A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE Holy Bible. BOOK THE NINTH. The third Year of Christ's public Ministry, beginning about the time of the third Passover after his Baptism. OUR UR blessed Saviour thought proper to decline a journey to Jerusalem to observe the third passover after his baptism, but went about preaching among the cities of Galilee, where he rather chose to do it than in Judea, because the rulers of the Jews, especially those of the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem, were lying in wait for some advantage or occasion to put him to death. The Pharisees, therefore, and some Scribes who came from Jerusalem, knowing this, quarrelled with him, about certain impertinent and unnecessary rites, derived to them not by divine sanction, but the mere ordinances of men, such as that of washing* their hands often when they eat, and several other ceremonies, which the apostles of Jesus did not observe, but attended diligently to the simplicity and spiritual holiness of their master's doctrine. But in return to these and many other of their Washing. This was a mere superstition among the Jews, and so strictly enjoined, that the transgressor was esteemed guilty of a capital crime: insomuch that some of their rabbies thought it worthy of death. vain demands, Jesus gave them a sharp reproof for observing these and other traditions, to the neglect of divine precepts; and in particular the respect they taught men to give to the Corban,* and refused to supply the necessity of others, thinking it to be religion, though they neglected piety and charity, and that to so great objects as even necessitous parents. Here was an example plain enough to demonstrate, that they who insisted so strictly upon the observation of traditions, made no scruple to annul the obligations of God's commands. Then charging them with downright hypocrisy, he reproaches them with what Isaiah prophesied of them; "Ye draw near me in outward professions of devotion, but your hearts are far from me. The service which ye perform to me is vain, and likely to receive, a slender reward, since my commands are not regarded by you, but instead thereof ye set up the constitutions of men." Then leaving the Pharisees with some displeasure, he calls the multitude, who, while he talked with the Pharisees, stood at some distance, and spoke morę hopefully of, and cheerfully to them, saying, "As to this matter of washing before meat, so much insisted on by the Pharisees, do you consider what I now say, Not that which is eaten, but that which is spoken polluteth man. His disciples knowing the malice of the Pharisees, feared that by any farther reproaches he might aggravate and pro- voke them to do him some mischief, but he gives them no other reply than this: "All that come with such pre Corban. There was a solemn form of devoting among the Jews, though contrary to charity, yet very frequent among them, such as to bind a man's self by vow or execration, that he will in nothing be beneficial to his neighbour, his parent, &c, confirming by oath the cruelty of his disposition, says Philo. And this by them was called Corban, Mark vii. 11, and Matt. xv. 5, a gift. What is thus passed under their vow, is, say they, utterly forbidden or unlawful, which being consecrated must not be touched, or employed to any other use. So that the plain meaning of the place is, a father being in want complains to his son; the son answers that he hath vowed he will not, and therefore it is unlawful for him to relieve his father: and the Pharisees approved of this practice, that he may thus avoid his duty to his parents; and though quite contrary to the precept of honouring and relieving them, yet it was thought obligatory by them to the frustrating this commandment. judices as the Pharisees do, and that prefer their own ordinances before the commands of God, it is to be expected, that telling them the truth will not please them. All seed, but that which is of my Father, and which is radicated in humility and piety, shall come to nothing; and consequently so must all faith in these conceited men; and therefore it is not strange if they be hurt at my words, and depart from them upon my reproving their errors. If this hath touched and discouraged them, let them go; they are stupidly and perversely ignorant themselves; they take pleasure in being called doctors and instructors of the ignorant and what can be the effect of this, but that the leaders, and they that are led by them, shall together ingulph themselves in destruction?" After this he thundered out woes and miseries against their impieties, for being curious of times, and punctual in rites and ceremonies, but at the same time most negligent and thoughtless of judgment, and the love of God; upbraids them for their pride and hypocrisy, for imposing heavy burdens upon others which themselves helped not to support; for taking away the key of knowledge from the people, obstructing the passage to heaven, and approving the acts of their fathers in persecuting the prophets. But for the question of washings, at the importunity of Peter he explains it to them, shewing that all pollution is from within, from the corruption of the heart, such as impure thoughts, unchaste desires, unholy purposes, immodest and indecent speech: these