suffer the little children; suffer the children
to show sympathy or concern for the young
—If you want to learn more about poverty in New York, you should read Dr. Lewis’s article “Suffer the Little Children: The Effects of Homelessness on Urban Preschoolers.”

When some people brought children to Jesus so he could touch them, Jesus disciples rebuked them. This upset Jesus, and he said,

“Let the little children come to me [Suffer the little children to come unto me] and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:14-16)

Back in King James’ day, a definition of suffer was “to permit or tolerate.” Therefore, Jesus words are better translated today as “Let the little children (come to me).” Today, suffer the children is most often used as a title or catchphrase to draw attention to children facing troubles. It is also sometimes used with irony, indicating that while we should care for children, we often cause them to “endure pain” (suffer).

a person who returns to success after suffering defeat; someone who is revived after being clinically dead or who comes back from a situation in which death seemed the certain outcome
—Just two years ago, Tom was fired from being CEO of a company he’d founded. Now he’s back as the head of a multi-million-dollar corporation. He’s truly a modern-day Lazarus.

After Jesus heard that his friend Lazarus was sick, he and his disciples waited two days before traveling to Lazarus’s town of Bethany. When they arrived, Lazarus was dead, and his body had already been in the tomb for four days. Jesus went to the tomb and told the people there to roll away the stone that covered the entrance. He looked to heaven, prayed, and then

shouted in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.” (John 11:43,44)

Many of the people who saw the miracle decided to follow Jesus. The chief priests and Pharisees became afraid that if too many people believed in Jesus, it would anger the Romans and they would punish the Jewish nation. Therefore the Jewish leaders made plans to kill Jesus.

someone who strays away from the expectations of his parents or those watching over him
—We are happy to report that all three of our dogs that ran away have returned home. The last prodigal came back last night.

In the “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” Jesus presents a picture of man’s relationship with God:

A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.” So he divided his assets between them. After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.  Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. But when he came to his senses he said, “How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.’” So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. Then his son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!” So they began to celebrate.

Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. The slave replied, “Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf [fatted calf] because he got his son back safe and sound.” But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, but he answered his father, “Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:11-32)

According to its older meaning, prodigal refers to someone who “spends wastefully or extravagantly.” But because of the theme of this story, prodigal is now more often used for someone who walks away from the correct path.

The “fatted calf,” mentioned above, was the best calf, raised to be eaten on a special occasion. Therefore, kill the fatted calf now means “to have a celebration.”

When the father says, “Let us eat and be merry,” he is using words very close to those said by Jesus in an earlier parable:

The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, so he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself, ‘You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate [eat, drink, and be merry]!’” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16-21)

Eat, drink, and be merry is another way to say “celebrate, party, enjoy yourself.”

trouble that must be endured
—I know that you marriage seems hard, but we all have our crosses to bear.

Whether he was talking about Old Testament figures (such as Jonah) or using imagery from his present day, Jesus used familiar things to help the people learn new ideas.The Jewish people knew about crosses, because crucifixion was the method of capital punishment used by the Romans. When a convicted criminal was sentence to death, he would carry the heavy horizontal beam of his cross to the place of execution, where soldiers would nail him to the cross by his hands and feet, and he would hang there, in view of the public, until he died. Therefore, when Jesus told his disciples that each would have to “bear his cross,” they knew that following him would lead to sacrifice:

Whoever does not carry his own cross [bear his cross] and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27)

To “bear one’s cross,” or “carry one’s cross,” or “take up one’s cross,” means “to accept and deal with the troubles that one has.” Today, the “crosses” to which people refer are often not so demanding, sometimes simply an everyday problem that is frustrating or challenging.

