Bttetropolitam Cabernacle Bulpit.
Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Volume 16 · Sermon 927
MARTHA AND MARY.
4sermon
PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY,JULY 29TH,1915.
DELIVERED BY
C.H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,NEWINGTON.
“AndJesusanswered andsaiduntoher,Martha,Martha,thouartcareful
Lukex,41-42.
METHINksIsee theMan of Sorrows ashe is traversing the high-
road,attended by hisfow friends and disciples.Where will he
refreshhimselfwhenthetimeiscome toceasefrom toiland take
and the birds of theairhave nests,butthe Son ofManhath not
where to lay his head.”However, what he has not of his own,
that friends will afford him.Martha,a disciple-nota full-grown
one,butonewhohad begun tolearn somethingof the truth-meets
him at the door of her house,at the entrance to the village of
Bethany,and she invites him to come in. Jesus Christ,who had
often accepted an invitation from an enemy,wasglad to aocept one
and sits down.No sooner is he sat down,with his disciples around
him,than he falls to preaching.A sermon is none the worse for
being preached in a private house.Martha and Mary stood listen-
ing to him.Stood, did I say? Mary sits down at his feet; and
Martha,having listened for a little while,recollcts that she has
herself into her room,and is very busy with her needful cookery.
and sees Mary sitting at Jesus' feet.Seeming rather irritable,
Martha appeals toJesus,“Dost thou not care that my sister hath
leftme to serve alone?hoping that theMasterwouldchide
Mary;but he rather defends her,and implies agentle consure upon
No.3,469.
350
METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE PULPIT.
Martha,when he says,“Mlartha,Martha,thou art careful and
troubledaboutmany things:butone thing isneedful;andMary
hath chosen thatgood partwhich shall notbetakon awayfrom her.
Thislittle repartee must have surprised Martha.
Shedidnot
expectitwouldcome tolherself beingreprovod,andMarybeing
comnended.Soit was;and the incident,we think,may give us
some profitable instructiou.Let us seo ii we can find it out.
I.WEWILL TAKE THE CASE OF MARTHA FIRST.
There is no reason to find any great fault with her.Martha was
agood woman. The Lord Jesus loved Mary,and Martha,and
Lazarus."Since he appreciated Martha's character,it is not for
us to depreciate it.Martha was an excellent housewife;perhaps
too particular about tho minutie;troubling andvexing herself
about domestic arrangenentsin spreading theboardandserving
hermind bythe scrupulousness of her taste;still she was anadmir-
ablewoman,one whokept her louse in good order.Nomean prize
isit,especially for theworking man,to have aMartha forhis wife;
onewhio orders well her household.Indeed,so commendable is
thisin Christian women,that the Apostle mightwell say,“Letthem
fnst learn to show piety at home."Ifyour children's stockings are
not darned,if their clothes are not mended,if the buttons are not
put on to their dresses at the proper time,Iwould ot give muoh
for your Christianexample.Ahousowife shouldseeto these
details,and,before all others.for neatness and industry sh.ould be
thowoman whoseheartisrightbefore theLord.
Oneortwo
frionds,I see,are sniling.
Letthem smileif theylike.Ionly
hope theywillmindmy homely adviceandattend to their home
duties;then they willmake their husbands smilewith satisfaction
and their familieswill look brighter.If theyhaveungodly
husbands,it will tend to paint religion in fairer colours,and to
commendit totheir esteen.
In what respect,then,was Martha to blame?Well, though she
got a little consure,you see Jesus does not upbraid her severely.
Wedonotaddress
women thus familiarly by name, you know,unless we are very
Christian name,because I do not knowyou well enough.Weonly
dothatwith our friendsand kinsfolk.So in thekindestway,
little to say;he only indicated the fact,without uttering half as
muah complaint as she made against her sisterMary.What was
her fault,then?Well, we think itwas just this.The Lord Jesus
Christ did not often come round those parts preaching.He had
Andit did seem to castalittle slighton hisministryforMartha
MARTHA ANDMARY.
