those with which He left it. At the first Passover Jesus was received as the Son of God, and permitted to call the temple His Father's house. But now His arguments for His Sonship are not listened to, and He is not thought worthy to live. Such change can be traced only to the commission of inquiry in Capernaum. In Galilee the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, resume their records at the same incident, namely, the passage of Jesus and His disciples homewards through the cornfields in company with the Pharisees. The fact of ripe corn demonstrates the feast to have been that of the Passover.) Chapter xxxiv. The Ministry of Jesus at Tiberias after the Second Passover. 1 a AFTER these things (namely, the events at the feast) Jesus departed (from Jerusalem on the Wednesday evening and travelled) along the other side of the Sea of Galilee, namely, of Tiberias, and a great multitude (whom He collected on His way through Jericho and Peræa, as well as those who had been fellow-travellers from Jerusalem) were following Him, because they saw the signs (of His mission) which He made on the infirm. At that 1 4 μετὰ ταῦτα. App. 59. 6 2 3 8 2 season it came to pass on the first Sabbath after1 the second day (of convocation and the first Sabbath after Jesus left Jerusalem), that Jesus' was passing along through the cornfields, and His disciples were hungry, and began, as they made their way, to pluck the ears of corn and to eat, rubbing' them in their hands. Some of the Pharisees (who had come from the feast, and had heard the objections made at Jerusalem about breaking the Sabbath) said to them, "Why do you what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days ?" Afterwards the Pharisees who perceived them said to Jesus (as soon as they came up with Him), "Behold, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath days, why do they on the Sabbaths what is not lawful?" (showing that what His disciples were doing was not contrary to true religion), "Have you never read what David did when he had need and was ' hungry, and those with him, how he entered into the dwelling of God (the tabernacle) in the lifetime of Abiathar the high priest (but during the high priesthood of his father), and took the 2 Matt. xii. 1. Luke vi. 1. • Matt. xii. 1. Matt. xii. 1. Matt. xii. 1. 3 4 6 Jesus' replied 8 9 7 b App. 59. Luke vi. 1. ποιεῖν ὁδόν. 1 Luke vi. 1. 6 3 d shewbread (which had been removed from the altar, and was therefore under the charge of Abiathar), and ate', and gave to those with him, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests only? Or have you not read in the law, that the priests on the Sabbaths in the Temple defile the Sabbath and are blameless" (though they do more work in sacrificing than on other days, for the Temple service is superior to the obligation of the Sabbath)? "But I tell you, that a greater (work) than the Temple (and its services) is here." (Jesus thus magnified His office and pressed an inquiry into His Sonship.) "If you had recognized what it is, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the blameless." (For in all God's works mercy holds the highest place.) He said' to them, "The Sabbath was instituted for man, and not man for the Sabbath; so that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" (to direct the manner of its observance in His kingdom). He' changed His course thence (not accompanying the Pharisees farther), and arrived at their synagogue' (that is, belonging to the inhabitants. What 8 Luke vi. 4. Matt. xii. 4. · μείζον. ' Mark ii. 27. • Matt. xii. 9. f * App. 60. αὐτῶν. The Synagogue at Tiberias. 163 was done in the synagogue, or during the whole of the ensuing week at Tiberias, does not appear in any record. Nor is there an intimation that Jesus ever visited Tiberias except at the present opportunity, namely, in the absence of Herod at Rome). 5 It came to pass also on another Sabbath (possibly the next), that He again2 entered their 25 synagogue and taught. And lo, there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath (as that was, at this time, the great question of dispute), and asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbaths?" that they might' find cause of accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man with the withered hand, Arise, and stand in the midst." And he' rose up and stood. Jesus then said to them, "I will ask you something: What is lawful 2 on the Sabbaths? To do good, or to do evil? to save a soul, or to destroy it " (by neglect)? But they' were silent (and forgetful of the precept, "To him who knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin"). He looked about upon all of 8 them with indignations (at their perverseness), and grieved at the hardness of their hearts, said to them, "Who shall there be among you (though) a man, who shall have one sheep; and, should this fall on the Sabbath day into a ditch, will not lay hold of it, and lift it out (and save it)? By how much does a man differ from a sheep? So that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbaths." Then' He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so; he stretched' it out, and his hand was restored1 whole as the other. Upon this they were filled with stolidity" (they admitted the genuineness of the miracle, but denied its consequence, His Sonship), and were talking, one with another, what they should do to Jesus; and the Pharisees went out immediately, and held a council with the Herodians' (who were courtiers of Herod in Tiberias, a royal city), how they might destroy Him. But Jesus discerned it (He perceived that the Pharisees, in conjunction with the Herodians, would imprison Him with John the Baptist. He therefore retired. Such the animus of religious sectarianism when h avoías. Loss of reason consequent on passion. 5 3 Matt. xii. 14. Matt. xii. 14. Mark iii. 6. • Mark iii. 6. • Matt. xii. 15. |