Volume 2

Discourse at Bethulia
271
When the Herodians returned to Jetebatha, one of them
set about preparing the people in case Jesus should come
to their city. He told them that Jesus, the Prophet of
Nazareth, who was now nearby at the Baths of Bethulia,
would probably visit their city for the coming Sabbath.
He was the one who had made a great uproar in Capharnaum
on the preceding Sabbath and on the Sabbath
before that in Nazareth. He warned them not to be
seduced by Him, not to applaud Him, not even to let Him
speak for any length of time, but to interrupt Him with
murmurs and contradictions whenever He said anything
singular or unintelligible; and so the people were prepared
for Jesus' coming.
Jesus delivered at the Baths of Bethulia another discourse
full of beauty and simplicity. Numbers of men
formed around Him a circle in which He moved about
among them. At a distance in the background, several
men lame with the gout were timidly standing. They had
come to make use of the baths, but had not yet ventured
to approach Jesus. Jesus repeated what He had taught
yesterday and the day before, exhorting His audience to
purification from sin. All hearts were touched and turned
to Him. Many exclaimed: "'Lord, who could hear Thee
and resist Thy words!" Jesus replied: "Ye have heard
much about Me, and now ye listen to My words. Who do
ye think I am?" Some said: ""Lord, Thou art a Prophet!"
Others answered: ""Thou art more than a Prophet! No
Prophet ever taught such things as Thou dost teach. None
has ever done the things that Thou hast done!" But
others, again, kept silence. Jesus, penetrating the thoughts
of these last, pointing to them, said: "'These men's
thoughts are the right ones." Someone then said: "'Lord,
Thou canst do all things! Is it not so? They said that Thou
hast even raised the dead, the daughter of Jairus. Is it
so?" The speaker alluded to that Jairus who dwelt in a
city not far from Gibea, where Jesus had at an earlier