351
thatwere beingpreparedfor the table,than ofthatrichfood,that
bread which came from heaven,which he was giving them.If a
theWord of Godwould become so precious to us thatwe mightbe
pardoned neglecting some family caresinorder tolistentoit;but
Martha,yousee,putherfamily cares somewhatbeforetheprecious
Wordof Christ.And,besides,she seems rather tohave looked
atherreligion asa doing something which Christneededofher,
thanasatakingthe onethingneedfulwhichsheneededfrom
Christ.Of such people there is no lacknow.Itrust theyare in
thefaith,though they are but babes in grace.Their practical
piety consists,toalarge extent,in whattheyoughttodofor Christ,
andwhatheexpectsfrom them,rather thanin.realisingthat
delightfulsensewhichsomebelievershaveofwhatJesushasdono
for thom.NowwhatIcan dofor Christis,Iam sure,very little,
for meisso amazing,so matchless,so unspeakable,so glorious,that
Ioughttogivethatthomajorpartofmyattention.Imaysome
timesrun withMarthatodowhat Christneeds ofme;butIthink
IoughtmorefrequentlytositwithMarytoreceivefrom Christ
whatIneedfromhim.Yourreligionisnotofafirst-classorderif
itbe altogether lookingatyour practice,andnot atthefnished
you tolegality,and that tendency is so dangerous thatit deserves
toberebuked.
ThoughIwouldrebuke itas tenderlyasIcan,
faith.Martha,Martha,Christdoes not standinneed of theehalf
somuch as thou dost ofhim.Itis meet andproper for you to
thinkhowyoumayeconomise time toattendthehouse ofprayer,
adnonitionoftheLord,andhowyoushallsavealittlemoneyto
give to thepoor or to Christ's Church.All these things are right;
itiswellyou should do them;butoh!remember Christ did more
for you.Let your thoughts be fixed on his cross, on his life,on
his death,or else you will get to be a Pharisee.Ah!Martha,you
willgettothinkthatyouaresavedbyyour own doings;andthen
it isall over withyou ifyou ever come to think that.This was
one of Martha'sfaults.She seemed tobemore anxious aboutwhat
she should dofor Christthan shewasgrateful aboutwhatChrist
haddoneforher.
Then,yousee,thisledhertfret,and thaisalwayswrong.h
begun to be peevish andbevexed.Oh!she wanted to havea
fineentertainmentfor Christ.Shehad outallthe best dishes,
and shewouldhave all therepastserved in the daintiestmanner.
She would have nothing put on the tablebutwhat was thebest of
the best for such @ one as her Lord.So far this was right, and
annoyance,so shegothermind troubledandher temperirritated.
Thus she frettedandvexed herself till theday thatoughtto have
352
beon all lhappiness and sunshine,because Christ was coms,becam
allworry and hurry,distracting to her mind,and distressing to
her nerves.Now that is wrong and lamentable.Remember,
Christian,whatoveryouhave todo,youshouldalwayscastallyour
care on him who careth for you.Be careful for nothing,but in
everythingbyprayer andsupplicationmakeknownyour wants
huntoGod.
You are tobethoughtful,diligont,prudent;but
anxious,carkingvexatious caresyou aretoturn outofthehouso
Martha,thou art careful and troubled about many things."You
must not be fretfulabouttrifles,provoked with other people,or
disquietedwithyourself.Yourfrettingwillnotmakethings
better;theruflingofyour temper willnot smooththe current of
afairs.Be calm;bo quiet;be patient.Then the multitude of
yourlabours willnotdisturbthe serenityofyour mind:though
bo
greatlylightened,ifitis notaltogether avoided.
The noxt thing to blame in Martha was that,while she was
earnest horself in servingthe Lord,shc began to upbraid her dear
sisterMary.Somemindsare naturallycensoriousandproneto.
fault-fnding;others there be that,under exciting emotions,bogin
to criticise,censure,and criminate.Nay,Martha,thou hast no
right to judge Mary.Thou art doing what thou thinkest to be
right;she is doing what she thinks tobe right:let her alone.
There are some earnest young men I know who would have every-
body quite as zealous as themselves;and so would I,but there may
quite somuch;and someof theseyoungmenwill grow outof tenper
with them,and,perhaps,speak disrespectful words of them.
This
is not right of you. You must not judge another man's servant;
tohis own master he shall stand or fall.Martha,Martha,Martha,
others are not as zealous as you are?Never let bad temper be
mixed with earnestness;for it will be like a dead fly in a pot of
ointment,it will spoil the whole.Be not rash,Martha,in your
judgmentofMary.
