said, "Whoever is the trustworthy and wise steward, whom YHVH shall make a ruler over His household, to give the portion of food in due season! {Compare this to the patriarch Yosef in Egypt.} Blessed is that servant, whom his YHVH will find him doing this when He comes. Remember, I tell you, that He will make him ruler over all that He has. But if that servant says in his heart, Adonai delays His coming, and begins to beat the servants and handmaids, and to eat, drink, and to be drunken, the Adonai of that servant will come in a day when he does not look for Him, and at an hour when he is not aware. He will cut him off from Himself and will appoint him his portion with the untrusting. Then that servant who knew the will of Adonai and did not prepare, nor act according to His will, will be beaten many times. But the one who did not know, yet committed things worthy of punishment, shall be beaten a few times. For whoever is given much, much will be required from him, and the one to whom people have entrusted much, they will ask him for more.
"I came to send fire on the Earth, and what if I will it to be already kindled? But first I have a mikveh to be immersed in and now am I committed until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to bring shalom on earth? I tell you, no! Rather I come to bring division. From now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. A father will be divided against a son, and son against father; a mother against a daughter, and daughter against mother; a mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
"When you see a cloud rise out of the west you declare immediately that a shower is coming, and so it does. When you see the south wind blow you say that there will be heat, and it happens. You two-faced actors! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but why can't you discern this time? Don't you even judge what is right among yourselves? Yes! When you go to the magistrate with your enemy, on the way be diligent that you may be delivered from him. Otherwise he will bring you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the officer, and the officer will put you into prison. I tell you, you will not depart from there until you have paid the full fine."
ZEALOTS OF GALIL AND SINFULNESS
There was present at that season some who told Yeshua of the Zealots of the Galil, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Yeshua said to them, "Do you suppose that these Zealots of the Galil were sinners above all those in the Galil because they suffered such things? I tell you, no! Yet, unless you do t'shuvah you will all perish like them. Also, those eighteen people upon whom the tower in Shalo-am fell and killed them, do you think that they were sinners above all people who live in Yerushalayim? I tell you, no! Yet, unless you do t'shuvah you will all similarly perish."
Yeshua spoke this parable also, "A certain person had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and looked for fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the dresser of his vineyard, 'Notice this! The last three years I have come to get fruit from this fig tree and there is none. Cut it down! Why even have it burden the ground?' The vine-dresser said to him, 'Adon, let us leave it alone one more year until I have tilled and fertilized it. We can see if it bears fruit and if not, then I will cut it down.' "
He was teaching in one of the synagogues on Shabbat. There was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years and was bent over. She could not lift herself up. When Yeshua saw her He called to her, "Woman, you are now loosed from your infirmity!" He laid His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and glorified Elohim.
The ruler of the synagogue was indignant that Yeshua had healed on the Shabbat, and said to the people, "There are six days on which people are to work. Come on those days and be healed, but not on Shabbat."
Then Adonai answered him, "You two-faced actor! Does not each one of you on Shabbat free his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it away to get water? So, shouldn't this woman, being a daughter of Avraham, whom haSatan has bound for eighteen years, be freed from this bondage on Shabbat?"
When Yeshua said these things His adversaries were ashamed, and the people rejoiced because of all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Then He said, "What is the kingdom of Elohim like? What does it resemble? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man planted in his garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in the branches of it. How will I symbolize the kingdom of Elohim? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole batch was leavened."
Yeshua continued through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on toward Yerushalayim. Then one asked Him, "Adonai, are there few who are saved?
Yeshua answered, " I tell you, try very hard to enter in at the narrow gate, for many will seek to enter in and will not be able. Once the Home-owner has risen up and shut the door, you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Adonai, YHVH open the door for us.' He will answer, saying, 'I do not know you or where you are from.' Then you will say, 'We dined and drank in Your presence and You taught in our streets.' But He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know you or where you are from. Depart from me, all you who work against the Torah!' There will be weeping and teeth grinding when you see Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of Elohim, but you all are shut out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and will sit down in the Kingdom of Elohim. Notice this! There are those who are last who will be first, and there are those who are first who will be last."
That same day some of the P'rushim came to Yeshua and said to Him, "Leave now and get away from here because Herod will kill you."
Yeshua said, "You go instead and tell that fox, 'Notice this! I remove deceiving spirits, and I perform healing today and tomorrow, and the third day I will be finished. Nevertheless, I must walk today and tomorrow and the following days, because it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Yerushalayim.
"Oh Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you. How often I would have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not allow me! Now your house is left to you desolate. Amen! I tell you, you will not see me again, until you will say, 'Baruch haba b'shem Adonai [Blessed is He who comes in the Name of YHVH]'. "