are the things that leave a lasting stain upon the soul, and defile it; but omitting to wash before meat, cannot be supposed to defile a man. From hence Jesus departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house with design to conceal himself. But the fame of his miracles discovered him wheresoever he went; especially in cases of distress. The diligence of a mother's love and sorrow for her child in torment soon found him out in his retirement; for a Syrophoenician woman, hearing of his miraculous power which he exercised over devils and unclean spirits, and recognizing his dignity, thus addresses herself to him, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." Jesus, at first, received her with apparent coldness and indifference; but his disciples, to be rid of her importunity, desired him to grant her request and dismiss her. Jesus tells them he was sent only to the Jews, to bring them, to repentance, and to shew his miracles among them. The poor woman impatient of delay, continues her importunate addresses to him, and prostrating herself at his feet, implores his help on her child. Jesus told her, "It was not meet* to work those miracles on an heathen, which were destined to God's people the Jews. The afflicted mother finding his discourse tend only to discomfort and reject her for her nation's sake, renews her petition: humbly acknowledg ing the truth of what he urged, but in all submission hoping a poor distressed heathen might be admitted to partake of the mercies promised to the Jews. She desired but one instance of favour on her daughter, which he poured forth without measure upon the sons and daughters of Israel. Jesus being pleased with her zeal and discretion, and pitying her daughter's infelicity, dismisses her with this applause of her faith, and comfort to her child, "O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou desirest!" and her daughter was made whole in that instant of time. The joyful mother retires with infinite pleasure and satisfaction, and finds her daughter perfectly cured. Jesus, after the performance of this miracle, continued not long there, but returning to the coast of Galilee through the midst of Decapolis, they present unto him an unhappy youth, deprived of the benefit of speech and hearing. Our Saviour surveying this object with pity, takes him asidef from the gazing crowd, and, in a more Meet. Compare this explication with the text of St. Matt. xv. 26, 27. Our blessed Lord came to establish a kingdom of holiness and peace in the hearts and lives of all his followers, but the Jews had long before rendered many of the precepts of the law, of no effect, and explained away the rest into a childish system of rites and ceremonies, and have so continued to act down to the present day. + Aside. The fathers differ very much in their opinion about the reason of Christ's taking the young man aside; for since he designed to work a miracle on him, it might be thought expedient to do it in public. But after various con than usually solemn posture of devotion, fixing his eyes on heaven, where the Father of light dwelleth, pronounced the young man cured. The string which so long had held his tongue was broken, and the organs of his ears were sensible of every joyful sound upon them. Our Saviour returning him to his glad friends, enjoins them silence; but they cannot contain their joy; and joining both with Jews and Gentiles in admiration of such wonderful acts, acknowledge that none but the God of Israel could do such things. These miraculous acts of his echoed through all places wherever he passed, attracting multitudes of diseased people, who apply to him for relief; which none fail to receive, for he healed them all. The people could not forbear following him; each day and hour furnishing them with something rare and strange, insomuch that they followed him three days successively, and at last had nothing of sustenance to support them till they could return to their own homes. Jesus secing such crowds of people fainting about him, in pity to their necessities resolved to feed them once more by a stupendous miracle. In order thereunto he first tried the apostles' faith, by commanding them to provide for his poor and hungry guests. They answered in surprise, "Whence should we find provision for such a multitude in so barren and inhospitable a place ?" However he demanded an account of their scanty store, which they producing, amounted to no more than seven loaves and a few small fishes. With this poor pittance of food he begins the banquet, ordering the multitude to seat themselves on the grassy plain, while he multiplied this small store of bread and fish to a quantity amply sufficient to supply all their wants. Then taking the loaves into his jectures, the context in St. Mark vii. 36, seems most clearly to explain this text in the 33d verse, of " taking him aside." For in ver. 36, our Saviour commands that this miracle be kept secret; for which reason he may be supposed to do it in As to the performance of this and many other miracles in secret, the general opinion is, that our Saviour in the main did it to denote his humility; that he performed not many miracles in public for ostentation sake, but for the necessity of convincing the Jews, as well as healing their infirmities. secret. |