Ifear,too,thatMartha a litle censured her Lord;andwas not
that a hard thing to do?Let us read the words,for fear I should
do heraninjustice.“Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath
Of course,he was always caring for every one of them.They never
hada care but what he had it before them.All their burdens he
was willing to bear;all their sufferings he was willing to relieve;
care?”And so it is with someChristians;they do not set their
MARTHA ANDMARY.
353
eyesonoughuponChrist'swork,andarealltoobusywithwork
for Christ.iHence they will even upbraid theMaster himself.
These elder brothers-and Martha,you know,was an elder sister
those elder brothers say,“Lo,these manyyears haveI served thee,
andyetthounevergavestmeakidthatIshouldmakemerrywith
my friends;but assoon as this thy son was come,whichhath
devouredthylivingwith harlots,thouhast killedfor
him the fatted calf."This isa badspirit,a very bad
spirit.I heard of aman some time ago,calling himself
minister of Clirist,who said he did not believe in revivals,
nor did helookforany goodfrom preachingintheatres,for,said he,
If God designs to bless the Church,it stands to reason that he
andnot the riff-raff.Now I did not like that speech.I hope
hewasa good man,but I am sure he spoke in a bad spirit,and
itwaswith somethinglike that spiritMartha spoke.She seemed
to feol,“I have done all sorts of things;I have been busy and
anxious,andIhave taken norest;nobody knows howhotIhave
made myself,working withmy own hands,and superintending other
people's work.Ihavehurriedup and down stairs,with allthe
doing nothing,and Christ is just as pleased with herasif she were
doing a thousand things.”Now I think Christ said,“Martha,
Martha, thou art oareful and troubled about many tlings,” to
ebuke the cropping upofa littleof thatill-spiritwhich is always
culpable andmischievouswhenever itappears.
her conduct,orrefected toomuchuponher character-shemaybe
sed asa picture of the self-righteous.Mayhap thereare suchhere.
g品
tomy place of worship very punctually;Iorder my household
withpropriety;Iconductmybusinesswithintegrity;Igiveto
benevolence,”and so on.Ah!friends,you are cumbered with
much serving,and you will never get to heaven that way. But
one thingis needful,and thatis the finished righteousness of Christ.
OrisitMartha,there;thatgood woman thatI thinkI heard say,
behaved in such a manner that the neighbours give mea good
go to heaven,I trust."Ah!Martha,Martha!those good things
ofyours will sink you;you cannot swim to heaven with them.
Onething is needful,andthatone thing is the finishedrighteous
ness of Jesus.Leave these fine things that cumber you,and come
cannotbetakenfromyou.
someofussometimesare.Whentheminister comesintothepulpit
354
ho sometimesfeels-atleastImyself do-agreatdealof concern
aboutthefriends that have tostand,aboutthelights,about the
draughts and numerous othor trivialmatters.Full ofton
1roproach myself for being thus ounbered aboutmany things.
Instead of being like Martha,the minister should be like Mary, sit
ting at Jesusfeet,and giving his undivided attention to the
Master's words.Thisis toooften the caso with tho deacons and
theolders.They may be thinking abouthowarrangements may
be made for theconvenience of the congregation,and filledwith
anxietythat allmaygooffwell,especially atextraordinary services,
Theyareexposed to thelike temptation thatMarthawas.Idare
say,my dear brethren who carry round the brend and the cup at
theLord's Supper sometimes feel that they miss some of Mary's
repose,andget some ofMartha’s cares in attending to that servico.
They would rather,perhaps,sitwith youinthe pew,like Mary,to
enjoy the feast,ratler than belikeMartha toservethe table9.
Othersofyou are thinking aboutyour children,your sons andyour
daughters.As you are anxiously praying the Lord to bless the
Word to their souls,you,too,may sometimes get into such an
anxious state astobelike Martha.Oh!itwill bewell foryou if
you can take the attitude of Mary,sittingat the Saviour's feet,
profound inroverence,yet familiarinintercourse with your blessed
Lordawed byhis presence,cheeredbyhis smile,impressedwith his
Word,delightedwithhisvoice,catchingthefaintest syllablewhich
your soul with sacred love,and leaving him to care for you,while
you only care to sit athis feetand learn of him;stationedwhere
no grievous looks orhasty words ofMartha can temptyou to move
away.
