gress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment the law, for the sake of their traditions. and needy parents. If they would deThey wash not their hands when they vote to God that which might otherwise eat bread. That is, when they eat any be used to relieve the necessities of their food. Mark says the Pharisees saw parents, they were pronounced guiltthe disciples eating without washing less, even though they thus violated the their hands. He adds, that the Phari- fifth commandment. This was consissees, and the Jews generally, washed tent, however, with the character attriwhen they ate, and extended the wash-buted to them in Matt. xxiii. 14. What ing to "cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and tables." Mark vii. 2-4. So far as cleanliness is concerned, it is well to wash before eating. But the Jews carried this matter to a most unwise excess; and enforced its observance, as usual in superstitious concerns, by denunciations of supernatural punishment. They pretended that an evil spirit, whom they called Shibta, sat on the food of them who omitted washing, and rendered it nox-church. ious. See Lightfoot. Our Lord, though he carefully obeyed the requisitions of the law, did not choose that himself or his disciples should be brought under bondage to such vain traditions. 4. God commanded. That is, through Moses. This commandment was binding. Honor thy father and mother. The term honor has here a wide signification; not only meaning the respect and reverence due from children to parents, but embracing also the support and assistance which they may need in their days of feebleness and helplessness. Whoever fails to render such aid to his parents as their necessities require, and his ability permits, dishonors them and disobey's God. THe that curseth, &c. The most severe punishment was denounced against this unnatural crime. It is no less a crime now, than formerly. 5. But ye say. That is, such is the tradition, by which the law of God is violated. It is a gift, &c. Mark gives both the original, and its interpretation: "It is Corban, that is to say, a gift." Mark vii. 11. Thus did they allow degenerate children to neglect and abuse their aged our Lord here condemns is not the devoting a portion of one's substance to religious uses, for this he elsewhere approves; but it is the devoting of that to such uses, or otherwise, which is needful to the comfort of those allied to us by blood, whom God has commanded us to protect and cherish. The following observations, by Dr. Clarke, are severe, but just; and they may be extended in their application beyond the papal "This conduct was similar to the custom of certain persons who bequeath the inheritance of their children to churches or religious uses; either through terror of conscience, thus striving to purchase the kingdom of glory, or through the persuasions of interested hireling priests. It was in this way that, in the days of popish influence, the principal lands in the nation had fallen into the hands of the church." This was "an evil that had arrived at a pitch of unparalleled magnitude; an evil that was supplanting the atonement made by the blood of the covenant, and putting death-bed grants of lands, &c., in the place of Jesus Christ, and throwing the whole secular power of the kingdom into the hands of the pope and the priests. No wonder then that they cried out when the monasteries were suppressed. It is sacrilege to dedicate that to God, which is taken away from the necessities of our parents and children." 6. He shall be free. These words are not in the original, but are inserted to complete the sense. T Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect, &c. Ye accuse me and my of God of none effect by your tra- | me, teaching for doctrines the dition. commandments of men. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship disciples of transgressing the traditions. I accuse you of a more grave crime, the violation of God's law, by these very traditions. Ye are guilty of sin; but my disciples are not guilty; for the traditions which they transgress are opposed to the divine law, and not entitled to observance. 7. Ye hypocrites. They pretended a fervent zeal for God's glory and honor, yet valued their traditions more highly than his law. They professed the deepest reverence for his character and authority, yet habitually disregarded his authority and disobeyed his commandments. They had the form of godliness without its power. Well did Esaias prophesy, &c. See Isaiah xxix. 13. s. Draweth nigh unto me with their mouth. This phrase is omitted by Griesbach. The sense, however, is not materially changed; for drawing nigh with the mouth and honoring with the lips are synonymous. The Jews, in our Saviour's day, were prodigal of this kind of worship. They prayed abundantly, in the streets and public places, Matt. vi. 5, and in their fanguage expressed the utmost reverence; but their heart was far from God. The spirit of religion did not dwell with them. Their worship was cold, formal, ceremonious. There was no love, no devotion, no true piety. They blessed God and cursed men, with the same breath. They offered gifts to him, leaving their parents to starve. They made long prayers, and devoured widows' houses. They were beautiful outwardly, like newly-whited sepulchres, but inwardly they were full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matt. xxiii. 27, 28. 9. In vain do they worship me, &c. It is vain to pretend to worship God, when the heart is not engaged. John iv. 23, 24. Equally vain are those ceremonial acts of worship prescribed by 10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. human authority, in contravention of the divine law. To teach as doctrines of eternal truth the commandments of men is not the kind of teaching which God requires. And obedience to such commandments is not the service he demands. 