The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 313

his disciples' departure from the old paths. It wa.s a favourable opJ .ortuuity for exposing the error of substituting human for Divine precepts, and for placing the external in its right relation to the internal and spiritual. Christ here appears as the authoritative Interpreter of the Divine commands; and, as a true Teacher, discriminnting between the "commandment of God" and "the tradition of men." Of old time it was well said," Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God \ooketh on the heart." Here the men who" sit on Moses' seat," alike in what they "bid II and in what they" do," lay great stress on the" washings of cups, and pots, and brasen vessels," and of hands. Truly great matters I Dut the searching eye Divine discerns the hidden " henrt" thall is "far from " God, and whose many evils send forth a thick stream of pollution in unholy practices, defiling not merely the hands but the whole life. Jesus rebuts their accusation against his disciples, first by a justly merited rebuke, and then by readjust- ing the relative authority of the commandment of God and the tradition of men, which, in the practice of these accusers, through their selfish, grasping covetousness, had been so greatly distorted. He teaches once and for ever that no commandment of men, no tradition of elders, must be allowed to make "void the Word of God." Thus Jesus, ..ho is so often erroneously spoken of as despising "mere commands," redeems the very " word," and pays his utmost tribute to the letter of the command. In the conflict between the Church and the sacred relationships of common life, to the latter must be ~igned the pre-eminence. The necessities of the temple, of its services or its servants, must not be met at the expense of filial faithfulness. The sin of the Pharisees and scribes Wa.&- L A GBOSB PERVERSION OF THE RELATIVE OLA.IMS OF THE PA.BENT A.ND THE- Cmracn. II. A WICKJ!:Ii INTERFERENCE WITH THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH PROMISE, II.I. A CBUXL UNDERMThlNG OF FILIAL AFFECTION AND FIDELITY, AND AS OBUEL AN lll'OSU11.E OF THE AGED AND ENFEEBLED PARENTS TO A FALSELY JUSTIFIED· :i.'EGLECT. And it wa.s- IV. AN UllWABJlANTED USUB.PATION. OF AUTHORITY TO WEAKEN THE OBLIGATION 01' A DIVINE LAW. Christ's words, whilst correcting these errors, (1) traced the tradition to its true source-" your tradition, which ye have delivered; " (2) reduced it to its proper place of inferiority; and (3) exalted the Divine command, "Honour thy father and thy mother,n to its unassailable supremacy. So he prepares the way for a correction of the "many such like things" which were done by these "hypocrites," who taught "as their doctrines the precepts of men."-G. Vere. 14-23.-The f'eal and the imaginary de,fikmffit, The question of "the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes which had come from Jerusalem," yet remains to be aDBwered, Jesus having turned aside to weaken the force of" the tradition of men." The answer is given in the ears of" the multitude." It is simple. "There is nothing from without the man that can defile him : " defilement is of that which proceeds "from within out of the heart of man." The man's heart is the fountain of evil; it is his heart, not his hands, that needs washing. No wonder that" the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying." Then, having "entered into the house from tLe mnltitude," the disciples "asked of him" what is to them as yet "the parable;" for so are they" without understanding also." In few words he distinguishes the true nature a.nd source of defilement from the untrue, leaving for all time these lessons hidden in his words- L ALL POLLUTION IS llllOBAL POLLUTION. From this all mere ceremonial defilement must be distinguished. Such uncleanness is not mora~ impurity, n_or is ceremon)o.l correctne1111 to be regarded a.s the testimonT of moral purity. The stamless ?xternahst may harbour "within" all "evil things.' The perversion of a wise teaching on ~be necessity for personal cleanliness and of instructive ceremonials had led to the foolish 1mpposition that a touch of the dead, or the diseased, or the decaying matter, conveyed moral impurity. This ii once for allcontra.dicte~. Wha!8oevcr is" without the ~n" conveys not the defilement. It is a moral condition. 'l he heart can defile all things. As that which is from without the man cannot defile, so let it be known "there is nothing from without the man that going into him can II cleanse "him." era. vu. 1-37.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MAUK. 311