Central to both Judaism and Christianity, the Bible has shaped the development of the world and human thought more than any other single work. Its influence is so great that, from ancient times to the modern day, many Bible stories have become inextricably intertwined with art, culture, philosophy, and society. The Bible is often deemed a single, cohesive work, but a more accurate view of it would be as an anthology of the writings of many authors that has developed through several iterations. In addition to foundational narratives, such as creation, the Ten Commandments, and the crucifixion and resurrection detailed in the main part of this book, many less well-known stories have also been woven into this tapestry of Jewish and Christian thought.

THE CURSE OF CANAAN

Genesis 9:20–11:26

Noah is the first person to plant crops after the Flood. Drinking wine from his vineyard, he falls asleep naked. His youngest son Ham sees him and tells his brothers, Shem and Jephthah. Shocked, they walk backward into the tent, so they cannot see their naked father as they cover him with a coat. When Noah wakes and hears that Ham has seen him naked, he puts a curse on Ham’s son, Canaan, and his offspring, saying they will be “servants of servants” while Shem and Jephthah’s offspring will be blessed. This story acted as justification for the Israelites’ subjugation of the Canaanites.

See also: The Flood 40–41 ▪ Covenants 44–47

A BRIDE FOR ISAAC

Genesis 24

Growing old in Canaan, Abraham sends a servant with 10 camels to his native lands to find a suitable wife for his son Isaac. The servant prophesies that if any woman he meets at a local well not only responds to his request for water, but also offers pitchers of water for his camels, she will be the chosen bride. The young woman who does these things is Abraham’s great niece, Rebekah. Her marriage to Isaac ensures the continuation of Abraham’s lineage and fulfills his covenant with God.

See also: Covenants 44–47 ▪ The Testing of Abraham 50–53 ▪ Esau and Jacob 54–55

ISAAC FOUNDS BEERSHEBA

Genesis 26:12–33

Blessed by God, Isaac becomes a rich farmer, making the Philistines so jealous that they block up his wells, and King Abimelech asks him to leave the country. Isaac goes into the Negev desert where his servants dig fresh wells, and he prospers once more. Seeing this, Abimelech seeks out Isaac to apologize, saying that he now realizes that God is with Isaac. They make an oath of peace. After a feast, Isaac’s servants discover another well, so the place is called Beersheba, meaning “Well of the Oath.”

See also: The Testing of Abraham 50–53 ▪ Esau and Jacob 54–55 ▪ David and Bathsheba 118–19

MOSES’S FLIGHT FROM EGYPT

Exodus 2:11–22; 4:24–26

When Moses’s murder of an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave becomes known to Pharaoh, Moses flees Egypt. Arriving in the desert of Midian, where he will spend the next 40 years, Moses defends seven women from some shepherds who want to drive them from a well. Their father, the priest Jethro, invites Moses to stay, and he marries Zipporah, one of Jethro’s seven daughters, who bears him two sons. This begins Moses’s transformation into one of the most important prophets.

See also: Moses and the Burning Bush 66–69 ▪ The Exodus 74–77 ▪ The Ten Commandments 78–83

THE LAST DAYS OF MOSES

Numbers 27:12–23; Deuteronomy 34

On Mount Abarim, Moses looks over the land God has given to the children of Israel. God tells him to make Joshua his successor, presenting him to the priests and the people. At the age of 120, Moses takes his leave of the people, giving instructions on how they should live. God then gives him a last look at the lands promised to Abraham and his descendants, so as to reaffirm the importance of Moses’s mission and celebrate his faithfulness. When Moses dies, the Israelites weep for 30 days.

See also: Covenants 44–47 ▪ The Ten Commandments 78–83 ▪ Entering the Promised Land 96–97

ACHAN’s SIN

Joshua 7

After the fall of Jericho, an Israelite named Achan secretly pillages gold, silver, and a Babylonian garment from the city. In the subsequent Israelite attack on the city of Ai ordered by Joshua, 36 Israelites are killed and the rest are chased from the city gate, fleeing in terror. Later, tearing his clothes before the Ark of the Lord, Joshua appeals to

God to save His people. God tells Joshua that one of the Israelites has broken His covenant, and will be punished. The next day, God identifies Achan as the culprit. After Joshua’s encouragement, Achan admits to his crimes. As punishment, Achan, his family, and livestock are stoned to death.