10. Called the multitude. A large number was collected on this occasion. See Matt. xiv. 35, 36. Jesus demanded their attention. Many of them heard the allegation of the scribes and Pharisees, and his reply. But he availed himself of this occasion to show them that there was a defilement much more to be dreaded than that of eating with unwashed hands. THear and understand. Give careful attention, and endeavor to understand the important truth about to be uttered. 11. Not that which goeth into the mouth, &c. We have here an instance of the Hebraism several times previously mentioned. The meaning is, that men are not so much defiled by that which goeth into the mouth, as by that which cometh out of the mouth. The apostle speaks of a moral defilement contracted by eating certain articles of food. Rom. xiv. 20-23; 1 Cor. x. 18-21. But chiefly is man defiled by that which proceedeth from the heart through the mouth. The language of our Lord is more fully reported by Mark, and his meaning more distinctly expressed. "That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.' Mark vii. 20-23. See also ver. 19. Such is the defilement of which men should beware. These evils God has forbidden; and he will not hold him guiltless who is disobedient. But to 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also eat with unwashed hands is a much precepts are eternal and immutable; less evil; being a matter relating to but ceremonial laws are liable to personal neatness and cleanliness, but change, may be set aside, and utterly not regulated by any express divine abrogated."-Calmet's Comment. "Recommandment. ligious doctrine is not unaptly com12. The Pharisees were offended.pared to a plant. See 1 Cor. iii. 6-8. They were impatient of contradiction, It is planted in the mind for the purand were exasperated both at our Lord's disregard of the traditions and his reproof of their hypocrisy. The disciples intimate a degree of regret that this powerful class was offended, lest the gospel should encounter the greater obstacles in its advancement. But the fear of man brought no snare pon Jesus. He performed his work faithfully, and administered reproof to all who deserved it. 13. Every plant, &c. The word here used is by some rendered plantation, and referred to the Pharisees; by others, it is rendered plant, and referred to doctrines. Of the former opinion is Clarke. He says, "The Pharisees, as a religious body, were now a plantation of trees which God did not plant, water, nor own: therefore they should be rooted up, not left to wither and die, but the fellers, and those who root up, (the Roman armies,) should come against and destroy them, and the Christian church was to be planted in their place." This view is sanctioned by Whitby, and other respectable names. Nevertheless, I prefer the other, and suppose Jesus to have referred rather to the traditions or false doctrines, than to the blind leaders of the blind by whom these doctrines were taught. These he expressly calls "commandments of men," in contradistinction to the divine law. They were not planted by our heavenly Father; but were among the inventions sought out by men. "He says, the traditions of the elders and commandments of the Jews should be rooted up."-Theophylact. "Every doctrine which my heavenly Father hath not made perpetual shall be plucked up and made void. Moral pose of producing fruit in the life, or conduct. Jesus here says that all those doctrines, of which his Father was not the author, must be rooted up, or corrected. The false doctrines of the Pharisees, therefore, must be attacked; and it was no wonder if they were indignant. It could not be helped. It was his duty to attack them. He was not surprised that they were enraged. But notwithstanding their opposition, their doctrines should be destroyed."-Barnes. 14. Let them alone. Be not solicitous concerning the vexation of the Pharisees. Opposition from that quarter is to be expected. It is natural that those who exercise an influence over the minds of others, should be unwilling to lose that influence. But be not, therefore, anxious or alarmed. Our Lord did not intend to forbid efforts for enlightening the minds of the Pharisees, and correcting their mistakes; for in such a labor he had just been engaged. But he cautioned his disciples to give themselves no concern about the opposition thus excited. ¶ They be blind leaders of the blind. Sad is the condition of an ignorant people, led by ignorant teachers. Such were the Jews and their guides. The Pharisees taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and the people obeyed these rather than the divine law. Their leaders caused them to err. Isa. iii. 12; ix. 16. 15. Then answered Peter, &c. Mark says "his disciples asked him." There is no contradiction. Perhaps Peter, with his characteristic forwardness, spake in behalf of the other disciples; or several may have united in the request, while Matthew names only 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Peter. Declare unto us this parable. The word parable here denotes merely a dark saying. Ps. lxxviii. 2. The language of our Lord, however plain it may appear to us, was not perfectly intelligible to the disciples, who had not yet overcome their Jewish prejudices. Their inquiry related to the declaration in ver. 11, as is evident from the reply. 16. Are ye also yet without understanding? These words convey a mild rebuke to the disciples, for profiting so little by the instructions of our Lord. His appeal to their natural powers of understanding is very similar to that in Luke xii. 57. 17. Do not ye yet understand, &c. Food affects the body, but does not affect the moral character; though, if taken with improper intent, the act of taking it, coupled with the intent, may be criminal. See note on ver. 11. 18. Those things which proceed out of the mouth, &c. As the mouth speaketh from the abundance of the heart, the language, so far as it is natural, is an index of the heart; and hence it is declared that by their words shall men be justified or condemned. Matt. xii. 34, 37. When the heart is infected by the leprosy of sin, then is man truly defiled and polluted. The inside of the cup and platter should be more carefully cleansed than the outside. Matt. xxiii. 