the desire of ages-第83部分

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parents；　and　that；　however　great　the　necessity；　it　was　sacrilege　to　impart　to　father　or　mother　any　part　of　what　had　been　thus　consecrated。　An　undutiful　child　had　only　to　pronounce　the　word　〃Corban〃　over　his　property；　thus　devoting　it　to　God；　and　he　could　retain　it　for　his　own　use　during　his　lifetime；　and　after　his　death　it　was　to　be　appropriated　to　the　temple　service。　Thus　he　was　at　liberty；　both　in　life　and　in　death；　to　dishonor　and　defraud　his　parents；　under　cover　of　a　pretended　devotion　to　God。

Never；　by　word　or　deed；　did　Jesus　lessen　man's　obligation　to　present　gifts　and　offerings　to　God。　It　was　Christ　who　gave　all　the　directions　of　the　law　in　regard　to　tithes　and　offerings。　When　on　earth　He　commended　the　poor　woman　who　gave　her　all　to　the　temple　treasury。　But　the　apparent　zeal　for　God　on　the　part　of　the　priests　and　rabbis　was　a　pretense　to　cover　their　desire　for　self…aggrandizement。　The　people　were　deceived　by　them。　They　were　bearing　heavy　burdens　which　God　had　not　imposed。　Even　the　disciples　of　Christ　were　not　wholly　free　from　the　yoke　that　had　been　bound　upon　them　by　inherited　prejudice　and　rabbinical　authority。　Now；　by　revealing　the　true　spirit　of　the　rabbis；　Jesus　sought　to　free　from　the　bondage　of　tradition　all　who　were　really　desirous　of　serving　God。

〃Ye　hypocrites；〃　He　said；　addressing　the　wily　spies；　〃well　did　Esaias　prophesy　of　you；　saying；　This　people　draweth　nigh　unto　Me　with　their　mouth；　and　honoreth　Me　with　their　lips；　but　their　heart　is　far　from　Me。　But　in　vain　they　do　worship　Me；　teaching　for　doctrines　the　commandments　of　men。〃　The　words　of　Christ　were　an　arraignment　of　the　whole　system　of　Pharisaism。　He　declared　that　by　placing　their　requirements　above　the　divine　precepts　the　rabbis　were　setting　themselves　above　God。

The　deputies　from　Jerusalem　were　filled　with　rage。　They　could　not　accuse　Christ　as　a　violator　of　the　law　given　from　Sinai；　for　He　spoke　as　its　defender　against　their　traditions。　The　great　precepts　of　the　law；　which　He　had　presented；　appeared　in　striking　contrast　to　the　petty　rules　that　men　had　devised。

To　the　multitude；　and　afterward　more　fully　to　His　disciples；　Jesus　explained　that　defilement　comes　not　from　without；　but　from　within。　Purity　and　impurity　pertain　to　the　soul。　It　is　the　evil　deed；　the　evil　word；　the　evil　thought；　the　transgression　of　the　law　of　God；　not　the　neglect　of　external；　man…made　ceremonies；　that　defiles　a　man。

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The　disciples　noted　the　rage　of　the　spies　as　their　false　teaching　was　exposed。　They　saw　the　angry　looks；　and　heard　the　half…muttered　words　of　dissatisfaction　and　revenge。　Forgetting　how　often　Christ　had　given　evidence　that　He　read　the　heart　as　an　open　book；　they　told　Him　of　the　effect　of　His　words。　Hoping　that　He　might　conciliate　the　enraged　officials；　they　said　to　Jesus；　〃Knowest　Thou　that　the　Pharisees　were　offended；　after　they　heard　this　saying？〃

He　answered；　〃Every　plant；　which　My　heavenly　Father　hath　not　planted；　shall　be　rooted　up。〃　The　customs　and　traditions　so　highly　valued　by　the　rabbis　were　of　this　world；　not　from　heaven。　However　great　their　authority　with　the　people；　they　could　not　endure　the　testing　of　God。　Every　human　invention　that　has　been　substituted　for　the　commandments　of　God　will　be　found　worthless　in　that　day　when　〃God　shall　bring　every　work　into　judgment；　with　every　secret　thing；　whether　it　be　good；　or　whether　it　be　evil。〃　Eccl。　12：14。

The　substitution　of　the　precepts　of　men　for　the　commandments　of　God　has　not　ceased。　Even　among　Christians　are　found　institutions　and　usages　that　have　no　better　foundation　than　the　traditions　of　the　fathers。　Such　institutions；　resting　upon　mere　human　authority；　have　supplanted　those　of　divine　appointment。　Men　cling　to　their　traditions；　and　revere　their　customs；　and　cherish　hatred　against　those　who　seek　to　show　them　their　error。　In　this　day；　when　we　are　bidden　to　call　attention　to　the　commandments　of　God　and　the　faith　of　Jesus；　we　see　the　same　enmity　as　was　manifested　in　the　days　of　Christ。　Of　the　remnant　people　of　God　it　is　written；　〃The　dragon　was　wroth　with　the　woman；　and　went　to　make　war　with　the　remnant　of　her　seed；　which　keep　the　commandments　of　God；　and　have　the　testimony　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　Rev。　12：17。

