Matthew 20:24-28 [The ideal of servant leadership]

And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 
[25] But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; [27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: [28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 9:23-27 [The daily cross]

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. [24] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. [25] For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? [26] For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. [27] But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

The Story of Tobias and the Archangel Raphael

Tobit 2:1-10 [Tobit, Tobias’s father, tells of his early life as a covenant-keeping Galilean Naphtalite when the rest of his people had fallen away into Baal-worship, and his later career as purveyor to King Enemessar in Nineveh after Israel had been carried away in the Assyrian captivity. Under Enemessar’s successor Sennacherib, Tobit falls from royal favor, flees into hiding, and loses all of his property. Sennacherib having been killed, Tobit’s nephew Achiacharus intercedes with the new king Sarchedonus to rescind Sennacherib’s death sentence against Tobit, and he returns to Nineveh, free but impoverished. In Chapter 2, Tobit tells how he became blinded:]

[1] Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat. [2] And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord; and, lo, I tarry for thee.

[3] But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace.

[4] Then before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took him up into a room until the going down of the sun. [5] Then I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in heaviness, [6] Remembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.

[7] Therefore I wept: and after the going down of the sun I went and made a grave, and buried him.

[8] But my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet afraid to be put to death for this matter: who fled away; and yet, lo, he burieth the dead again. [9] The same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted and my face was uncovered:[10] And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes: and I went to the physicians, but they helped me not: moreover Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais.

Tobit 5:1-12 [Tobit sends his son Tobias to the city of Rhages in Media to collect ten talents of silver he had once left in the custody of his kinsman Gabael, and Tobias chooses a traveling companion who identifies himself as “Azarias,” though in reality he is the Archangel Raphael.]

[1] Tobias then answered and said, Father, I will do all things which thou hast commanded me: [2] But how can I receive the money, seeing I know him not?

[3] Then he gave him the handwriting, and said unto him, Seek thee a man which may go with thee, whiles I yet live, and I will give him wages: and go and receive the money.

[4] Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that was an angel. [5] But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to Rages? and knowest thou those places well?

[6] To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael.

[7] Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father.

[8] Then he said unto him, Go and tarry not. So he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee. [9] So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another.

[10] Then Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art.

[11] To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an hired man to go with thy son?

Then Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name.

[12] Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and of thy brethren.

Tobit 6:1-17 [Raphael identifies the medicinal properties of a fish’s heart, liver, and gall bladder; the smoke of the first two drives away an evil spirit, and the bile from the third cures Tobit’s blindness.]

And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there. [2] And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.

[3] Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.

[4] To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.

[5] So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the fish, they did eat it: then they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.

[6] Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gall of the fish?

[7] And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed. [8] As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.

[9] And when they were come near to Rages, [10] The angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife. [11] For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred. [12] And the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.

[13] Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias, that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber. [14] And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest if I go in unto her, I die, as the other before: for a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those which come unto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my father's and my mother's life because of me to the grave with sorrow: for they have no other son to bury them.

[15] Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of the evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage. [16] And when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it: [17] And the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children. Now when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his heart was effectually joined to her.

Tobit 8:1-3

[1] And when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her. [2] And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith. [3] The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

 
Tobit 11:1-17

[1] After these things Tobias went his way, praising God that he had given him a prosperous journey, and blessed Raguel and Edna his wife, and went on his way till they drew near unto Nineve. [2] Then Raphael said to Tobias, Thou knowest, brother, how thou didst leave thy father: [3] Let us haste before thy wife, and prepare the house. [4] And take in thine hand the gall of the fish. So they went their way, and the dog went after them.

[5] Now Anna sat looking about toward the way for her son. [6] And when she espied him coming, she said to his father, Behold, thy son cometh, and the man that went with him.

[7] Then said Raphael, I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes. [8] Therefore anoint thou his eyes with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee.

[9] Then Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said unto him, Seeing I have seen thee, my son, from henceforth I am content to die. And they wept both.

[10] Tobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but his son ran unto him, [11] And took hold of his father: and he strake of the gall on his fathers' eyes, saying, Be of good hope, my father.

[12] And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them; [13] And the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes: and when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck.

[14] And he wept, and said, Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed is thy name for ever; and blessed are all thine holy angels: [15] For thou hast scourged, and hast taken pity on me: for, behold, I see my son Tobias. And his

son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

[16] Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate of Nineve, rejoicing and praising God: and they which saw him go marvelled, because he had received his sight.

[17] But Tobias gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on him. And when he came near to Sara his daughter in law, he blessed her, saying, Thou art welcome, daughter: God be blessed, which hath brought thee unto us, and blessed be thy father and thy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren which were at Nineve.