Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 343
11:20–12:10
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Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of
his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God.
“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did
in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have
repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing
ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will
be better off on judgment day than you.
“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you
will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had
been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even
Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”
At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves
wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it
pleased you to do it this way!
“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son
except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and
those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach
you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads
of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on
the Sabbath.”
Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did
when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of
God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves
of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. And haven’t you read in
the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the
Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!
But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the
meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’
For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a
deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person
to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes,
so they could bring charges against him.)
