Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/168

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PHILOCHRISTUS.

But when he rose up to go, behold, Barachiah the son of Zadok also rose up in haste, and coming to Jesus he fell down on his knees before him, and besought him that he would forgive all the slanders and revilings which he had used concerning Jesus and concerning his disciples. And Jesus both forgave him and blessed him. And from that hour even to the day of his death Barachiah was a new creature; insomuch that he was no longer known among them of Capernaum as the viper, or the child of Satan, but they called him "the changed man."

But as Jesus was now going forth, two of the disciples of John the son of Zachariah came unto him. For they had been present in the chamber, though they had not partaken of the feast; and they marvelled at the cheerfulness of Jesus, because he ate bread and drank wine and conversed freely with the common people, not after the manner of their master. So they were offended at Jesus, and said to him, "Master, why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?" Now John himself had called Jesus the Bridegroom of Israel. Jesus therefore, using these same words, answered and said, "Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?" Then he turned and looked at us, and his face was sorrowful; and he added, "But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast in those days." Then first did Jesus speak concerning his departure from his disciples: and he meant, perchance, that as John the Prophet had been taken from the midst of his disciples, so also would he himself be taken away from us; for the Lord had revealed unto him that Israel was not to be redeemed easily, nor without much tribulation. But by what power he should be thus taken, whether by imprisonment (as had befallen John), or by death of violence (as