IⅡ
LET US NOW TURN TO THE CHARACTER OF MARY,and see if we
oanfind anything inthatforpracticaluso.
Do not think that Mary was lazy,or that she preferred hearing
sermons to doing her work.On another occasion she proved that
she did not withhold her service or spere her substance,for she
anointed the head of our Lord.She showed that she did not mind
asacrifice,for she did for Jesuswhat only one other personever
did-she anointed him.But here was the point about Mary's
In truth,she loved to drink of the living water whichChrist gives
to those that are thirsty.Sheattendedto the one thing needful.
Alas!theworld doesnot think that the care of the soulis the one
is the one thing needless.They can dispense withreligion,because,
to their notion,it is an encumbrance.
Wehaveheardsomepeople
their treasure in vanities that perish with theusing,and theirjoy
in the things ofearth thatpass away likethe rippling current or
therevolving seasons.
MARTHA AND MARY.
355
Religion isthe one thing needful to usall.Itisthe one thing
needful to the minister.Vithout true religion in his heart,he is
animpostor;hehastaken upon himself an errand upon which
the Mastor never sont him;aresponsibility which shali crush his
soul lower than tho lowest holl.Lord,have mercy upon those
ministerswhodare topreachwhatthey havenotfeltthemselves.
Butreligion is also theone thing needful for thehearers;so needful,
worldwill bebutas fuelfor their condemnation.Wemust have
you,my doar hearers,broughtto layhold on Christ,or elso impres
sions and professions,formality and morality,vows and votive
in black despair.True religion is tho one thing noedful for the
aged.Isee some herewhosebaldleads andgreyhairs admonish
them that they are drawing near to thegrave.Ah!my aged friend,
whatwillyoudo,where willyoubea littiewhilehence,unlessyou
havea Saviour to rest upon?In the swellings of Jordan,how will
thee;be not dismayed,for I am thy God”? This, too, is the one
thing needful for the middle-aged;busy with care,toiling from
morning till nightas some ofyou are,ifyou havenot thegrace of
Godinyour hearts,andthecomfortsoftheHolySpiritinyour
experience,whatwill you do?
for Satan;you will be yourselves the instruments of unrighteous-
ness;allyour works shallbutearn for you thewagesofheavy
sorrowand bitterlamentationsyour present life an endlessregret.
And how needful is true religion for the young!It makes the
youngmanwise;itmakesthemaidenfair.
“A fower,when ofered in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice."
We should not wait until we have grown old and decrepit,and
then bring to God the blindand thelame for a sacrifice.Let us
give him the young bullcck;let us offer to him the lambs of ayear
old.Since some die while they are young,let us repent while we
areyoung,and believe in Jesus while the charm of spring-time
enlivens us, for it is the one thing needful to have faith in him.
needful thing.Imagine a man in the condemned cell at Newgate.
death; knowing it will cruelly grieve his family,he is doing the
best thinghe can do-writing letters of consolation to them,and
trying to settle his little affairs.In comes the King's messenger,
and he says tothe man,only the man is too busy to listento him,
attend toyou;Icannot attend toyou;Ihave gota letter towrite
again with the nows of his Majesty's free pardon.“Icannot attend
356
METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE PULPIT.
to it,”says he;“I have to write to my childron,for I have to di
nextMonday,”and hegoeson writing again.Now doyou not
seo,if themanwill butstopand think,thefreepardon will do
far moreforhim than all hislettors can;andifhe shall butget
that,he can attend to all therest by-and-by.So is it with faith.
wards;butwhiletheangelofmercy standsbyandpresentayou with
afreepardon,Iprayyou take theone thingneedful,andmind the
other things in due time.There isawreck yondor,a wreck far
outuponthewastesaltsea,andonitaremenwhoarestarving,
till thebones startthrough theskin.They havehoisteda fag
uponapole.Thosepoor creaturesare almostdestituteof clothing;
thosaltsea washestlem,andatnight they are all butfrozen to
death,andthey only preserve their livesbyhuddling oneupon
another.These people want a thousand things,you tell me.They
want some generous diet to restore their fesh;they want their
friends;they want their native country;they wanttheir families
andhouseholds;they wantfresh clothing.
