LECTION 45 - Seeking signs & unclean spirits
Seeking For Signs
1. THEN certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered saying,
Master we would see a sign from thee.
But he answered and said unto them,
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
2. Yea, as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son (of Man) be three days and three nights in the heart (of the earth) and after he shall rise again.
3. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, because they penitence at the preaching of Jonas, and behold a greater than Jonas is here.
4. The Queen (of the South) shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts (of the earth) to hear the wisdom (of Solomon) and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
The Unclean Spirit.
5. AGAIN he said:
When the unclean spirit is gone out of any, he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and finding none it saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out. And when he is come he findeth it empty, swept and garnished, for they asked not the Good Spirit to dwell within them, and be their Eternal Guest.
6. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of all such is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation (which refuseth entrance to the Spirit of God).
7. For I say unto you, whosoever blasphemeth the Son (of Man) it shall be forgiven them; but whoso blasphemeth the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven them either in this age, or in the next, for they resist the Light (of God) by the false traditions (of men).
8. WHILE, he yet talked to the people, behold his parents and his brethren and his sisters stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him,
Behold thy father and thy mother, and thy brethren and thy sisters stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
9. But he answered and said unto him that told him;
Who is my father and who is my mother? And who are my brethren and my sisters?
10. And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples and said,
Behold my father and my mother, my brethren and sisters, and my children! For whosoever shall do the will Of my Parent (Who is in Heaven) the same is my father and my mother, my brother and my sister, my son and my daughter.
11. AND there were some Pharisees, who were covetous and proud of their riches, and he said unto them,
Take heed unto yourselves, and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth.
12. And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
The ground (of a certain rich man) brought forth plentifully; and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
13. And he said, This will I do; I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
14. And I will say to my soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, drink and be merry.
15. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy life shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
16. So are they that lay up treasures for themselves, and are not rich in good works to them that need, and are in want.
LECTION 45. 7. -The word "Blasphemy" is derived from the Greek , "blapto" to hinder, retard, obstruct (progress) and "pheme" to speak, thus signifying what is usually known as that conservatism which injures progress and obstructs it. Such a mind is held in bonds by too great deference to authority, or customs, or fashions, or traditions, and closes itself against fresh truths, or the restatement or development of old truths, and thus resists the light which may come through a divine messenger, and commits the "sin against the Holy Spirit" by closing eyes and ears against the higher teaching of God's truth. Such cannot be forgiven i.e. obtain release in this age (incarnation} or the succeeding. For the effects of persistent resistance are age enduring, like a prison house of the mind, and it cannot break the strong walls of prejudice and come forth, being fast bound, and needing, it may be ages, for its emancipation from error long cherished.
LECTION 45. 1O. -Without slighting any believer's love to the B.V.M., these words clearly shew how Iesus regarded Righteousness as relating all true believers to him more than any blood relationship could possibly do.