See also: The Ark and the Tabernacle 86–87 ▪ The Fall of Jericho 98–99

THE BATTLE OF AI

Joshua 8

Following the death of Achan, God commands Joshua and the entire Israelite army to attack Ai once again—this time, with an ambush from behind the city. Approaching from the north with 5,000 men, Joshua lures the army out of Ai, allowing his forces to enter the city from the west. Unopposed, they burn it to the ground. The Israelites then go on to defeat Ai’s army and kill all of its citizens.

See also: Entering the Promised Land 96–97 ▪ The Fall of Jericho 98–99

JEPHTHAH’S VOW

Judges 10:6–11:40

Jephthah, a great warrior, leads the people into battle against the Ammonites, vowing to God that he will sacrifice to Him the first thing he sees coming out of his house if he returns victorious. Fatefully, it is his daughter who runs out to greet him. He is struck with grief, but she accepts her fate. This brutal tale of human sacrifice has puzzled commentators. Some note that God does not explicitly endorse Jepthah’s fulfillment of his vow and that the sacrifice itself is not confirmed.

See also: The Testing of Abraham 50–53 ▪ Herod’s Infanticide 187

ARK OF GOD RETURNED TO ISRAEL

1 Samuel 5:1–6:21

After defeating the Israelites in battle and taking the Ark of the Covenant, the Philistines are afflicted with a plague of tumors in every city the Ark enters. After suffering seven months of plagues, the Philistines finally agree to return the Ark in a cart laden with golden treasure in order to appease the God of the Israelites.

See also: The Ten Plagues 70–71 ▪ The Ark and the Tabernacle 86–87

THE MEETING OF SAUL AND SAMUEL

1 Samuel 9–10

Kish, a man from the small tribe of Benjamin, sends his son Saul to look for his stray donkey. Frustrated by the search, Saul’s servant suggests they ask the seer of a nearby town for help. This seer is the Prophet Samuel, who anoints Saul and tells him God has chosen him to rule over the Israelites. The blessing sanctifies Saul’s new role, preparing the way for him to become the first king of Israel.

See also: Jacob Wrestles with God 56–57 ▪ Moses and the Burning Bush 66–69 ▪ The Prophet Samuel 110–15

SAUL, KING OF ISRAEL

1 Samuel 11

When Saul hears that the Ammonites have threatened the people of Jabesh, he rushes to their defense, rallying the people of Israel by cutting up two oxen and telling them that the oxen of anyone who did not join him in battle would be similarly butchered. The Israelites are victorious and Saul is declared king, having earned the respect of his people with his leadership.

See also: The Ark and the Tabernacle 86–87 ▪ The Prophet Samuel 110–15

SAUL’S FALL FROM FAVOR

1 Samuel 18

After slaying Goliath, David becomes a close friend of Saul’s son, Jonathan. Jealous of the popularity and success of David, Saul realizes that God favors David above him. He therefore hopes to eliminate David by setting him the impossible task of killing 100 Philistines as a precondition of marrying his daughter Michal. When David accomplishes this feat, Saul grows more fearful of the young man’s power. Saul’s malice toward David is cruel and unwarranted, showing a turning away from God.

See also: David and Goliath 116–17 ▪ David and Bathsheba 118–19

THE JEALOUS KING

1 Samuel 20

David suspects that the jealous Saul will kill him at a New Moon feast. He therefore asks Jonathan to tell his father that he has given David permission to absent himself from the feast. Saul’s fury at this news confirms his murderous intentions. He tells Jonathan to fetch David, who must pay for this insult with his life, but Jonathan engineers David’s escape. Here, loyalty to family proves secondary to aiding David, God’s chosen king of Israel.

