LECTURE XVII.

ENMITY OF THE PHARISEES.

MARK iii. 1-12.

1. And he entered again into the synagogue: and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

2. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

The spirit of the people here was such, that our Lord was grieved for the hardness of their hearts. They watched him whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. Now had there been an honest doubt on the minds of these persons, he would have resolved it. And there might have been an honest doubt. They might have entertained this scruple, remembering the record of former times. "While the children of Israel were in the wilderness," the man who " had despised the word of the Lord, and broken his commandment," having been " found gathering sticks on the the sabbath day," was put to death. "All the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died." And the Son of man, who had declared himself" Lord of the sabbath," was competent to answer such an inquiry. While this example remained upon their history,

1 See Numb. xv. 31-36.

there might justly have been a question concerning the observance of the sabbath, concerning what it was lawful to do on that day.

But these were not their thoughts. They watched him that they might find an accusation against him. Therefore, he teaches them the purpose of the sabbath by example.

3. And he said unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

5. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

This was a practical illustration of the truth, that "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." Otherwise a man must have borne the extremity of hunger, rather than "pluck the ears of corn:" he must have lingered under the misfortune of "a withered hand," instead of receiving a cure. But such was not the intent of the sabbath. It" was made for man:" for his bodily comfort and spiritual health. Therefore, his bodily comfort is to be considered, as well as his spiritual advantage. It is lawful so to attend to the one as not to injure the other.

A question might occur with us, to which the example given in this passage would apply. A pious man might doubt, how far it were right to employ a

part of the sabbath in works of mercy or usefulness, which would interfere with private devotion. In teaching, for example. The spirit of our Lord's

words might satisfy him. and says, Stand forth.

He points out the sufferer; And then asks, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?

Now the majority of our people, if they are not instructed on the sabbath days, will not be at all instructed. It must be with them as with the Jews, of whom the prophet complains, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Those, therefore, who deny themselves the rest of the sabbath, that they may employ a part of it upon the instruction of the young or the ignorant, are following the example of their Saviour. They are saving life. They are imparting the knowledge which is needful to spiritual life here, and to eternal life hereafter. The rebuke applied on another occasion to the cavils of the Pharisees, has here also its proper place. "What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep?" How much is the soul more precious than the body? If the body may be healed on the sabbath day, surely the soul may receive that knowledge which is able to make it "wise unto salvation." And we may safely act on the gracious assurance, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," saith the Lord. 3

2

Truth and reason have little effect upon hearts like those of the Pharisees, hardened by prejudice

2 Matt. xii. 11.

3 Ib. 7.

and bigotry. So they followed the course which in such cases is too common.

6. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

7. But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea,

8. And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

9. And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

10. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

11. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

He had withdrawn himself with his disciples to the sea, because there was danger from the enmity of the Pharisees and Herodians." And now there was an opposite danger, lest " the people should come by force and make him a king." 6 Such an attempt would only excite his adversaries the more, and sharpen their hostility. But why withdraw himself? Why take refuge in retirement? Could he not

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pray to his Father, and he would presently give

The Herodians, or Herod's party, commonly opposed to the Pharisees, and inclined to the Sadducean sect; but here united with them against Jesus.

5 Matt. xii. 16.

6 See John vi. 15.

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him more than twelve legions of angels? "But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled?" How should that be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, " Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment unto the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." "His kingdom was not of this world;" neither was it to be established by weapons of this world. Therefore when threatened by those who thought they had power to destroy him, he withdrew with his disciples into a remote region of Galilee; and therefore, when the unclean spirit fell down before him, saying, Thou art the Son of God, he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

7 Matt. xxvi. 53.

Isa. xlii. 3. See Matt. xii. 16.