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| "The Chief Priests Ask Jesus by What Right Does He Act in This Way" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST READING: Numbers 24: 2 - 7, 15 - 17
2
And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by
their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,
3
He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said:
The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:
4
The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the
vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:
5
How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6
As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles
which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7
Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many
waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be
taken awry.
15
Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of
Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:
16
The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of
the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath
his eyes opened:
17
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A
STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from
Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the
children of Seth.
4
Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.
5
Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour;
and on thee have I waited all the day long.
6
Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mercies that are
from the beginning of the world.
7
The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to
thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.
8
The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to
sinners in the way.
9
He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.
23
And when he was come into the temple, there came to him, as he was
teaching, the chief priests and ancients of the people, saying: By
what authority dost thou these things? and who hath given thee this
authority?
24
Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you one word, which if
you shall tell me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these
things.
25
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? But they
thought within themselves, saying:
26
If we shall say, from heaven, he will say to us: Why then did you not
believe him? But if we shall say, from men, we are afraid of the
multitude: for all held John as a prophet.
27
And answering Jesus, they said: We know not. He also said to them:
Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
