1. The fame of Jesus as a teacher spread throughout all the land, and people came from near and far to hear His words of truth.

2. (vs. 4) Any many came, among them thieves, extortioners, courtesans; And Jesus sat with them and taught; but they who followed him were much aggrieved; because he sat with thieves and courtesans.

3. (vs. 5) And they upbraided Him: this day will be an evil day for you.

4. (vs. 7) And Jesus answered them and said: “A master never screens himself for sake of reputation or fame.”

Those who traveled with Jesus:

1. These are but worthless babbles of this day; they arise and sink, like empty bottles on a stream; they are illusions and will pass away.
2. They are the indices to what the thoughtless think; they are the noise that people make; and shallow men judge men by the noise.

Jesus responded:

1. God and all master men judge by what they are and not by what they seem to be; not by their reputation and their fame.
2. These courtesans and thieves are children of my Father God; their soul(s) are just as precious in His sight as yours or Brahmic Priests.
3. And they are working out the same life sums that you have solved, you men who look at them with scorn.
4. And some of them have solved much harders sums than you have solved, you men who look at them with scorn.
5. Yes, they are sinners, and confess of their guilt while you are guilty, but shrew enough to have a polished coat to cover your guilt.

1. Suppose you men who scorn the courtesans, these drunkards and these thieves, who know that you are heart and life, that you are better for than they, stand forth that man may know just who are you.
2. The sin lies in the wish, in the desire, not in the act.
3. You covet other people’s wealth, you look at charming forms, and deep within, your hearts you lust for them.
4. Deceit you practice every day, and wish for gold, for honor, and for fame, just for your selfish selves.
5. The man who covet is a thief, and she who lusts is a courtesan. You who are none of these speak out.

Jesus said:

1. Nobody spoke, and the accusers held their peace.
2. And Jesus said: The proof this day is all against those who have accused.
3. The pure in heart do not accuse. The vile in heart who want to cover up their guilt with holy smoke of piety are ever loathing drunkard, thief, and courtesan.
4. This loathing and this scorn is mockery, for if the tinsled coat of reputation could be torn away, the load professor would [be found] to revel in his lust, deceit, and many more forms of secret sin.
5. The man who spends his time pulling other people’s seeds can have no time to pull his own, and all the choicest flowers of life will soon be choked and die, and nothign will remain but darnel, thistles, and burs.

And Jesus spoke a parable:

1. Behold a farmer had great fields of ripened grain, and when he looked he saw that blades of many stalks of wheat were bent and broken down.
2. And when he sent his reapers forth he said: “We will not save the stalks of wheat that have the broken blades.” (v. 27) Go forth and cut and burn the stalks with broken blades. (v. 28) And after many days he went to measure up his grain, but not a kernel could he find. (v. 29) And then he called the harvesters and said to them: “Where is my grain?”

30. They answered him and said: “We did according to your word; we gathered up and burned the stalks with broken blades, and not a stalk was left to carry to the barn.”

31. And Jesus said: “If God saves only those who have no broken blades, who have been perfected in His sight, who will be saved?”

32. And the accusers hung their heads in shame, and Jesus went His way.