Another image common to Jewish life was that of a millstone, a large, heavy stone used to grind grain into flour. Comparing his followers to little children, Jesus said,

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck [that a millstone were hanged about his neck] and to be drowned in the open sea. (Matthew 18:6)

Jesus’ millstone represented punishment. Today’s millstone around one’s neck is “a difficult responsibility or burden.”

the more talents, possessions, opportunities, etc., a person has, the more responsibility she has to use them for the good of others
—I told my son that he could not ignore his talent as a pianist. He has a responsibility to play for other’s enjoyment. I believe that to whom much is given, much is required.

Jesus wanted his followers to be ready for the time when he would come back as king of heaven and earth, so he told them they should be like servants who are obedient even when their master is away. Jesus described two servants who were disobedient and were not ready when the master returned: Both did wrong, but because the first one knew what the master wanted, he was beaten severely. The second, though, didn’t know the master’s will, and while he was also punished, his beating was less severe. Jesus said,

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required [unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required—KJV], and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)

There are many variations of the first half of this verse used in modern English. Probably the most famous usage is from John F. Kennedy, who, in 1961, said, “For of those to whom much is given, much is required.” While the form “to whom much is given, much is required” may sound right and is commonly used, leaving out of those actually makes the phrase grammatically incorrect.

knowledge gives a person power
—Over the entrance to the new library is a plaque that reads, “The Truth Shall Make You Free.”

Many people travelled with Jesus. He told them,

“If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free [the truth shall make you free].” “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.” (John 8:31-36)

Jesus was talking about the truth of his message, but today, people use the truth shall make you free in reference to anything presented as wise, true, or honest.

to judge or blame unfairly or too quickly
—Whenever a government official is caught breaking the law, the local journalists seem perfectly happy to cast the first stone.

One day some Pharisees and Jewish teachers brought to Jesus a woman who had been caught committing adultery. Wanting to trap Jesus, they said that Moses’ law commanded that she should be killed by stoning. They then asked him what he thought should happen to her. They were hoping to force him into making a decision that was unpopular (to stone her) or ungodly (to ignore God’s law). Jesus paused for a short time, writing on the ground with his finger, then answered,

Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her [let him first cast a stone at her]. (John 8:7)

(In today’s phrase, the first has moved to a different place, but the basic meaning is the same.)

After hearing Jesus’ reply, the woman’s accusers walked away, one by one. Then Jesus said,

“Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (John 8:10, 11)

an example that shows how society has become, usually showing how bad things are
—Now that the economy is failing, long lines of people looking for work are a sign of the times.

The Jewish teachers often tested Jesus with their questions and requests. When they asked him to show them a miracle. Jesus reprimanded them. He said that while they understood the signs of changing weather, they could not understand his miracles and his fulfillment of prophecy:

He said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’ You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away. (Matthew 16:2-4)

Jonah was an Old Testament prophet who was thrown off a boat during a storm. He was swallowed by a large fish and was spit out alive after three days. Though the people didn’t understand it at the time, Jesus was using Jonah’s story to show what would happen to him after his death.

people guiding others even though they don’t have enough skill or knowledge
—I heard that Joe is teaching the Chinese class. Didn’t he spend only a month in China? Sounds to me like a case of the blind leading the blind.

The Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law complained that Jesus and his disciples broke the traditions of their ancestors. For example, they asked why Jesus’ followers didn’t wash their hands as a symbol of spiritual cleansing before they ate. Jesus rebuked them, and then told the people that they should not follow the Jewish teachers, saying,

“Listen and understand. What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this saying they were offended?” And he replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind [blind lead the blind], both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:10-14)

to be above reproach; to have God-like abilities
—She’ll never disagree with her father. She thinks he walks on water.

Jesus did many miracles, to help people and to show his power. One of his most famous miracles was walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee:

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dispersed the crowd. After saying good-bye to them, he went to the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, he came to them walking on the sea [walking upon the sea], for he wanted to pass by them. When they saw him walking on the water they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then he went up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased. They were completely astonished. . . .  (Mark 6:45-51)

In today’s usage, walking on water has become the ultimate example of miraculous abilities. It is often used in a mocking way, to point out that someone does not deserve the adoration given to him.