Then Answered Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees, that they Might Tempt Him...

The Diatessaron of Tatian — Rev. Hope W. Hogg, B.D.

[1] [1142] Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, that they might tempt him, [2] and said, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from thee. [1143] He answered and said, This evil and adulterous generation [1144] seeketh a sign; and it shall not be given a sign, [3] except the sign of Jonah the prophet. [1145] And as Jonah was a sign to the inhabitants [4] of Nineveh, so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. [1146] And as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man [5] be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. [1147] The queen of the south shall rise in the judgement with the people of this generation, and condemn [1148] them: for she came from the ends of the earth that she might hear the wisdom of Solomon; [6] [Arabic, p.62] and behold, here is a better than Solomon. [1149] The men of Nineveh shall stand in the judgement with this generation, and condemn it: for they repented at [7] the preaching of Jonah; and behold, here is a greater than Jonah. [1150] The unclean spirit, when he goeth out of the man, departeth, and goeth about through places wherein are no waters, that he may find rest for himself; and when he findeth it not, he [8] saith, I will return to my house whence I came out. [1151] And if he come and find it [9] adorned and set in order, [1152] then he goeth, and associateth with himself seven other spirits worse than himself; and they enter and dwell in it: and the end of that man [10] shall be worse than his beginning. [1153] Thus shall it be unto this evil generation.

[11] [1154] And while he was saying that, a woman from the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts that nursed [12] thee. [1155] But he said unto her, Blessed is he that heareth the word of God, and keepeth it.

[13] [1156] And while he was speaking unto the multitude, there came unto him his mother [14] and his brethren, and sought to speak with him; [1157] and they were not able, because of [15] the multitude; and they stood without and sent, calling him unto them. [1158] A man said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, and seek to [16] speak with thee. [1159] But he answered unto him that spake unto him, Who is my [17] mother? and who are my brethren? [1160] And he beckoned with his hand, stretching it out towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother! and behold, my brethren! [18] [1161] And every man that shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.

[19] [1162] And after that, Jesus was going about in the cities and in the villages, and proclaiming [Arabic, p.63] and preaching the kingdom of God, and his [1163] twelve with him, [20] [1164] and the women which had been healed of diseases and of evil spirits, Mary [21] that was called Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven devils, [1165] and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering to them of their substance.

[22] [1166] And after that, Jesus went out of the house, and sat on the sea shore. [1167] And there [23] gathered unto him great multitudes. And when the press of the people was great upon him, he went up and sat in the boat; and all the multitude was standing on the [24] shore of the sea. [1168] And he spake to them much in parables, and said, The sower [25] went forth to sow: and when he sowed, [1169] some fell on the beaten highway; and it was [26] trodden upon, and the birds ate it. [1170] And other fell on the rocks: and some, where there was not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no depth in [27] the earth: [1171] and when the sun rose, it withered; and because it had no root, it dried [28] up. [1172] And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it; [29] and it yielded no fruit. [1173] And other fell into excellent and good [1174] ground; and it came up, and grew, and brought forth fruit, some thirty, and some sixty, and some [30] a hundred. [1175] And when he said that, he cried, He that hath ears that hear, let him [31] hear. [1176] And when they were alone, his disciples came, and asked him, and said unto [32] him, What is this parable? and why spakest thou unto them in parables? [1177] He [Arabic, p.64] answered and said unto them, Unto you is given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God; but it is not given unto them that are [33] without. [1178] He that hath shall be given unto, and there shall be added; and he that [34] hath not, that which he hath shall be taken from him also. [1179] For this cause therefore I speak unto them in parables; because they see, and see not; and hear, and hear [35] not, nor understand. [1180] And in them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said,

Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand;

And seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive:

[36] [1181] The heart of this people is waxed gross,

And their hearing with their ears is become heavy,

And they have closed their eyes;

Lest they should see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their hearts,

And should return,

And I should heal them.

[37, 38] [1182] But ye, blessed are your eyes, which see; and your ears, which hear. [1183] Blessed [39] are the eyes which see what ye see. [1184] Verily I say unto you, Many of the prophets and the righteous longed to see what ye see, and saw not; and to hear what ye [40] hear, and heard not. [1185] When ye know not this parable, how shall ye know all parables? [41, 42] [1186] Hear ye the parable of the sower. [1187] The sower which sowed, sowed the word [43] of God. [1188] Every one who heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, the evil one cometh and snatcheth away the word that hath been sown in his [44] heart: and this is that which was sown on the middle of the highway. [1189] But that which was sown on the rocks is he that heareth the word, and straightway receiveth [45, 46] [Arabic, p.65] it with joy; [1190] only, it hath no root in his soul, but his belief in it is for a time; [1191] and whenever there is distress or persecution because of a [1192] word, he [47] stumbleth [1193] quickly. [1194] And that which was sown among the thorns is he that heareth the word; [1195] and the care of this world, and the error of riches, and the rest of the [48] other lusts enter, and choke the word, and it becometh without fruit. [1196] And that which was sown in good ground is he that heareth my word in a pure and good heart, and understandeth it, and holdeth to it, and bringeth forth fruit with patience, [1197] and produceth either a hundredfold or sixtyfold or thirty.

[49] [1198] And he said, So is the kingdom of God, like a man who casteth seed into the [50] earth, and sleepeth and riseth by night and day, [1199] and the seed groweth and cometh [51] up, whence [1200] he knoweth not. [1201] And the earth bringeth it to the fruit; and first it [52] will be blade, and after it ear, and at last perfect wheat in the ear: [1202] and whenever the fruit ripeneth, [1203] he bringeth immediately the sickle, for the harvest hath come.

Footnotes:

[1142] Matthew 12:38.

[1143] Matthew 12:39.

[1144] See 1, 49, note.

[1145] Luke 11:30.

[1146] Matthew 12:40.

[1147] Luke 11:31.

[1148] See note to 10, 13.

[1149] Matthew 12:41.

[1150] Luke 11:24.

[1151] Luke 11:25.

[1152] Luke 11:26.

[1153] Matthew 12:45b.

[1154] Luke 11:27.

[1155] Luke 11:28.

[1156] Matthew 12:46a; Luke 8:19a.

[1157] Matthew 12. Luke 8:19b.

[1158] Mark 3:31; Matthew 12:47.

[1159] Matthew 12:48.

[1160] Matthew 22:49.

[1161] Matthew 12:50.

[1162] Luke 8:1.

[1163] The Arabic printed text gives no sense. A simple change in the diacritical points of one letter gives the reading of the Syriac versions, which is adopted here.

[1164] Luke 8:2.

[1165] Luke 8:3.

[1166] Matthew 13:1.

[1167] Matthew 13:2.

[1168] Matthew 13:3.

[1169] Matthew 13:4a; Luke 8:5b.

[1170] Matthew 13:5.

[1171] Matthew 13:6.

[1172] Luke 8:7; Mark 4:7b.

[1173] Luke 8:8a; Mark 4:8b.

[1174] cf. Peshitta (against Cur. and Sin.).

[1175] Luke 8.