25, 26. 19, 20. In these two verses the argument is summed up, and the truth distinctly manifested. Several of the sins which defile men are enumerated. Against these we should always be on our guard. But to eat with " unwashen hands," was not an offence against any divine law, and consequently not criminal. Thus did our Lord justify his 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a disciples before the multitude, and condemn those who had brought against them this railing accusation. See note on ver. 11. 21. Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. See note on Matt. xi. 21. These cities were situated on the shore of the Mediterranean, westerly from Jerusalem. It would seem, from the testimony of Mark, that Jesus went thither to escape from the throngs which had hitherto pressed around him, and perhaps to avoid the search which Herod was making for him. "He would have no man know it;" that is, the place of his retirement. Mark vii. 24. See also note on Matt. xiv. 13. 22. A woman of Canaan came. Mark says that although Jesus desired concealment," he could not be hid." Mark vii. 24. His fame had gone before him, and the earliest moment after his arrival was embraced to seek from him the assistance which he always rendered freely and cheerfully. This woman of Canaan is styled by Mark "a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation." Mark vii. 26. Phoenicia comprehended a narrow strip of territory on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, and was reputed to extend from Antioch to Egypt; though, properly, it embraced only Tyre and Sidon." Before Joshua conquered Palestine, this country was possessed by Canaanites, sons of Ham, divided into eleven families, of which the most powerful was that of Canaan, the founder of Sidon, and head of the Canaanites properly so called, whom the Greeks named Phoenicians. Only these preserved their independence under Joshua; also under David, Solomon, and the succeeding kings; but they were subdued by the kings of Assyría and Chal word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. dea. Afterwards, they successively obeyed the Persians, Greeks, and Romans. At this day, Phoenicia is in subjection to the Ottomans, not having had any national or native kings, or any independent form of government, for more than two thousand years. The name Phoenicia is not in the books of Hebrew Scripture; but only in the Maccabees and the New Testament. The Hebrew always reads Canaan. Matthew, who wrote perhaps in either Hebrew or Syriac, calls the same person a Canaanitish woman, (ch. xv. 22,) whom Mark, writing in Greek, calls a Syrophoenician, or a Phoenician of Syria; because Phoenicia then made a part of Syria; also to distinguish the people from the Phoenicians of Africa, or the Carthaginians, which was a colony from the original country."-Calmet. Coasts. Borders, or regions. Son of David. Descendant of David. One of the titles of the Messiah. Perhaps she had faith in Jesus as the Messiah, having heard of his wonderful works. It is certain she had confidence in him as mighty to heal. ¶ Vexed with a devil. Or, demon. See note on Mark, ch. v. The Jews attributed many diseases to the agency of demons, or the spirits of dead sinners. 23. He answered her not a word. Jesus made no answer at first, willing that she should manifest her faith by perseverance and patience. ¶ Send her arvay. The disciples were annoyed by her repeated supplications, and desired that Jesus would command her to depart. Or, as several interpret the words, they were so moved with compassion by her accents of distress, that they besought him to grant her request, and send her away in peace. They must have been very strongly moved, if they did this; for, as yet, they supposed the mission of Jesus was designed for the exclusive benefit of the Jews. The subsequent events should have corrected this mistake; but it was not corrected until Peter witnessed the vision at Joppa. Acts, chap. x., and xi. 1—18. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord : sheep of the house of Israel. It does not distinctly appear whether this language was addressed to the disciples, or to the woman; in either case, she was not discouraged, but renewed her supplications. A 25. Worshipped him. Rendered the customary tokens of respect from an inferior to a superior. The word often has this sense. Lord, help me. brief, but energetic expression, which has often risen from the heart to the lips of those in distress. Even they, who ordinarily live in forgetfulness of their dependence and their duty, will, when sorely afflicted, involuntarily appeal for divine aid. But this woman, for aught which appears, cherished a steady and habitual trust in God, and now earnestly and perseveringly besought assistance from him whom she regarded as the chosen messenger and representative of God. 26. It is not meet. It is not fit or proper. ¶ To take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. We are by no means to understand, that Jesus considered it improper to relieve the distresses of the Gentiles, or that he was unwilling to do it. In the several objections which he urged against complying with the woman's request, he seems rather to have uttered the thoughts and feelings of his disciples and other Jews; so that, the objections being fairly stated and removed, they might perceive the propriety of his conduct, and be prepared to embrace the great truth that God is the Father, Friend, Benefactor, and God, of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews. Rom. iii. 29, 30. The Jews were accustomed to call the Gentiles dogs, even as Turks, Christians, and Jews, now frequently denominate each other, as an expression of the most bitter contempt. To this fact our Lord alluded, partly to fix the minds of his disciples on the fact, and to show them its impropriety; and partly, perhaps, to try the woman's faith, whether she would continue to ask a favor of him, a Jew, whose nation so much despised her and hers. |