See also: David and Goliath 116–17 ▪ David and Bathsheba 118–19

SAUL’S ROBE

1 Samuel 24

In pursuit of David, Saul and his 3,000-strong army go into the wilderness where they stop by a cave, unaware that David and his army are sheltering inside. David quietly approaches Saul and cuts a corner off his robe. When David presents the corner of the robe to Saul—to show that he could have killed Saul but chose not to—Saul realizes that David is the chosen king of Israel, and the two make their peace. Although Saul has wronged David in the past, his show of mercy disarms Saul and demonstrates his virtuous nature.

See also: Esau and Jacob 54–55 ▪ David and Goliath 116–17

THE WITCH OF ENDOR

1 Samuel 28

Saul has banished soothsayers from his kingdom, but when an army of Philistines threatens and God fails to answer his call, he turns to the Witch of Endor to summon the spirit of Samuel. From beyond the grave, Samuel refuses to help, telling Saul that God has chosen David to become king and that Saul and his sons will soon be dead. In the ensuing battle, Saul kills himself to avoid capture. This episode demonstrates that God’s judgment is absolute and unavoidable.

See also: The Prophet Samuel 110–15 ▪ David and Goliath 116–17

THE ARK IN JERUSALEM

2 Samuel 6

Under King David’s leadership, the Ark is removed from Abinadab’s house in Kiriath-jearim and transported to Jerusalem. When a driving ox stumbles on the journey, Abinadab’s son Uzzah steadies the Ark with his hand and is promptly struck dead by God. David, in fear, sets the Ark aside in the house of Obed-edom before finally taking it to Jerusalem three months later. By killing Uzzah, God emphasizes a tenet established in the Book of Numbers—that only the Kohathites should be permitted to carry the Ark, and, more broadly, that anyone who touches it will die.

See also: The Ark and Tabernacle 86–87 ▪ Entering the Promised Land 96–97 ▪ Rebuilding Jerusalem 133

ABSALOM’S REBELLION

2 Samuel 15

Under the pretense of going to Hebron to give sacrifices to God, Absalom, David’s third son, rallies support for a revolt against his father. David, who is now elderly, flees Jerusalem, but his forces later confront Absalom at the Battle of Ephraim’s Wood, where Absalom is killed in revenge by his cousin Joab. Absalom’s unnatural rebellion, motivated by greed, is thus punished by a just God.

See also: Cain and Abel 36–37 ▪ David and Bathsheba 118–19

NABOTH’S VINEYARD

1 Kings 21

When a Jezreelite called Naboth refuses to sell his family vineyard to King Ahab of Samaria, Queen Jezebel successfully conspires to have Naboth stoned to death for insulting God. After the king takes possession of the vineyard, Elijah visits him to tell him that his sin was so great that he will suffer Naboth’s fate, that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs, and that his descendants will be outcasts. Seeing Ahab is truly repentant, God relents and says he would not bring down these curses on Ahab and his family until after his death. In this way, while the deception and greed of Ahab and Jezebel bring dire consequences for his descendants, they allow for God to display His justness and mercy.

See also: A Prophet Hiding 124 ▪ Elijah and the Prophets of Baal 125

SOLOMON BECOMES KING

1 Kings 1:28–53

In poor health in his old age, King David needs to name a successor. Adonijah, his oldest son, proclaims himself king. Solomon, his younger son, is supported by his mother Bathsheba, the priest Zadok, Nathan the prophet, and the army chief Benaiah. David has Solomon crowned, and after David’s death Solomon consolidates power by executing Adonijah.

See also: David and Bathsheba 118–19 ▪ The Wisdom of Solomon 120–23 ▪ Proverbs 148–51

JEROBOAM AND REHOBOAM

1 Kings 12–2 Kings 25

As predicted by the prophet Ahijah, Solomon turns away from God. Consequently, when he dies, God gives the lands in the north to Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s officials, and 10 tribes of Israel, while Judah and Benjamin in the south fall to Solomon’s son Rehoboam. Rehoboam imposes harsh working conditions on his people, and many flee north to join Jeroboam. Rehoboam’s attempts to reunite the country fail.