Yes,butItellyou
one thingis needful:theywantafriendly sail;and ifthey oan
but seea ship in the distance.and that ship can come tothem,
they lave all they want.And soyou thatare lookingafter bread,
andafter your families,and so on-oh!this is all well,but still,
whileyou are on theraft,and are perishing,whatyou really want
is Christ,who,likea freindly sailin thedistance,comos to save
you,and is willing to take you on board his ship at once,and to
giveyou allyou want.One thingis needful:oh!Jane,laythou
oldonthat;andJohn,and Thomas,andWilliam,andMargaret
anyofyou,allofyou;dothesamo.Leave other thingsfor
yourbusiness,andyethavefaith inChrist.Thiswillnotinterfere
with your household cares;but do,Ipray you,imitate Mary in
getting holdof the all-important,the absolutelynecessary onething,
a living faith ina living Saviour.This was the grstreason why
Mary was commended; she got a hold of the one thing needful.
The next thing she was commended for was this-it washer own
choicc-"Mary has chosen the good part.Some of our captious
now,and tell us that it is man's choice?Oh!brethren,you know
whatIthinkofman'swill,thatitisa slave,boundinironfetters;
every man that is saved chooses to be saved.I know that at the
back of his choice,and as the cause ofhis choice,thore is Gods
choice;but still the grace of God alwaysimparts grace to the man's
heart.No one is dragged to heaven;nor does anyone ever go to
Christagainsthiswill;thesoulmustbemadewillinginthe day
ofGod's power.This is the triumph of God’'s grace;not that he
takes men to heaven aswe might carry machines there,but that
MARTHA AND MARY.
357
ho expressly acts upon the human mind,leaves it as free asever
itwas,andyetmakesit penfectly obedientto his own will.Mary
chooses; God had choson her in old eternity,and,therefore,sh
chooseshim.
"Clhosen ofhimere time began,
I choose him in return."
Now lot us ask.for we cannot merit any commendation,have we
chosen Christ? Hlave we chosen his cause,his truth,his cross?If
you havegotareligion thatisnotamatter ofchoice toyou,Iam
afraid it isnot of much use.Ifyou attend to anyreligion because
youmust;ifyou follow itof necessity,from a sense ofduty,from
the goadings of fear,or from the dictates of custom,I am afraid,
whenyour religion is putin the scales,itwill befound wanting.
Itmustbeamatterofsolemnanddeliberatechoicewithyou.
Nowwhich would be your present choice?Should the pleasures of
this world be all daintily painted before your eyes;every joy tha
could regale the senses,music to charm the ear,perfumes for th
nostrils,sweetsfor tle mouth,andlandscapesfor the eyes,on th
onesideandontheother sideletChristandhiscrossbeputbfore
you,whichwould you choose?Iknowwhich someof you have
chosen;may Godalter your choice.ButItrust there are some
here who can say,“Choose?Why,I have once for all chosen Christ;
I have countedthe cost,audIreckon the reproach of Christto be
greater treasures than all the riches of Egypt."You are com-
mended.
Christgently speakstoyouawordoflove whenhe says,
her."
Mary was commended,too,because shehad chosen the goodpart.
It is good to know Christ,good in every sense; it is good for our-
selves;it is good toward God,and good toward man.Itis good
in the sonse of comfort;it is good in the sense ofmorality. Nobody
cansayanythingagainsttruereligionwhojudgesfairly.Eventhe
judgeuponthebenchdare notsay that tohavea newheart anda
rightspiritisnotgood.
Truereligionhasiniteverythingthatis
lovelyandofgoodreputenestinthesigtfmenanddevoutn
and art resting wholly andonly on Jesus,thou hast this for thy
heart's content, that thou hast not merely chosen the good, but
thatthouhastchosen thebestofallthegood—thegoodpartwith
which noother portion can bear theleast comparison.
There isone other commendation,and with that we close.Mary
hadchosen thatwhichshouldneverbetakenawayfromher.Of
the many things which some of us take a pride and a pleasure in
possessing,we have not many that czrnot be easily taken away.
that away foratime.Wehave ahouse;thefamesmay take that
away,and leave nothingbuta heap of ashes.Wehave a beloved
358
spouso;grim death may stretch her in the coffin.We have dear
childron,thedelightofour eyes,butweknowthatmortaliswritton
ontheirbrows.Velavefriondswithwhomwetakesweetcounsel,
buttlieyaredroppingoffonebyone.
"Whohathnotlostafriend?"
