The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 391

judge and lawgiver. Thie le elater! u.e an in stern language such inooneietent pro- nndoubted fe.ct (l1<d8ur ..11), with no idea or fessora (Rom. ii. 21-23). blame attached. Literally, ,at on the ,eat of Ver. 4.-Bind heavy burden■ and griev- Mo,e, from time immemorial. Tbcee (mean- ou~ to be borne; Bv,r/Jd!T'l'lll<'Tll : imporla- ing not individou.le, bnt the collective body) ~'lia (Vnlgate). The last epithet, which nre the authorized ellponndere and teach ere of 19 very uncommon (Luke xi. 46), is omitted the Law; their position ie U.BBlll'ed; they are by some me.nuecripts and vereione, but it ie not to be dieple.ced. The eoribes were the probably genuine here. The burdens e.re party chiefly denoted; they were of the Phu.ri• the minute regule.tions e.nd prescriptions, 1111.icu.l sect ; l.tence the addition, 11 and the the vexatious restrictions, the innumerable Pharisees," by which ie intimated, not that traditional observe.nces with which these these latter, qua Pharisees, had any teach- teachers had garbled and defaced the written ing office, but .that the former shared their Law. We have noticed some of these glosses religions opinione. The Saddnceee seem to in the matter of the sabbath anrl ceremonial have had no popular influence, and were purification : and these are only specimens never recognized as leaders. The Levitioal of a system which extended to every rela- priests never appear in the Gospels u.s tion of life, and to all details of religions teaohere or ellpositore of the Mosaic system: practice, binding one rule to another, en- this function of theirs had devolved upon forcing useless and absurd minutia,, till the eoribes and lawyers, burden became insupportable. Alford con- Ver. S.-All therefore. It ie because of eiders that not human traditions and ob- their offlciu.l authority u.s appointed teachers servances are signified by the "burdens," and expositors of the Law that Christ gives but the severity of the Law, the weighty the following injunction. That observe and duties inculcated therein, which they en- do. Many manuscripts and vereione invert force on others, but do not observe. It the order of the verbs, reading, do and may, however, well be doubted whether obseri,e. The received text seems most Chril!t would ever have termed the legi- logical. Obseri,e; '1'1/p<i,,.,, present impera- timate rites and ceremonies of the Law un- tive, continue to observe:as u. rule of condoct. bearable burdens, though their rigorous Do; ,ro1f/1Tll'l'E, aorist, do immediately, when- enforcement by men who regarded only the ever the cccu.sion arises. All that they letter, while they had lost the spirit, would tu.oght or commanded out of the Law, or in naturally deserve censure. (If the epithet due accordance therewith, wu.e to be ob- ie not genuine, of course this remark does 110rved and obeyed. The statement ie made not apply.) What Christ denounced wu.s in general terms, but we.s conditional and not the Law itself, however severe and restricted by other considerntione. It wu.e grievous to human nature. or even im• only their official injunctions, derived im- memorial tradition, but the false inferences mediately from Scripture, not their gloeses, e.nd deductions therefrom, leading to in- evasions, and interpretations, that were to junctions insupportable e.nd impracticable. be regarded with respect. The Lord had Will not move them with one of their already taken occasion to warn o.gainst these 11.ngers; with their finger. Thie does not errors (eee eh. xvi 6, 11, 12, etc.). AB in- imply (and it would not be true) that the horitore of the authority of Moeee, and rabbis themselves were e.ll hypocrites, and speaking ez cathedrd, they were so far broke or evaded the Law with impunity. worthy of respect. This princi pie laid We know the.t they scrupulously attended down, Christ proceeds to denonnce their to e.11 outward observances. What ie meant evil practices. After their works. You ie that they te.ke no trouble to lighten must distinguish between their pree.ching (,u,,;j,rtu, "to move away"), to make thesa and their practice : the le.tter is to be burdens easier by e:r.ple.nu.tion or relaxation, shunned with nil care. The scribes are or to proportion them to the strength of tl.te never accused of corrupting the eu.ored text, disciple. Tl.tey impose them with e.11 their which, indeed, W!IB ecrnpulouely gue.rded, crushing weight and severity upon others, and kept pure and unaltered It wu.e their and uncompromisingly demand obedience to treatment of the doctrines thereof that we.e these unecriptural regulations, i1utting "a censured. Our Lord ehowe their evil ex- yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which ample in two putioule.rs--their principle neither our fa.there nor we were able to was" words, not deeds" (ver. 4), e.nd osten- bear" (Acts xv. 10; Gal. 1', 1). Contrast tation in religion (vere. 5-7). They say, with this the Christian's service: 11 My yoke and do not. They enunciated the Law, they is easy," says Clui.st, "and my bw:den ~ enjoined cbedienoe to it in the minutest light" (eh. x.i. 33). pe.rticnlars, and yet they tl.temselves con- Ver. 5.-For to be ■een of men. The tinually, in the mQ&t important points (ver. lldcond bad principle in their religion wu 23), iufringed, nogleoted, evaded it. St. ostentation and vanity. Acts done prr>- Paul, 1.timself 11, striot Phar;,ee, denounce& fossedly in the honour of God were u.nimaLed  398 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oe. :xxm. 1-39.