DISCIPLES

xv. 4-6.

vii. 9-13. It is to be remembered, that they were especially disobedient to the Father's commandment, even that they should believe in Him whom he hath sent. Bu, not only was their heavenly Father dishonoured, in their not honouring the Son; this, their great sin, had its counterpart in the earthly relationship; they allowing a son to alienate from the parent that which God had directed to be given for the parent's benefit. Thus they allowed the child most effectually to curse his parents, and that in the form of a vow to God; who has expressly commanded honour to parents, and forbid the child to curse them under pain of death.

- XV. 7-9. - vii. 6, 7.

Our Lord, to the testimony of Moses, adds that of the prophets: He quotes Is. xxix. 13, to shew that mere formal worship is dishonouring to God; and that rites prescribed by human authority, and put in the place of the Divine teaching, are vain-are, in the sight of God, a breach of the third commandment. This was the case of the Pharisees; laying aside the commandment of God, which requires cleanness of heart, they devoted themselves to external purifications.

EATING

Mt. xv. 10, .1. Mk. vii. 14, .5. This trust in ceremonial religion is that against which the people require to be especially warned. Jesus does not intrust the correction of the evil, to either lay or ecclesiastical authority, apart from the people themselves; but calling the multitude, he bids them both hear and understand his words. He speaks to them a parable, respecting what defileth: in which he teaches that we ought to be more attentive to what we say than to what we eat; that it is more our duty to watch against injuring the souls of others, by what proceeds out of our mouths, than against injuring ourselves by what goes into them. The disciples report that the Pharisees are offended because of the saying; respecting what defileth a man.

xv. 12.

VOL. 11.]

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MARK Vii. 1-5, 9-13, 6-8, 14-23.
[Ch. vi. xlii. p. 323.]

"Then came-together unto him the Pha- 1 risees, and certain of-the scribes, whichcame from Jerusalem. And when-they-2 saw some of his disciples eat bread withdefiled novats, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they-found-fault. For the 3 Pharisees, and all the Jews, except theywash vlovrut their hands oft πυγμή, eat not, holding parouvres the tradition of-the elders. And when they come from the- 4

Mk. vii. 1. then came together, &c.-Jesus had just before been deserted by many of his disciples, Jno. vi. 66, § 43, p. 334-these probably would spread an evil report of the doctrine of Christ, and encourage his old enemies, the Pharisees, to make a new attack-see before, Mk. iii. 22, § 31, p. 235.

from Jerusalem-From Jerusalem had also come those who spoke blasphemy, immediately before Jesus began to speak in parables, ch. iii. 22, § ib.-the Jerusalem Jews had previously manifested great hostility against him-see Jno. v. 18, § 23, p. 177.

2. defiled-Jerusalem had been warned of the inefficacy of external washing to take away sin: For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much sope, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD, Je. ii. 22-and of the necessity of having the heart washed from wickedness and of being purified from vain thoughts: O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?' iv. 14-The Baptist directed attention to the better baptism, which the prophets had required, and which Christ was to minister, Lu. iii. 16, § 7. p. 54 -but the Jews still continued their quibbling about the divers washings, and carnal ordinances," which had been imposed on them until the time of reformation,' He. ix. 10-comp. Jno. iii. 25, § 13, p. 89, 'Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying'-Jesus led his disciples out of the way of such disputes, iv. 1-3, § 13, p. 91.

3. wash- There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness,' Pr. xxx. 12-let us each hear the exhortation, Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil,' &c., Is. i. 16-and, with the psalmist, resolve, saying, I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD,' Ps. xxvi. 6-and

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let our prayer be accordingly, Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.' 'Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow,' li. 2, 7,

tradition of the elders-Paul, before his conversion, being a Pharisee, was exceedingly zealous of the tragion above many my equals in nine own nation, being ditions of his fathers: 'And profited in the Jews' relifathers,' Ga. i. 14-he warns equally against heathen more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my philosophy and Jewish superstition, saying, 'Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments [Marg., or, elements] of the world, and not after Christ, Col. ii. 8-and Peter contemplates the redemption by Christ, as delivering from the vain conForasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed versation received by tradition from the fathers: with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your fathers; 19, but with the precious blood of Christ, as vain conversation received by tradition from your of a lamb without blemish and without spot,' 1 Pe. i. 18,.9-The things which are to be held fast by Christians, are not the traditions of men, but those that have been given to us of God : ، Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle,' 2 Th. ii. 15-and again, referring to what he had written in the first epistle, Paul says, 'Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us,' iii. 6-the tradition referred to, was that which directed that they should, with quietness, work, and eat their own bread, following in this important respect apostolic example-see 1 Th. iv. 11, .2. elders-from the words of Moses, there seemed to in the report of the elders: Ask thy father, and he be encouragement for placing considerable confidence

Mk. vii. 1. Pharisees. See § 7, p. 56, ADDENDA, 'Pharisees;' and on Mt. xvi. 1, § 47, p. 28, Scr. Illus." Scribes. Not a sect, but an order of men ; probably Levites, who were devoted to letters and public teaching; while the priests officiated at the sacrifices-see § 25, p. 199, ADDENDA, Scribes.' These emissaries from the chief priests and rulers of the people, seem to have followed our Lord from place to place, laying snares for him, by proposing questions, and provoking him to speak so as that they might have matter of accusation against him.