Wehave many comforts ofwhich adversitymightdepriveusin
amoment.Thoso thatwereoncohighlyestoemedamongstmon
are soon forgotten,even by their neighbours,their choico com-
panions do notknow them in tho day of their poverty.Riches take
may be taken away from us.The poor man, perhaps, thinks that
heisexemptfromtheperilbecausehehasnorichestobo taken
fromhim,buthohas other things than silver andgoldwhichpertain
to the lifethat now is,and theywill all be taken away.Andat last
there willcome thegreatestthief,Deuth,theSpoiler.When ho
finds us weak,stretched upon the bed and utterly helpless,how he
will tako all our things away.He will clutch the miser'sgold.
Though he seekswith eager grasp toretain it,death will tear it
away from hisexpiring'grip.Hewill take away from the dying one
all doar friends, his consort and offspring.Closing his eyes and
blinding them,he shall see no more for ever.Stopping his ears and
sealing them,he shall hear no more the wrds of loving consolation.
Touching his heart and arresting itsbeat,his desire will cease.All
things shall thenbe taken away;but there is one thing-oh!that
wemaychoose it-thereis one thingthatneitherlifenordeath can
take away;itis the good part,a good hope in Jesus,a true faith
in Jesus,a perfect love toJesus,a vital union with Jesus.Como,
death,thoumayest clutch,butthou canstnottake away thatwhich
Jesus holds with living hands.Come, ye devils of hell, ye may
seek to tear away these jewels from me,but:—
“Stronger ishe than death or hell,
Hismajesty'sunsearchable."
And he defies the sons of darkness and repels all their rage.These
through the dark valley.Doubts,like troops of robbers, seek to
slayyou,but they cannot take away your jewels.Thegreatrobber
comes,Diabolus,theold accuserof thebrethren,andhe fumblesfor
rob you of your good part.I think I see you in that river,when
stream cannot drownyour comfort.You haveahope that swims
EXPOSITION.
359
Christ,my treasure,is with me there,and he preserves himself and
preserves me.Having chosen the good part,which cannot be taken
from mo,I am safo.
And now,dear friends,the question comesa question which I
hope all thatmean to becommunicantsat theLord'sTablo,
especially will ask themselves:“Have I chosen the good part?”
Forgotreligious cares;forgetccclesiasticaltroubles;forget allthab
you have todofor Christ,andonlythinkofwhatChristhas dono
that hymn, which makes us so happy when we sing it:
“On Christ,the solid rockIstand,
All other ground issinking sand”?
If so,come ye saints,come and sitye down;be as lowlyas Mary
was.Iftheroisalowplaceinthevalley,thewateris suretorun
intoit;and if thereisalowlyheart,grace is sure topour in there,
though it shouldfownowhere else.Go and takeyour seatat Jesu's
feet.Come tothe table and sitatJesu'sfeet,andhave fellowship
with him.And oh!you that have not chosen this good part,
remember thatin having despisedit,youhave despisedyour own
mercy.Thedaywillcomewhenyouwillwishtoalteryourchoice.
May God change it now!If there be one here who says,"Oh!I
wishI could have the good part!I tell you,you may have it.
Christ desires you more than you can possibly desire him.Christ
died for sinners; you are a sinner; trust him and you are saved.
Thenyour sinsare gone,hisrighteousness covers you withimperial
purple,and you stand anheir of heaven,an adopted child of God.
"Oh!believe therecord true,
Trust in his blood; trust in his merits, and you shall be saved.
Amen.
Erposition by C.b.Spurgeon.
JOHNXI.45-57.
Lazarus had been publicly raised from the dead.A greatnumber of
been wrought.
Verses45,46.ThenmanyoftheJeushichcametoMary,andhadseen the
things whichJesus did,believedonhin.Butsomeofthem went theirways tothe
Pharisees,andtold themohat thingsJesushad done.
We could hardlyhave conceiveditpossiblu thatmenwouldhavebeen
guilty of euoh conduct as thistopostoff to Christ'senemie,and lay it aa
an accusation against him,that he had raised a man from the dead.
47,48.Thengatheredthe chiefpriests and thePharisesacouncil,andsaid,
Whatdowe?forthismandloethmanymiracle.Ifnelethimthusalone,allmenwill
believeonhim:andtheRomana shallcomeandtakeauaybothourplaceandnalion.