Abraham is dead
Jesus the Son of God, Himself God.
(The Gospel History, Section 79)
The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Abraham is dead
(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book IV Poem XLVII)
A Jew. Why, here, a madman, devil-possessed in sooth;
Who ever heard of a man that did not die?
Our history’s crammed with marvels wrought of God
Through this or that, his servant: but that a man
Should live and live through each succeeding age,—
Ha, ha, a fool’s dream, arrogant! Abraham,
Himself, the Father of us all, is dead,
And Moses and Elias,—the mighty roll
Of the prophets, dead be they! And here is one,
A Man of no account, presumes to say
That if one keep His word he shall not die,—
Nay, he shall never die through all time’s years!
Pray, who art Thou that swellest there in pride?
Abraham is dead—art more than Abraham?
The prophets, they be dead, and shalt Thou live,
And Thy followers, shall they, too, ever live?
Whom makest Thou Thyself? Fool’s prate is this,
Child’s wonder-tale, unseemly for grown men.
The Lord. Ye think to belittle Me with scornful speech;
But, see you, slighting words reach not the Man
Who is unsolicitous of any praise,
Credit, renown or glory men can give.
Blame and reproach pass such an one unhurt:—
The glory which is Mine ye cannot touch;
No words may vilify, no deeds detract,
From glory the Father sheddeth on His Son!
(Did some one in the crowd with open eyes
Perceive a halo of glory round the Son,
Encircling Him, luminous, and—separate?
Ye men, why will ye lie? Ye hear the Truth,
Nor know it for the Truth, but question, scoff,
Prove it impossible by all your tests,
Impossible—therefore, false; to call the Truth
A lie, is the most damning of all lies
The father of lies can foist on credulous men:
Nay, seek to comprehend—hear and be saved!
St. John viii. 52–53.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Stitcher | RSS