2. Unwashen, &c. It does not appear that their hands were actually unclean, but only that they were not ceremonially washed according to the tradition of the elders.

The disciples, it is to be observed, were not found fault with for a mere impropriety, but for the omission of what the Pharisees accounted a religious

observing; literally, holding fast in mind.' So at Holding. rparointes, ‘carefully adhering to, and ver. 8, p. 7, and 2 Th. ii. 15, ، Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions,' &c.

The tradition of the elders. Tradition means something transferred from one to another by memory; some precept or custom not commanded in the written law, but which they held themselves bound to observe. See ADDENDA, p. 11, The tradition of the elders.'

Mk. vii. 1-4. Let us be more desirous of inward purity for ourselves, than prone to find fault with others for their want of ceremonial observances.

Men who are destitute of saving grace may yet be very zealous for, and diligent in, the use of outward religious forms, according to the tradition of the elders.

[VOL. II.

MARK Vii. 5, 9.

market, except they-wash BaπTIO@Vται, they-eat not. And many other things there-be, which they-have-received to-hold, us the-washing BaπTIOμous of-cups, and pots, brasen-vessels, and of tables KAvv. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him,

Why walk not thy disciples according-to the tradition of-the elders, but eat bread with-unwashen hands? [For ver. 6, see p. 7.] And he-said unto-them,

will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee,' De. xxxii. 7, p. (84)-but it is to be considered, that the Father to whom we are to address ourselves, is God Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?' ver. 6and the things to be told are things reported in the Scriptures, respecting the ways of the Lord, and his working with Israel, ver. 7-15-There were seventy elders of Israel, upon whom the Lord put of the spirit which was upon Moses- And it came to pass, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease,' Nu. xi. 16, .7, 25, p. (61) elders ought to be instructors of others-but great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment,' Job xxxii. 7, 9-and the psalmist could say, 'I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts,' Ps. cxix. 99, 100.

Mt. xv. 3. why do ye also transgress, &c., by your tradition?-God only had a right, and not man, to add unto the word, De. xviii. 18, .9-see § 10, p. 72, ver. 45, (Of the Prophet')- Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you,' iv. 2What thing soever I command you, observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it,' xii. 32- Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar,' Pr. xxx. 6This warning against adding to, or taking from, the

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words of God, is particularly given with regard to the Apocalypse, Re. xxii. 18, .9, For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19, and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.'

commandment of God-see on ver. 4, p. 6-Jesus did not come to do that which he here reproaches the Pharisees for doing. He came, not to destroy, but to fulfil, the law and the prophets- see ch. v. 17-20, § 19, p. 123-Having shewn that we are saved, through the satisfaction to the law, by Christ, the apostle says, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.' Ro. iii. 31the ministration of the law was changed, the ministration of the Spirit being substituted for the ministration of death, written and engraven upon tables of stone; but, except as being magnified and made honourable, the law itself was not changed-see 2 Co. iii.-the law, which was before written upon tables of stone, was now to be written by the finger of God upon the fleshy tables of the heart,' Je. xxxi. 31-4, p. (39); He. viii. 8-13, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to

4. Except they wash, &c. This is best explained by Grotius and Fritz., unless they wash themselves,' i.e. their bodies (namely, in opposition to the washing of the hands before mentioned); because after coming from a place of such public resort, and where people in a crowd must touch one another, they might unintentionally have touched some impure person or thing, and hence might require a more exact ablution than merely washing the hands. Here, however, we need not suppose inmersion implied (that being never used except when some actual, and not possible pollution had been incurred); but merely ordinary washing.

[Have received to hold. The full sense is, 'which they had received [from their ancestors], that they may firmly keep them.' Zeory, from Earns, a liquid measure holding a pint and a half. The word is frequent in the later writers, and is from the Latin Sextus. Xaλxív, copper or brazen vessels. Earthen vesse s are not mentioned, because those, if supposed to be polluted, were at once broken-see Le. xv. 12, And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water."]

Washing, &c. The word in the original is that

from which our word baptism is derived-the outward washings in which the Pharisees prided themselves, to the neglect of inward purity. Their ceremonial washings extended, not merely to the person, but to pots, cups, &c. Yet it is to be doubted whether they exceeded the presumption of the modern Pharisees, who pretend to do that with their water baptism which the Scriptures declare can only be done by God; that is, to constitute children of men the children of God and heirs of eternal life.

Mt. xv. 2. They wash not their hands. The custom of washing their hands before meals was so strictly commanded the Jews at this time, that, to neglect it, was to be held guilty of a heavy and capital crime. He that takes meat," says Rabbi Akiba, with unwashed hands, is worthy of death.' It is said he himself perished by washing his hands, in preference to drinking the water provided for him in prison, when a part of it was casually spilt.

3. Why do ye also transgress, &c. Christ here tears up the very foundation on which their whole. reasoning was erected, and shews by a manifest example, how tradition is often at variance with the Divine laws.

[Mt. xv. 2, 3. We are not to take our religion upon trust from tradition; but to examine, by the word of God, what we are taught by men; and we are to beware of allowing human teaching to subvert Divine authority.]

VOL. II.]

[Mk. vii. 5, 9. Those who are the most religious in man's esteem, may, like the Pharisees, be the systematic opposers of the truth of God, both in preaching and in practice.]

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