See also: The Wisdom of Solomon 120–23 ▪ The Prophet Jeremiah 156–59

ELISHA’S MIRACLES

2 Kings 4:1–7, 38–44; 6:1–7

The Prophet Elisha exemplifies the divine principles of compassion and charity in four simple yet miraculous acts of kindness. First, a widow who owes money to her dead husband’s associate asks Elisha for help. He tells her to pour her valuable oil into as many containers as she has. As she pours the oil, she realizes that its quantity has increased vastly, and she sells it to pay off the debt. Second, a servant unwittingly poisons a large stew with deadly berries. Using flour, Elisha removes the poison. In another miracle, there are only 20 loaves of bread to feed 100 men but when Elisha hands it out, there is plenty to go around, with some to spare. Last, cutting a beam, a man drops his axe head in the river. Elisha throws a stick, which brings the axe head to the surface, so that the building work can continue.

See also: The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ Feeding the 5,000 228–31

ELISHA AND THE CHILDLESS COUPLE

2 Kings 4:8–37

In repayment for bread and lodging offered freely by an elderly, childless couple in Shunem, Elisha promises they will have a baby within the year. This comes true and they have a son. However, when the child is a few years old, he dies. The woman lays him on the bed that the prophet used, before going to tell him of the reason for her grief. Consoling her, Elisha agrees to help the child. He goes to the woman’s house and shuts himself in the room with the child, who is miraculously restored to life. By giving Elisha power to bring the dead back to life, God shows that through Him, all things are possible.

See also: The Prophet Samuel 110–15 ▪ The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ The Empty Tomb 268–71

ELISHA’S SKIN CURE

2 Kings 5:1–14

Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, is advised by an Israelite girl captive to seek a cure for his leprosy from Elisha. The prophet tells him to wash seven times in the River Jordan. Believing the Jordan to be an unworthy river, Naaman at first refuses, but then relents and washes himself. His body becomes as unblemished as a child’s, showing that even if temporarily obstructed by pride, faith results in great transformation.

See also: Baptism of Jesus 194–97 ▪ The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

ELISHA’S TEARS FOR A KING

2 Kings 8:7–15

In Damascus, Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria, is sick, so he sends his servant Hazael to ask Elijah if he will ever recover. In tears, the prophet tells Hazael that not only will the king die, but Hazael will replace him and commit terrible crimes against the children of Israel. The following day Hazael suffocates the king and seizes the throne. Later, following the death of Hazael, he is succeeded by his son, Ben-Hadad III.

See also: The Prophet Jeremiah 156–59 ▪ Herod’s Infanticide 187

JOASH, KING OF JUDAH

2 Kings 12:1–21; 2 Chronicles 24:1–27

At the age of 7, with the help of the high priest Jehoiada, Joash begins his 40-year rule of Judah. On the death of Jehoiada, the king and his people stop worshipping in the Temple. When his son Zechariah complains, Joash orders him to be stoned to death. In retribution, God allows a small Syrian army to conquer the army of Judah and raid Jerusalem.

See also: The Wisdom of Solomon 120–23 ▪ The Prophet Jeremiah 156–59

DEATH OF ELISHA

2 Kings 13:14–20

On his deathbed, Elisha instructs King Joash to fire an arrow out of the window. This, he said, was “the Lord’s arrow of victory.” He tells Joash to fire the remaining arrows, but when Joash does so only three times, Elisha asks why he has not shot five or six arrows, as this would have completely defeated the Syrians. Now they will be defeated only three times. After issuing this warning, Elisha dies.

See also: A Prophet in Hiding 124 ▪ Elijah and the Prophets of Baal 125 ▪ The Chariot of Fire 126–27

HEZEKIAH’S REFORMS

2 Kings 18

At the age of 25, Hezekiah becomes King of Judah. His religious reforms demand the destruction of images, including Nehushtan, the bronze serpent said to have been made by Moses. He purges the priesthood and centralizes the worship of God at the Temple in Jerusalem. This act represents an emphatic denunciation of impure gods and false idols.

