Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the LordAbbott, Edwin Abbott
Religion
Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the Lord
Abbott, Edwin Abbott
Christian fiction; Jesus Christ -- Fiction
When James and John had been at last persuaded by their mother, they made
their petition unto Jesus. But Jesus refused it, saying that to sit on his
right hand and on his left hand was not his to give, save to those for
whom it had been prepared by the Father. For he would do nothing unjustly,
nor out of respect for persons; but here, as in all things, he desired to
conform himself to the unseen ordinances of the Father. And herein Jesus
shewed himself very different from that which he was supposed to be by
Jonathan the son of Ezra. For Jonathan supposed that he was misled by his
desires, and that whatsoever things seemed to Jesus desirable, these Jesus
fancied to be true: but it was not so; for no one ever saw, more clearly
than Jesus, that which must needs be. Only he rebelled not against it, but
willingly submitted himself to it and embraced it, as being the will of
the Father, and therefore very good. For this cause both now and at other
times, he spake of all his words and works as being prepared for him;
saying that he could neither do nor say anything of himself, but only that
which the Father had prepared. Also I marked, both at this time and often
before and after, how Jesus joined together in himself virtues that mix
not well together in the minds of most. For with most men a nature that
judgeth well and wisely is somewhat cold; and they which love warmly, love
neither wisely nor well, but are fond. But with Jesus it was not so: for
the more he loved men, the more he loved justice and truth; because, as I
suppose, his love of men on earth sprang out of his love of Him in heaven
whose name is Truth and Justice.
On this same day Jesus spake much concerning that which was to come; and
all his words tended to sadness. For he lamented over the divisions among
his disciples, and the divisions that should be in the world, saying that
it was as if he had not come to bring peace but a sword; yea, and that he
had verily come to kindle a fire upon the earth. Moreover of the day of
Redemption he spake as though it were a great way off, and the disciples
would need to wait long for it, and to watch, and to pray, and to resist
many temptations. Howbeit in every parable he spake confidently of a
certain day of Decision or Judgment, when the good should be separated
from the evil, and the evil should be cast into the fire, but the good
should be preserved for everlasting life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account