The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 95

oonetltnted order of tbinge. Indeed, eome their view, epiritualization of any of its distinctions were mnintained in apostolical enactments was equivalent to its subver- timee, ae we road in Acts x. 14 ; xv. 20, 29 ; sion. But1 as St. Gregory observes, "If and it wae only grndnally, and o.s circnm- offence anses from the statement of the sto.noee made their observation impossible, truth, it is more expedient that offence be that enoh ceremonial obligations were re- permitted to arise than the.t the troth garded RB obsolete. It is, perhaps, with the ehould be abandoned" (' Hom. vii. in view of not shocking inveterate prejudice, Ezek.'). that he doee not eay, "No food whatever Ver. 13.-Every plant, etc. The answer defileth," bnt "'.rhe.t which goeth into the of Christ signifies-Do not be abrmed by month " defileth not, referring eepecie.lly to the displeasure of the Phariseee, and at my the notion above reprehended, that eating opposition to their teaching; the system with nnwashen hands polluted the food which they support is ungodly and shall to.ken and the soul of the person who con- be soon destroyed. Christ, as often, puts sumed it. Our Lord says nothing of excees, the etatement in a parabolic form, using e.g. gluttony and drunkenness, which, of two images, one derived from the vegetable course, ho.a e. polluting e.nd deteriorating kingdom in thie verse, e.nd one from human effect on the more.I nature (eee Luke xxi. life in ver. 14. Plant (cpUTeia); plantatwn. 34). But the.t whioh oometh out of the The e.ct of planting, and then by metonymy mouth. In the former sentence the month the thing planted. It here signifies the is regarded simply as the instrument for sect and doctrine of the Pharisees, the reoeiving food and preparing it for diges- persons themsclvee, e.nd that which they tion; in this sentence it is considered e.e taught. The comparison of men and trees, the orge.n of the bee.rt, that which gives plant and doctrine, is a common biblical outward expression to inw&rd thoughts and metaphor ( comp. Ps. i.; Isa. v. 7; eh. vii. conceptions. Fillion distinguidhes them as 16-20; Luke vi. 43, 44, etc.). The tradi- "le. bouche physique, et la bouche more.le." tione of the rabbis were plants which my Philo he.s well se.id, "The mouth is that by heavenly Father hath not planted. They which, e.s Pie.to puts it, mortal things enter, were of human, not Divine, growth; and e.nd whence immortal things issue. For the men themselves, even though origine.lly therein pe.ss meat and drink, the perishable planted in holy soil, ho.d degenerated, and food of a perishable body; but from it pro- become not only nnfrnitful, bnt pernicious. ceed words, immortal le.we of an immortal So the Lord epeaks by Jeremiah (ii. soul, by which the rational life is directed 21), "I had planted thee a noble vine, and governed" (' De Mundi Opif.,' § 40). wholly a right seed : how then art thou Defileth a man. Pollutes his soul, not with turned into the degenerate plant of a etrange merely ceremonial defilement, but intrinsi- vine unto me?" Shall be rooted up. Om cally and morally. Of course, our Lord is Lord ie not referring to the jndgment of the referring to evil words, etc., e.s he explains last de.y ( oh. iii. 10), nor to any forcible in ver. 19. For the mouth me.y give utter- destruction effected by hnme.n agency; he ance to God'e praiee, words of love, eym- meane that the syetem mnst pass away pathy, edification. But the evil in e. me.n's entirely to make room for a better growth, heart will show itself in hie mouth; and even the gospel. The J ewe would not eee the open expreesion will react on the wicked that the Law was a sohoolme.eter to bring thought, and make it more substantial, men to Christ; they deemed that their deadly, e.nd operalive. ceremonies and rites were to be perman~nt Ver. 12.-Then oame his disoiples. Jesue and universal; and this, more than any- had been epeaking in some open epot; he thing, impeded the reception of Christ'e now leaves the crowd, and, entering a house claims, e.nd made men utterly averse from with hie disciples, instructs them further his teaching. It was in vain that Jesns in private (Mark vii. 17). These had been proclaimed, " If ye believed Moses, ye would greatly alarmed at their Master's antago- believe me; for he wrote of me" (John v. nism to the popular party, and, on the first 46). The very Law, as handled and ob- occasion that presented itself, expostulo.ted eoured by the Phari.ees, was made an with him on the danger incurred by thie obstacle to the trnth. hostile attitude, This Hying (.-lw 1'.o-yov); Ver. 14.-Let them alone. Do not trouble the word. What he had Hid to the multitude your:;elves about them; let them be offended. (ver. 11). The Pharieees had oared lase for if they will. Blind leaders of the blind. the denunciation addressed to themselvee Both teachers and taught are alike ignorant (vers. 3-9), bnt when he interfered with of the truth. The people had no spiritual their doctrinal supremacy over the people, light, and, applying to their appointed they were offended, they took exception to paetore, they letl,l'ned nothing profitable from the teaching, believing that they detected them; for these were as much in the dark aa thorein an ineidioue attack on the Law. In themselves. It was evident, then, that the M6.'rTHEW-ll. R 98 THE G-OSPJn, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. xv. 1-39.