1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched Mm.
2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3 And Jesus answering spake unto the Lawyers and Pharisees, saying. Is it hiwful to heal on the sabbath day.^
4 And they held their peace. And he took Aim, and healed him, and let him go;
6 And answered them, sa3ing. Which of jrou shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sab- bath day ?
6 And they could not answer him again to these things.
Let us mark in this passage^ how our Lord Jesm Christ accepted the hospitality of those who were not His disciples. We read that " He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread." "We cannot reasonably suppose that this Pharisee was a friend of Christ. It is more probable that he only did what was customary for a man in his position. He saw a stranger teaching religion, whom some regarded as a prophet, and he invited Him to eat at his table. The point that most concerns us, is this, that when the invitation was given it was accepted.
If we want to know how our Lord carried Himself at a Pharisee's table, we have only to read attentively the first twenty-four verses of this chapter. We shall find Him the same there that He was elsewhere, always about His Father's business. We shall see Him first defending the true observance of the Sabbath-day, — then expounding to those who were bidden together with Him the nature of true humility, — then urging on His host the character of true hospitality, — and finally delivering that most apposite and striking parable, the parable of the great supper. And all this is done in the most wise, and calm, and dignified manner. The words are all words in season. The speech is '^ always with grace, seasoned with