The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 157

fuvour of Israel." But what sense is there in this unless the "sacrificial binding" of Isaac be accepted as typical of the only Son of God, the Seed of Isaac, in whom all tho families of the earth ere blessed? (3) The sign of a sufficient sacrifice for the expiation of sin is, of all others, to be desired by a wicked generation. But were the Lord to have answered their foolish prayer, and to have appeared without a sin sacrifice, as their King in judgment, they would be the first to be destroyed in the fires of bis anger. 3. Jesus rested his claims upon this sign. (1) He predicted that he "must go unto Jerusalem, e.nd suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed." . Within a year this was literally fulfilled. (2) Ilut now comes the testing point. He added, "and the third day be raised up" (see ver. 21). So about a year earlier he explained this sign of the Prophet Jonah to certain scribes and Pharisees. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea-monster; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (see eh. xii. 40). (3) This also was fulfilled to the letter. No event of history is better authenticated than the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And if the evidence that Jesus is the Christ will not convince the Jews, they cannot be con- vinced by evidence; they can only be convinced by judgmeut. The sign from heaven will convince them.-J. A. M. Vere. 5-12.-The leaven of error. After an encounter with certain Pharisees aud Sadducees e.t Magadan, Jesus warned his disciples against their teaching. This is not written for their sakes alone, but also for our admonition. From Luke's account we may infer that Jesus likewise warned the people (see Luke xii. 1). Every age has its Pharisees and Sadducees, and it becomes us to note- I. THE EBBOBB AGAINST WHICH WE ABE WARNED. 1. Those which distinguish the Pharisee. (1) He plumes himself upon his orthodoxy and superior sanctity. The ancient Pharisee was scrupulous in observing the ritual of the elders, and refused to eat with sinners. Hence his name, from the Hebrew word 111"1D, "to separate." But the reputation of orthodoxy is no security against error. The apostate Greek Church is called "orthodox;" and her Romish sister claims infallibility. These and their kindred are the Pharisees of our times. (2) He is zealous for Church traditions. The ancient Pharisee pretended that his traditions came to Moses on Mount Sinai together with the Law, immediately from God, and concluded that they were of equal authority. Several of these traditions are mentioned in the Gospels; but a vast number more may be seen in the Talmud. Corresponding to these are the "apostolical traditions" and papal "decretals" of the Romanists. (3) Such authority is worthless, to say the least. For any simple story passing through half a dozen hands will be found to receive so many new complexion!! and additions, and to suffer so many distortions and omissions, that the original narrator could scarcely recognize it. Church traditions are in this respect no better than others. Perversion and distortion could only be prevented by plenary inspiration continued throughout all the links of transmission. (4) But it is worse than worthless. The ancient Pharisee set his tradition above the Law of God by making it the interpreter of the Law, and thus by it the Law was made void (cf. eh. xv. 1-9; Luke xi. 39-42). The vicious effects of the traditions of our modem Pharisee upou the Gospel corresponds. What single truth of God is there that has not been distorted by this process? .2. Those which distinguish the Sadducee. (1) The Sadducee of old d.erived from Sadoc, a disciple of A.ntigonus Sochreus, who lived about three hundred years n.o. A.ntigonus, in bis lectures, taught the duty of serving God from filial love and fear rather than in a servile manner, whence Sadoc concluded that there are no rewards after this life. His followers proceeded to deny the existence of a spiritual world, the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the providence of God (see eh. xx:ii. 23; A.cts xxiii. 8). They differed little from the ancient Epicureans. (2) Sadduceeisrn is not limited to aocieut times. We have it still under the names atheism, deism, agnosticism, positivism, rationalism, erastianism. They arc, in many respects, the opposite of Phariseeism. The one is the reaction of the other. Hence they are associated evermore. (3) As the Pharisee boasts superior piety, so does the Sadducee affect superior intelligence. Sadduceeism is fashionable through the concessions of ignornnce to this affectation. Herod was the head of the Sadducees in Gll.lilee. The "leaven of the Saclducees" is otherwise closcribed as the "leaven of  IGO THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTilEW. [on. nx.1-28.