See also: The Golden Calf 84–85 ▪ Daniel in Babylon 164–65

DANIEL IMPRESSES NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Daniel 1:1–21

Four noble Israelites are selected to serve Nebuchadnezzar’s royal palace in Babylon. They are to be trained for three years and given the best food and wine. Daniel does not want to eat or drink anything against God’s Law, and he asks the chief official if they may eat only vegetables and drink water. After ten days, Daniel and his compatriots look much healthier than the king’s men, showing Daniel’s wisdom and virtue, and they become the most respected wise men in the kingdom.

See also: Joseph the Dreamer 58–61 ▪ Daniel in Babylon 164–65

DEFYING THE KING’S FIERY FURNACE

Daniel 3

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fail to take part in the worship of a huge new golden image which Nebuchadnezzar has created, he orders them to be burned to death. The furnace is built and the fire is so intense that the soldiers in charge of the victims are burned, but the three Israelites remain completely unharmed by the flames. Seeing this miracle, Nebuchadnezzar is converted, and says anybody offending God would be cut to pieces. This story reflects the moral imperative to avoid worshipping false idols, while the conversion of the tyrannical Nebuchadnezzar reflects the might and reach of God’s influence.

See also: Daniel in Babylon 164–65 ▪ The Road to Damascus 290–91

BECOMING A WILD ANIMAL

Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant tree reaching to the sky being cut down, dispersing the animals sheltering beneath it, though the stump of the tree remains. Daniel interprets the dream as the king being driven into the wilderness to live like the animals, although the remaining stump implies that he will return to power when he acknowledges the Kingdom of Heaven. Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream introduces his ability to explain the significance of visions.

See also: Joseph the Dreamer 58–61 ▪ Daniel in Babylon 164–65

BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST

Daniel 5

King Belshazzar of Babylon hosts a banquet for 1,000 nobles, who drink wine from golden goblets taken from the Temple of Jerusalem. When a finger appears and writes a message across a wall, the king promises riches for anyone who can interpret the sign. Daniel is summoned and offered riches and status in exchange for deciphering the message. Refusing the offer, he explains to King Belshazzar that God is displeased with his lack of faith and his days are numbered. The king rewards him with high office, recognizing Daniel as God’s loyal servant.

See also: Joseph the Dreamer 58–61 ▪ Daniel in Babylon 164–65

WATER INTO WINE

John 2:1–11

Jesus, Mary, and His disciples attend a wedding at Cana in Galilee. When the entire supply of wine has been consumed by the wedding guests, Mary comes to Jesus and tells Him what has happened. Jesus instructs the servants to pour water into jars and take it to the master of the banquet, who, upon tasting it, discovers it has been transformed into wine. Despite performing the miracle, Jesus initially showed reluctance when Mary approached Him, saying, “Why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” Jesus makes multiple references to His “time” or “hour” throughout the Gospels, alluding to His crucifixion and resurrection, when His blood, often symbolized by wine, will cleanse humanity of all sin.

See also: The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ Feeding the 5,000 228–31 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

WOMAN AT THE WELL

John 4:1–42

Jesus meets a woman drawing water from Jacob’s well. Although Samaritans are not meant to speak with Jews, Jesus talks to her, revealing Himself as the Messiah, saying, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” Many in the town come to believe in Him and they urge Him to stay. Jesus’s interactions with the Samaritan woman and surrounding crowd are imbued with clear metaphorical connotations, as He demonstrates to those present that the water of life will provide sustenance to any who will follow Him, regardless of their nationality or origin.

See also: The Calling of the Disciples 200–03 ▪ The Good Samaritan 216–17 ▪ Road to Emmaus 272–73

THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS

Matthew 7:24–27

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells a parable in order to demonstrate the importance of following His teachings in daily life. He describes a man who faithfully practices the word of God as one “who built his house on the rock.” Jesus explains that after the house is built, and when the rains come, the streams rise, and the winds beat against the house, it stays standing because of its solid foundation.

By contrast, those who do not practice the word of God are compared to “a foolish man who built his house on sand.” For him, when the rains come, the streams rise, and the winds beat against the house, it crashes to the ground. Through this parable, Jesus signifies that through times of affliction, practicing faith in God will give believers the strength they need to persevere.

