120 Peter confesses Jesus to be Christ.

my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying: who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go

Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees. 121

away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees and Scribes, with the multitude, and with his Disciples, respecting eating with unwashen

hands.

THEN came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tra4 John vi. 22-71.

122 Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees.

dition of the elders, for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For God commanded by Moses, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to honour, or to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered and many such like things do ye. Ye hypocrites, well hath Esaias prophesied of you, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

And when he had called all the people * him, he said unto them, Hearken unto

Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees. 123

me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but the things which come out of him; that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth at the mouth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, But that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For from within, out of the heart of

124 The Syrophenician Woman's Faith.

men, proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, false witness, blasphemies, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man 5.

Christ heals the Daughter of a Syrophenician Woman.

THEN Jesus arose and went thence, and departed into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For behold a certain woman of Canaan, a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came out of the same coasts, and fell at his feet: and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and wor

'Matt. xv. 1-20. Mark vii. 1-23.