CHAPTER XXVII. COMPLAINTS OF THE PHARISEES.-THEIR TRADITIONS REJECTED.-CURE OF THE CANAANEAN WOMAN'S DAUGHTER. (a) "AFTER these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea (1), because the Jews sought to kill him. The Pharisees and some of the Scribes coming from Jerusalem, assembled together unto him; and when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, holding the tradition of the ancients, eat not without often washing their hands; and when they come from the market, unless they be washed, they eat not (2). And many other things there are that have been delivered to them to observe, the washing of cups and of pots, and of brazen vessels, and of beds [upon which they take their meals] (3). Thereupon the (a) St. John, vii., 1; St. Matthew, xv. 1, 2; St. Mark, vii. 1–6. Jesus Christ did not Besides that, he was (1) We have already seen that it was then the paschal season. go to celebrate this passover at Jerusalem, as the law ordained. not subject to the law; but, inasmuch as he wished so to be, a further reason is given for the dispensation, viz., the design which the Jews had of putting him to death. He might render it useless by his omnipotence; but he might also avail himself of the natural right which he had not to expose his life. We are not, therefore, rigorously obliged to perform external acts of religion, of which we could only acquit ourselves by exposing ourselves to some great peril. We must, nevertheless, except the case wherein the omission of the prescribed duty would be like a declaration of infidelity or apostacy. Then, should it cost life itself, we are not the less bound to the exterior profession than to interior belief. (2) We may profit by this lesson, and learn from the Pharisees to purify not the body, but the conscience, when we return from human intercourse; for it is rare to return thence without some blemish. (3) In limiting their religion to these practices, they acted very wrong, and they are justly reproved. From thence occasion has been taken to declaim against superstitious practices. If the practices be such, the declaimers have reason; if they be not, the people should still be taught to connect the mind with them-that is to say, interior piety, without which religion is only a vain shadow, and a body without a soul. But let us stop here, and with these correctives let us always speak in favor of exterior practices, and never to condemn them. We might do without them, if we were pure spirits; but, |