See also: The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ Feeding the 5,000 228–31 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Mark 6:16–29

Following the death of her husband, Philip, Princess Herodias marries Philip’s brother, King Herod. When John the Baptist insists that this union is unlawful and immoral, Herodias nurses a grudge against him. At a banquet, Herod asks the daughter of Herodias, Salome, to dance, before promising her any gift she chooses. At Herodias’s suggestion, the girl asks for the head of John the Baptist. Although Herod has no quarrel with John, he carries out his promise. John the Baptist is executed, and his head is brought to Herodias on a platter. This story demonstrates the vicious and brutal nature of Herod’s rule.

See also: Baptism of Jesus 194–97 ▪ The Crucifixion 258–65 ▪ Paul’s Arrest 294–95

A GIRL POSSESSED

Matthew 15:2–28; Mark 7:24–30

A Gentile in the region of Tyre and Sidon begs Jesus to cure her daughter, who is possessed by a demon. At first, He refuses, saying He has been sent to help the children of Israel, and that it was not right to take their bread and toss it to the dogs (meaning Gentiles). She replies that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. For her faith in Him, He tells her to go home where she will find her daughter cured. In doing so, Jesus rewards all those who show their faith in Him.

See also: Demons and the Herd of Pigs 224–25 ▪ The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ The Nature of Faith 236–41

FEEDING 4,000

Matthew 15:29–32; Mark 8:1–13

After feeding the 5,000, a crowd of 4,000 follow Jesus into the mountains. Many are lame, blind, or dumb and hope to be cured. After three days, in which He cures many people, Jesus does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples bring seven loaves and a few fishes, and with this amount of food, Jesus feeds the multitude.

See also: Feeding the 5,000 228–31 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY

John 8:1–12

An adulterous woman is brought before Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees, who ask Him why the Law of Moses, which calls for death for adulterers by stoning, should not be carried out. Jesus says to the people, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.” The crowd disperses and Jesus tells the woman to go and sin no more. With this act, Jesus successfully evades the trap of those wishing to force Him to choose between holiness and mercy.

See also: The Golden Rule 210–11 ▪ Jesus Anointed at Bethany 246–47

THE MAN WITH THE SHRIVELED HAND

Matthew 12:10–13; Mark 3:1–5; Luke 6:6–10

Angry that Jesus has been defying their rules about the Sabbath, and looking for reasons to bring charges against Him, some Pharisees in a synagogue ask Jesus if it is lawful to heal on a Sabbath. Seeing a man with a shriveled hand in the synagogue, Jesus heals him. He then asks the Pharisees, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” After this, the Pharisees plot how they might kill Jesus.

See also: Jesus Embraces a Tax Collector 242–43 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

A MAN BORN BLIND

John 9:1–38

Meeting a man who is born blind, the disciples ask Jesus if his blindness is due to his parents’ sins or his own sins. Jesus says that he is blind so that the work of God can be shown in him. “I am the light of the world,” Jesus says, and He restores the man to sight by pressing clay into his eyes and sending him to wash it off in the Pool of Siloam. The man, now healed, reflects God’s ability to work through people in order to show His love and power.

See also: Jesus Embraces a Tax Collector 242–43 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

LAZARUS AND A RICH MAN

Luke 16:19–31

Jesus tells the parable of a rich man who lives in luxury, and Lazarus, who is full of sores and lives in poverty at his gate. When they die, Lazarus is taken up to heaven by Abraham; the rich man is sent to hell. Abraham denies the rich man any comfort, and refuses his request to send Lazarus to his five living brothers to warn them of their likely similar fate. Abraham says they have already been warned by the prophets. The message is clear—judgment will be fair, as we have all heard God’s message.

See also: The Testing of Abraham 50–53 ▪ The Ten Commandments 78–83 ▪ The Raising of Lazarus 226–27

THE EXTENT OF FORGIVENESS

Matthew 18:21–35

Asked by His disciple Peter how many times he should forgive somebody who has wronged him, Jesus says seventy times seven, and He tells the parable of the servant who owes a king money. When the servant pleads with him, the king relents and cancels the debt. The servant then finds a fellow servant who owes him money and has him thrown into prison when he cannot pay. When the king hears this, he berates the servant for not treating his debtor as he has been treated himself and orders for him to be imprisoned and tortured. The parable affirms the Golden Rule, and suggests that forgiveness is not a finite resource.

