Today's passages via BibleGateway
Exodus 10:1-12:13
Matthew 20:1-28 (
Quaker Bible Index)
Psalm 25:1-15
Proverbs 6:6-11
Quaker Testimony on Today's Matthew reading
Margaret Fell (1655): ...be faithful to your own masters ... that as good stewards you may give a good account, and be found [faithful workers] in the Lord’s vineyard who is now at work, and will have none to be [idle, but calls] into the vineyard at every hour [Mat 20:1-14]: and ye that was called at the first hour of the day, if ye be not faithful & obedient to improve your talents [Mat 25:14-30], he that cometh at the eleventh hour will receive as much as you, and then he that hath been negligent will murmur & counts it hard.
Thomas Elwood (171-?) And though some who have been called to the Lord’s vineyard at later hours, and since the heat of that day hath been much over [Mat 20:1-14], may be apt to account this testimony [against hat-honour] a small thing to suffer so much upon, as some have done, not only to beating, but to fines and long and hard imprisonments; yet they who, in those times, were faithfully exercised in and under it, durst not despise the day of small things [Zech 4:10], as knowing that he who should do so would not be thought worthy to be concerned in higher testimonies.
Susannah Blandford 91698): ...the harvest will come, the good husbandman will discern the tares from the wheat [Mat 13:24-30], which none else can do, there being such a likeness; .... be [appearances] what they will, here many that are last shall be first, and the first last [Mat 20:16]....
George Fox (1668) : and Christ said, "Christians should not exercise lordship over one another as the Gentiles had done [Mat 20:25f | Mar 10:42f | Luk 20:25f]; and the apostle says, "be not many masters [Jas 3:1], for you have one master, even Christ [Mat 23:8,10], and they were not lords over God's heritage [1 Pet 5:3], but they were helpers of their joy [2 Cor 1:24], and they should not lord it over their brethren, for they were all brethren [Mat 23:8]"....
James Nayler (1654): take heed of that which would be exalted above others, teaching and talking of things without life; and you that would be counted somebody, let such first learn to wash the feet of them they would be above [John 13:4-17], and he that would be greatest let him be servant to all [Mat 20:27 ||]; for it is the humble and not the high spirits that are taught of God....
George Fox (1656): Therefore in the light wait, where the unity is, where the peace is, where the oneness with the Father and the son is, where there is no rent nor division; but all one in Christ Jesus [Gal 3:28], the everlasting fountain of life [Psa 37:9] and covenant of peace [Ezek 37:26]. The son of man cometh not to be ministered unto, but to minister [Mat 20:28]. Where the life and fulness dwells it hides and covers from that to which the curse is; that so it may minister forth to the seed's seed.