"The parallelisms here marked," says Dr. Jebb, "will, it is presumed, appear both unquestionable and intentional, when the related lines are brought into contact with each other; thus

Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are burthened;

For my yoke is easy, and my burthen light;

And I will give you rest;

And ye shall find rest unto your souls:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;

For I am meek, and lowly in heart."

The reader will easily discover many other passages in which this principle of construction is exhibited: and many others are given in Dr. Jebb's instructive work. We cannot ourselves pursue the subject further; but will not withhold the following remarks, found in his analysis of the first of the three parallel couplets.

"The expressions to labour,' and 'to be burthened,' comprehend, in their literal sense, all the modes in which working animals are commonly employed: they either draw, or carry; in the former case, they wear a yoke; in the latter case, they bear a burthen: which two ideas are accordingly repeated, each with an appropriate softening, in the latter of these lines: an easy yoke;' a 'light burthen.' The moral meaning of this figurative language is abundantly clear. To labour is to pursue the work of sin and the world, as an operative agent; it includes all the activities of evil: to be burthened is to endure the inflictions imposed by sin and the world, as a passive recipient; it comprehends all the pains and penalties of evil. To this miserable course of action and endurance are opposed the blessed activities, and not less blessed sufferings of the Christian life: my yoke is easy; it is a service of perfect freedom:' my burthen is light; fo though 'the Christian has his sorrows, they are sweeter than this world's joys.'”

CHAPTER XII.

1 Christ reproveth the blindness of the Pharisees concerning the breach of the sabbath, 3 by scriptures, 9 by reason, 13 and by a miracle. 22 He healeth the man possessed that was blind and dumb. 31 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. 36 Account shall be made of idle words. 38 He rebuketh the unfaithful, who seek after a sign: 49 and sheweth who is his brother, sister, and mother.

AT that time 'Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

10 ¶ And, behold, there was a man which

1 Deut. 23. 95. Mark 2. 23. Luke 6. 1. 21 Sam. 21. 6.
5 Hos. 6. 6. Chap. 9. 13. Mark 3. 1. Luke 6. 6.

had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 And he said unto them, 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 on it, and lift it out?

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

14 Then the Pharisees went out, and 'held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

16 And charged them that they should not make him known:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

18 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 shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

22 Then was brought unto him one. possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb:

3 Exod. 29. 32, 33. Levit. 8. 31, and 24. 9.
7 Or, took counsel.

Num. 28. 9. 8 Isa. 42 1. 9 Luke 11. 14.

43 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

46 While he yet talked to the people, "behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Verse 2. "Not lawful to do on the Sabbath day.” ."—The plucking of ears of corn by passengers in a corn-field through which a path lay, was allowed by the law (Deut. xxiii. 25): and indeed the Pharisees only say that it was unlawful on the Sabbath day. This was more than the law of the Sabbath said or implied. The law forbade servile work on that day; but the act of the disciples was no servile work. However, they made it such-thus: Reaping is a servile work: and he who reaps on the Sabbath day, however little, is a Sabbath-breaker: but to pluck ears of corn is a kind of reaping; and he who does this-even to pluck any thing from the springing of his own fruit-is also a sabbath-breaker. As such he was to be stoned, if he sinned presumptuously. This shows the danger to which the disciples were exposed. Another reason alleged for this regulation was, that on the sabbath day, there should be rest not only for man and beast, but for plants and trees; and that, on this ground also, it was unlawful to cut a plant or branch, or so much as to pluck a leaf, on the sabbath day. It was by a multitude of such far-fetched and nonsensical constructions and traditions as these, that the Pharisees and doctors of the law had laid upon men's shoulders burdens too heavy to be borne.

The puerility of some of the regulations-such as those under which the disciples were considered to have broken the sabbath-almost exceeds belief, although most of them are still in operation. The following may be cited from instances given by Mr. Allen in his 'Modern Judaism.'

The works forbidden by the sabbath have been reduced by the Rabbins under thirty-nine general heads; each of which includes a long list of other and very different acts which have been construed to bear some resemblance to it, or identity in principle with it. Thus ploughing includes, among other things, the filling of ditches or pits; and because this is forbidden, some of the Rabbins insist on the unlawfulness of sweeping a room on the sabbath, lest any furrow or chink in the floor should be filled by that operation. In like manner, the walking over ground newly digged or ploughed is prohibited, lest a pit or hole should be filled by treading on it. Dirt on the shoes may be scraped off against a wall, but not on the ground, lest it seem to fill any ditch or hole. One of the thirty-nine general heads prohibits grinding: therefore filing is also forbidden, being counted a species of grinding, dividing one mass into many parts. On the same ground, although dirt on the dress may be scraped off with the nails while it is moist and recent; yet if it is dry, it must remain till the sabbath is over, because scraping it off when dry would raise some dust, and would resemble grinding or breaking in pieces. The law forbids the bearing of a burden on the sabbath day; which has been ingeniously construed to prohibit a man from using stilts in crossing deep water or mire; since, although the stilts seem to carry the man, yet in reality the man carries the stilts. No sword may be worn, nor any other weapon or warlike accoutrement: nor may a tailor go out of doors with a needle stuck in any part of his dress. Even a bandage on a wound must not be replaced if it happen to fall off, nor may a fresh one be applied till the sabbath is over. It would be easy to multiply instances of a similar description.