See also: The Golden Rule 210–11 ▪ Parables of Jesus 214–15 ▪ The Prodigal Son 218–21 ▪ The Temple Tax 222

TEN CURED, ONLY ONE GRATEFUL

Luke 17:11–17

On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus is passing through a village when ten men with leprosy walk toward Him, calling out for mercy. Jesus tells them to go to see the priests, and as they do so, they are healed. One of them, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks, and Jesus expresses His disappointment that only one man has done so, showing the importance of expressing gratitude.

See also: The Good Samaritan 216–17 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

A BANQUET FOR THE POOR

Luke 14:1–24

On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man in the house of a Pharisee. Afterward He tells a parable about a large banquet, where all invited guests make excuses and do not attend. In anger, the host tells his servants to go into the streets and invite the poor, the crippled, and the blind to come and eat with him, until the house is so crowded that there will be no room for any other guests. This parable emphasizes that, having been rejected by the religious people, God would ensure the salvation of all kinds of social outcasts.

See also: The Golden Rule 210–11 ▪ Parables of Jesus 214–15 ▪ Feeding the 5,000 228–31

THE TWO SONS

Matthew 21:28–32

In this parable, Jesus describes a man with two sons. The man asks both of them to work in his vineyard for the day. The first son refuses, but later changes his mind and begins working. The second son agrees to work in the field, but, ultimately, does not fulfill his promise. Jesus asks the crowd, “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” They reply the first son. Jesus confirms this, and tells them that the prostitutes and tax collectors who repented to John the Baptist will enter heaven before them. Jesus explains that these sinners, despite their past actions, believed in God and repented. The crowd, however, with their hollow professions of faith, will not enter God’s kingdom.

See also: The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ Feeding the 5,000 228–31 ▪ The Healing of the Beggar 284–87

STEPHEN, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR

Acts 6:8–7:60

Stephen, a deacon of the early church, is Christianity’s first martyr. He is a Greek speaker and a powerful debater, and the speech he delivers at his trial before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. His last words before he is stoned to death for blasphemy are a plea to God not to hold the sin of his executioners against them. The cloaks of those who step forward to stone him are guarded by a Roman citizen named Saul, who is yet to convert to Christianity and change his name to Paul. Saul’s sins in his early life are thus framed against the piety of early Christian martyrs.

See also: Road to Damascus 290–91 ▪ Paul’s Arrest 294–95 ▪ The Power of the Resurrection 304–05

THE HEALING OF TABITHA

Acts 9:32–43

Tabitha (known as Dorcas in Greek), a well-loved Christian woman in Joppa, dies and her body is placed in an upstairs room. The Apostle Peter, who has recently cured a paralyzed man in the town of Lydda, is sent for. Peter is taken into the upstairs room where Tabitha’s body has been washed and placed. Grieving women show him clothes that Tabitha had made for them. After sending the women out of the room, Peter kneels and prays. He then commands Tabitha to get up, and she rises from the bed, returned to life. Through the miracle of resurrection, the status of Peter as one of God’s primary miracle workers is reaffirmed, and Tabitha is rewarded for living a good and virtuous life.

See also: The Raising of Lazarus 226–27 ▪ The Empty Tomb 268–71

PETER IN THE HOUSE OF A GENTILE

Acts 10:1–11:18

An angel appears to the Roman centurion Cornelius in Caesarea and tells him to send men to find the Apostle Peter and bring him to him. Meanwhile, Peter has a vision from God telling him that he may eat “unclean” food as it is not unclean when God says it is not. A servant takes Peter to Cornelius’s house even though religious laws prevent Peter from entering the house of a Gentile. Peter realizes that God is telling him that He has no favorites and will accept all those who believe in Him and he baptizes everyone there. God’s treatment of Cornelius allows for a transnational approach to salvation, as Peter demonstrates that the Kingdom of God is open to all who have faith.

See also: The Word Spreads 288–89 ▪ The Council of Jerusalem 292–93