But　〃every　plant；　which　My　heavenly　Father　hath　not　planted；　shall　be　rooted　up。〃　In　place　of　the　authority　of　the　so…called　fathers　of　the　church；　God　bids　us　accept　the　word　of　the　eternal　Father；　the　Lord　of　heaven　and　earth。　Here　alone　is　truth　unmixed　with　error。　David　said；　〃I　have　more　understanding　than　all　my　teachers：　for　Thy　testimonies　are　my　meditation。　I　understand　more　than　the　ancients；　because　I　keep　Thy　precepts。〃　Ps。　119：99；　100。　Let　all　who　accept　human　authority；　the　customs　of　the　church；　or　the　traditions　of　the　fathers；　take　heed　to　the　warning　conveyed　in　the　words　of　Christ；　〃In　vain　they　do　worship　Me；　teaching　for　doctrines　the　commandments　of　men。〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　43

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Barriers　Broken　Down


After　the　encounter　with　the　Pharisees；　Jesus　withdrew　from　Capernaum；　and　crossing　Galilee；　repaired　to　the　hill　country　on　the　borders　of　Phoenicia。　Looking　westward；　He　could　see；　spread　out　upon　the　plain　below；　the　ancient　cities　of　Tyre　and　Sidon；　with　their　heathen　temples；　their　magnificent　palaces　and　marts　of　trade；　and　the　harbors　filled　with　shipping。　Beyond　was　the　blue　expanse　of　the　Mediterranean；　over　which　the　messengers　of　the　gospel　were　to　bear　its　glad　tidings　to　the　centers　of　the　world's　great　empire。　But　the　time　was　not　yet。　The　work　before　Him　now　was　to　prepare　His　disciples　for　their　mission。　In　coming　to　this　region　He　hoped　to　find　the　retirement　He　had　failed　to　secure　at　Bethsaida。　Yet　this　was　not　His　only　purpose　in　taking　this　journey。

〃Behold；　a　Canaanitish　woman　came　out　from　those　borders；　and　cried；　saying；　Have　mercy　on　me；　O　Lord；　Thou　Son　of　David；　my　daughter　is　grievously　vexed　with　a　devil。〃　Matt。　15：22；　R。　V。　The　people　of　this　district　were　of　the　old　Canaanite　race。　They　were　idolaters；　and　were　despised　and　hated　by　the　Jews。　To　this　class　belonged　the　woman　who　now　came　to　Jesus。　She　was　a　heathen；　and　was　therefore　excluded　from　the　advantages　which　the　Jews　daily　enjoyed。　There

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were　many　Jews　living　among　the　Phoenicians；　and　the　tidings　of　Christ's　work　had　penetrated　to　this　region。　Some　of　the　people　had　listened　to　His　words　and　had　witnessed　His　wonderful　works。　This　woman　had　heard　of　the　prophet；　who；　it　was　reported；　healed　all　manner　of　diseases。　As　she　heard　of　His　power；　hope　sprang　up　in　her　heart。　Inspired　by　a　mother's　love；　she　determined　to　present　her　daughter's　case　to　Him。　It　was　her　resolute　purpose　to　bring　her　affliction　to　Jesus。　He　must　heal　her　child。　She　had　sought　help　from　the　heathen　gods；　but　had　obtained　no　relief。　And　at　times　she　was　tempted　to　think；　What　can　this　Jewish　teacher　do　for　me？　But　the　word　had　come；　He　heals　all　manner　of　diseases；　whether　those　who　come　to　Him　for　help　are　rich　or　poor。　She　determined　not　to　lose　her　only　hope。

Christ　knew　this　woman's　situation。　He　knew　that　she　was　longing　to　see　Him；　and　He　placed　Himself　in　her　path。　By　ministering　to　her　sorrow；　He　could　give　a　living　representation　of　the　lesson　He　designed　to　teach。　For　this　He　had　brought　His　disciples　into　this　region。　He　desired　them　to　see　the　ignorance　existing　in　cities　and　villages　close　to　the　land　of　Israel。　The　people　who　had　been　given　every　opportunity　to　understand　the　truth　were　without　a　knowledge　of　the　needs　of　those　around　them。　No　effort　was　made　to　help　souls　in　darkness。　The　partition　wall　which　Jewish　pride　had　erected；　shut　even　the　disciples　from　sympathy　with　the　heathen　world。　But　these　barriers　were　to　be　broken　down。

Christ　did　not　immediately　reply　to　the　woman's　request。　He　received　this　representative　of　a　despised　race　as　the　Jews　would　have　done。　In　this　He　designed　that　His　disciples　should　be　impressed　with　the　cold　and　heartless　manner　in　which　the　Jews　would　treat　such　a　case；　as　evinced　by　His　reception　of　the　woman；　and　the　compassionate　manner　in　which　He　would　have　them　deal　with　such　distress；　as　manifested　by　His　subsequent　granting　of　her　petition。

But　although　Jesus　did　not　reply；　the　woman　did　not　lose　faith。　As　He　passed　on；　as　if　not　hearing　her；　she　followed　Him；　continuing　her　supplications。　Annoyed　by　her　importunities；　the　disciples　asked　Jesus　to　send　her　away。　They　saw　that　their　Master　treated　her　with　indifference；　and　they　therefore　supposed　that　the　prejudice　of　the　Jews　against　the　Canaanites　was　pleasing　to　Him。　But　it　was　a　pitying　Saviour　to　whom　the　woman　made　her　plea；　and　in　answer　to　the　request　of　the　disciples；　Jesus　said；　〃I　am　not　sent　but　unto　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house

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of　Israel。〃　Although　this　answer　appeared　to　be　in　accordance　with　the　prejudice　of　the　Jews；　it　was　an　implied　rebuke　to　the　disciples；　which　they　afterward　understood　as　reminding　them　of　what　He　had　often　told　them；that　He　came　to　the　world　to　save　all　who　would　accept　Him。

The　woman　urged　her　case　with　increased　earnest