regardest not the of men, or partiality, thou wilt tell us truly what is person of men. our duty toward God. Tell us 17 Tell us there fore, What think- What is lawful by God's law in thy opinion? est thou? Is it lawful Is it by that lawful to give— to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? f their treacherous design, and said, Why endea13 But Jesus pervour ye to ensnare me under pretence of reverencing ceived 'their wicked- me ? ver. 16. ness, and said, Why s the money or coin in which ye are wont to pay tempt ye me, ye the tax; and they brought him a coin that was half hypocrites? the Alexandrian but a whole Attic drachm, and so tribute money. And the fourth part of the shekel of the sanctuary, or half they brought unto the ordinary shekel. See note [e] on ch. xvii. 19 Shew me & the him a penny. The inscription of this coin is Cæsar Augustus, 20 And he saith such a year after the taking of Judæa; this being a unto them, Whose is this image and record of the conquest of the Romans over this na[c] superscription? tion, and the right by them acquired by the dedition of Hyrcanus, (see note [6]) and an expression of the years since that taking, about ninety years (for so long ago did Pompey subdue and take Jerusalem); shew that now it is unlawful to seek change, after so 21 They say unto long continuance of that power so fairly and legally him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, acquired. Besides, the coining of money is part of Render therefore un- the supreme power, or regal prerogative, incommunito Cæsar the things cable to any other and your acknowledging this to be which are Cæsar's; the current coin, supposes Cæsar, whose signature it things that are God's. hath, to be your lawful prince, to whom therefore the 22 When they had tribute is due, as the legal protector of your civil heard these words, commerce: look therefore upon the coin for the they marvelled, and stating of your question, whose image and signature left him, and went it hath on it. and unto God the their way. surrection, and asked him, 23 The same day 21. They confessed it to be the image or signature came to him the Sad- of the Roman emperor; and Christ thence concluded, ducees, which say that they that acknowledge Cæsar's supremacy over that there is no re- the Jews ought not to dispute, but pay him that tribute that is due to him as supreme, there being nothing 24 Saying, Master, derogatory to God in so doing. But the law of God Moses said, If a man requiring that every one should have that which die, having no chil- belongs to him, and particularly kings their due acdren, his brother knowledgments and tributes, which are due to them shall 'marry his wife, and raise up seed as acts of piety are due to God. unto his brother. i admired the prudence of his answer, and so de25 Now there were parted without hopes of gaining any advantage against him. with us seven brethren and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: kfuture estate after this life, and asked I do the part of the next of kin to his wife, and the children which he begetteth of her shall be accounted his dead brother's children or seed. 26 Likewise the 26. Until all the seven were married, and dead second also, and without children. the third, unto the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, God. "Yedoerr,not know- m This error of yours, in believing no resurrection, ing the scriptures, proceeds from your not considering the several places nor the power of of scripture, nor the power of God in ordering the 30 For in the re- life to come in another manner than is used in this. surrection they nei- 30. As for your argument against it, it is soon ther marry, nor are answered, by telling you, that in that other world given in marriage, those that are there live not like husbands and wives, but are as the angels of God in heaven. but are in that respect no otherwise than the pure, 31 But as touching spiritual angels of God, which have no bodies about the [d] resurrection them; all such relations which are here among men of the dead, have ye are swallowed up in that other world. not read that which 31. was spoken unto you But to make it evident to you by that part of by God, saying, scripture which hath authority among you Sadducees, 32 I am the God of that is, by the law, by you acknowledged for the Abraham, and the word of God, that there is another life, it is there, you God of Isaac, and know, thus written: I am the God of Jacob? God is not the God "which being spoken after their decease, was an of the dead, but of evidence that there is another life after this, which the living. they that are dead to this have their parts in, or otherwise how could God be said not only to have they were astonished been, but still to be their God after their death? at his doctrine. 33 And when the multitude heard this, 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God on design to ensnare him in his answer, or to hear what he would say, and saying P with all thy will and affections and understand with all thy heart, ing, Mark xii. 32. 9 and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and [e] great commandment. 39 And the second Thou shalt think thy neighbour as worthy to is like unto it, Thou enjoy what belongs to him as thou thinkest thyself, shalt love thy neigh- and allow thy neighbour whatsoever thou expectest bour as thyself. these from him either by way of justice or charity, nay, 40 8 On two commandments whatsoever thou desirest to receive from God himself. o [ƒ] hang all the law and the prophets. r the prophets, as interpreters of the law and its 4x །། While the precepts. Pharisees were ga 41. The Pharisees being by this occasion drawn tothered together, Je- gether about him, ver. 34, before they went away again from him, Jesus asked sus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of 10 Christ? What is your opinion of the Messias? whose whose son is he? son, or of whose progeny do you find in the scripThey say unto him, tures that he shall be? They say― The son of David. next unto me, till I subdue all thine enemies hand, till I make under thee. 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man 46. This question posed them all, and quite put was able to answer them out of their course (to which formerly they had him a word, neither durst any man from received some discouragement, ver. 22, 33,) of asking that day forth ask him questions, to take advantage from him, ver. 15, 35him any more ques tions. THEN spake Je CHAP. XXIII. 