Volume 2

Jesus' Teaching on the Tithes 219
whom is He then? Whence has He His knowledge and
His skill in working miracles? What must we do about
Him?" And so they went on discharging their wrath and
interchanging conjectures. The Centurion Zorobabel
alone remained calm; he even had some influence in
pacifying the rest. He urged them to patience. '"Wait,"
said he. '"If His power is from God, He will certainly
triumph; but if not, He will come to naught. So long as
He cures our sick and labors to make us better, we have
reason to love Him and to thank Him who sent Him."
Early next day Jesus went with about twenty of His
disciples toward the lake, not by the direct road, but off
to the south around the height upon which Mary's house
stood toward the west. That elevation, though separated
from it by a valley, was only a projection from the foot
of a mountain chain running northward. Jesus chose this
route as being better suited to teaching. There were many
beautiful brooks running down from the height into the
lake, and the little river near Capharnaum flowed along
in this direction. This part of the country was watered
and fertilized by the numerous streams that flowed
around Bethsaida. Jesus paused several times with His
disciples to rest in those pleasant spots, and often stood
still to teach of the tithes. The disciples complained of
the great severity with which the tithes were levied at
Jerusalem, and asked whether it would not be well to
suppress them. Jesus answered that God had commanded
the tenth part of all the fruits of the earth to be given to
the Temple and its servers, in order to remind nlen that
they had not the propriety, but only the usufruct of them;
even of vegetables and green things, the tenth part ought
to be given by abstaining from their use. Then the discipIes
spoke of Samaria, expressing their regret for having
perhaps hurried His departure thence. They did not
know, they said, that the people of Samaria were so anxious
to receive His teaching, so disposed to receive Him