1. Then Jesus having quit himself from the Pharisus to the multi- sees and Sadducees, spake to the multitude— tude, and to his dis ciples, 3 All • The 2 Saying, a The scribes and Pharisees, &c., those that are of scribes and the Pha- the sanhedrim, are by you to be looked on as your risees sit in Moses' lawful rulers, that have authority over you, succeedseat: therefore ing Moses and the seventy elders, Num. xi. 16. whatsoever they bid 3. And therefore do ye live in obedience to all you observe, that their lawful commands, in all regular subjection and observe and do; but obedience. But let not their actions be your examdo not ye after their works: for they say, ples, for they live not according to their own pre and do not. 4 For they bind scriptions. [a] heavy burdens 4. For many severe ordinances they impose on and grievous to be others over and above what the law exacts, but will borne, and lay them not themselves be persuaded to take the least pains on men's shoulders; to do those things which by the clear law of God but they themselves are most necessary. will not move them gers. with one of their fin- 5. All that they exercise themselves in most industriously are the performances which will bring them 5 But all their in most of praise. The law, which they were comworks they do for to manded, Deut. vi. 8, to bind upon their hands, &c., be seen of men: they that is, to lay it near their hearts, to practise it dili[6]phylacteries, and gently, they write in rolls, and hang them in their enlarge the [c] bor- foreheads, and bind them on their wrists, &c., count ders of their gar- them as a kind of charms, and make them as large make broad their ments, 6 And love the up as they can, to be seen of men, and one to exceed the other. And for the fringes of their garments, which they were indeed commanded to wear, Num. xv. 38, Deut. xxii. 12, to remember them of the law, and as a peculiar fashion to discriminate them from other men, they either for an ostentation of piety which those were to remember them of, or to express the greater strictness in separating from all others, wear these fringes very large; and so, whether for observances invented and prescribed by themselves only, or for those which the law prescribes, all their care is to be praised of men. 6. They love to have the first place, if it be but at permost rooms at an ordinary meal; and in the consistories they are feasts, and the chief ambitious of the headships, and when they teach in gog in the syna- the synagogues, or are there to hear others teach, and, as the manner was, sit in chairs while they do so, they are ambitious of getting the uppermost gogues, chairs, 7 And greetings in 7. And to receive the civilities and adorations and the markets, and to commendations of men above all others, as the greatbe called of men, est doctors and leaders of others; which is an eviRabbi, Rabbi. dence of their temper, what it is that they principally design in all their religious performances. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for 8. But do not ye contend thus for superiorities, for one is your Master, precedence one above another, for you are all felloweven Christ; and all servants by being fellow-Christians. ye are brethren. 9. And give not up your faith absolutely to be 9 And call no man swayed and ruled by any man, as children are to be your [d] father upon swayed wholly by their parents' bare will, and as the earth: for one is your Father, which these men, Pharisees, &c., have their admirers and followers in religion, whereas indeed God your Father is in heaven. 1 fringes. 2 meals, delπvOLS. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for in heaven is only he to whose doctrine and precepts ye owe this absolute faith and obedience. 10. And do not ye pretend to be leaders or teachone is your Master, ers, but all fellow-disciples that receive the faith from me, and so communicate it to others. even Christ. II But he that is 11. As for any precedency or superiority, which greatest among you shall hereafter be instituted in the church, ye are shall be your ser- not to look upon that but as an office of burden and duty, of watching and waiting on them over whom ye are placed. vant. 12 And whosoever shall be abased; and 12. And indeed for this, this ought to be the rule, shall exalt himself that whosoever is ambitious of dignity in Christ's he that shall humble church ought never to be admitted to it, but he that himself shall be ex- shall think himself unworthy of it is fittest to be advanced to it. alted. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pha с ye keep the multitude from embracing the gospel risees, hypocrites! or doctrine of Christ, to which they are generally infor ye shut up the clined; ye suppress the meaning of the scriptures kingdom of heaven which belong to the Messias; and not only reject against men: for ye Christ yourselves, but prohibit others from believing neither go in your- on him, which, were it not for fear of you, would ye them that are en- willingly embrace him. selves, neither suffer tering to go in. d for instead of shewing mercy and charity to them 14 Woe unto you, that are left destitute, ye, on the other side, are scribes and Phari- greedy and rapacious, grind the face of the poor, and sees, hypocrites! "for devour the remainder of their substance whom ye ye devour widows' houses, and for a ought in reason to relieve; and that ye may do these pretence make long acts of uncharitableness more securely, ye pretend to prayer: therefore ye great piety, and for a colour or fair show, (that you shall receive the greater damnation. may be the more trusted, and so have opportuni15 Woe unto you, ties to do it the better,) use to make long prayers: scribes and Phari- but for this, for your making piety a colour and guise, sees, hypocrites! for under which to practise the greater sins, ye shall receive ye compass sea and land to make one [e] proselyte, and e to get one Gentile to your religion, and when he when he is made, ye is so, by teaching him the worser part of your docmake him twofold trine, that which fortifies him against the receiving of more the child of hell Christ, and by pressing him to that legal strictness, than yourselves. (which is commanded you as Jews, but belongs not to him,) you put him into a far worse and more dangerous estate, and make him more vehemently to which say, Whoso- oppose the gospel than yourselves or your own chilever shall [f] swear dren, natural Jews. ye 16 Woe unto you, guides, blind by the temple, it is 16. Woe unto you which take upon you to be the nothing; but whoso- leaders of the blind, Rom. ii. 19, and are blind yourever shall swear by the gold of the tem- selves, saying, If a man swear by the temple he is not ple, he is 3 a debtor! obliged by that oath, but he that swears by the gold 3 3 obliged, ὀφείλει, |