5. "The Priests in the temple profane the sabbath.”-The priests were obliged to offer two lambs for a burnt offering every sabbath day. This necessitated the performance of many servile works, which, under other circumstances, would have been accounted a profanation of the sabbath; their duties of this sort being, in fact, the same as on other days, they

had to prepare the wood and lay it on the altar, to slay the lamb, to take off its skin, cut it up, and lay the parts on the fire; together with other duties, for performing the like of which beyond the temple, a man would have been stoned. It was by being done in the temple that these acts ceased to be unlawful; and hence arises the force and exonerative meaning of our Lord's declaration: "In this place there is one greater than the temple."

10. "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days ?"—This question implies an assertion that it was not lawful. It will be observed that the man's case was not of such immediate danger to life as to render it hazardous to defer the cure to a common day. Hence the objection; for it was allowed to do anything on the sabbath day for a man in present danger: but when this was not the case, it was held that no relief from infirmity or pain was to be sought, or curative measures of any kind adopted.

14. "The Pharisees."-A short account of this sect, so frequently mentioned in the New Testament, and so distinguished for its enmity to the doctrine and person of Christ, may here very fitly be introduced.

Of the various sects into which the Jews were divided in the time of our Saviour, the Pharisees were by far the most numerous and powerful, and held in the highest esteem by the mass of the people. Their distinguishing doctrines and opinions had also acquired great prevalence; and although the Pharisees have long been extinct as a sect, we have ample evidence of their former predominance in the existing Jewish religion, which is extensively infused with notions, traditions, and practices which may at once be recognised as those of the ancient Pharisees.

The origin of this sect has eluded all research; and even the date of its appearance cannot be determined. Some think its origin may be dated about 300 years before Christ, but the more general opinion is, that the Pharisees did not come forward as a distinct sect until rather more than a century later. They are first mentioned by Josephus under the reign of Jonathan (B.c. 144–139), but in such a manner as to show that they must then have been for some time in existence. But, as Lightfoot acutely remarks, "We must not think that Pharisaism arose altogether and at once; but it was long a conceiving, and of no fixed form, when it was brought forth...I suspect the foundations of Pharisaism were laid long before there were any Pharisees...The first seeds of Pharisaism were cast long before its birth; and, being now brought forth, was a long time growing before it came to maturity; if so be any can define what its maturity was."

The name of Pharisee is usually derived from W pharash, “to separate ;" and is thus equivalent to "a separatist,” or “one separated." This does not mean that they separated themselves from the mass of the people by withholding their presence from the public ordinances of religion. It was so much otherwise, that it was their principle that the prayer of the congregation was always heard, even though sinners were in it; and they seem to have counted all men sinners but themselves. Nor did their separation consist in keeping themselves from associating with other persons; for we see from Scripture that they sat in the Sanhedrim with members of the antagonist sect, the Sadducees, went to other men's houses, and conversed with any sort of men to make them proselytes. Their separation was that which arose from their profession of superior holiness and knowledge to all others, exhibited in an appearance of extraordinary devotion and mortification, and in an extreme attention to ceremonials, leading them to look down upon all who belonged not to their party as unclean, mean, unlearned persons-" people of the earth," as they called them. Their separation was that of him who says to all others, "Stand by, for I am holier than thou." Hence, in one of his discourses, our Saviour introduces a Pharisee as thanking God that he was not as other men were. (Luke xviii. 11.) The Pharisees were not of any particular class; there were some of every tribe, family, and condition of life; and even women, who, in the East, are seldom found exercising an independent opinion, made profession of Pharisaism. This was indeed the popular sect-popular even among those of the lower classes who did not professedly enter its pale. The grave and steady claim of the Pharisees to superior sanctity and knowledge had full effect upon the multitude which they despised. They were looked up to with great respect and confidence by the mass of the people, and such was the sway which they thus acquired over their minds, that they were often enabled to take a very active and leading part in public affairs, and to give much disturbance to the government. Josephus says that such was the influence of the Pharisees with the multitude, that if they had occasion to speak against a king or high-priest, they were immediately believed; and, a little after,-that the Sadducees only made way among the rich, but had not the common people on their side. He also relates how they stirred up the hatred of the people against Hyrcanus, and against Alexander Jannæus; which the latter never forgot, for on his death-bed he advised his queen, Alexandra, to cultivate the good will of the Pharisees, for they were very powerful with the people, and could greatly damage those whom they hated, and as greatly benefit those whom they favoured: for they were entirely believed by the people, particularly when they spoke evil of those whom they disliked. "And," added the king, "it was through their means that I myself came to be disliked, having given them offence." The queen followed this advice; in consequence of which the Pharisees for the time wielded all the power of the state, and carried affairs with a very high hand. Josephus, who was himself a Pharisee, takes another occasion to describe the sect as exceedingly powerful against kings; subtle, and forward to make open war and to do mischief.

Dr. Lightfoot's terse estimate of the sect, that " The best of Pharisees was the worst of men ;" and the equally strong one of Lewis, that "they were but religious villains-the most insolent and implacable generation that ever any age produced" (Orig. Heb.' b. ii. c. 20); must, like all other general estimates, be understood with some limitations. It is indeed quite true that the religion of the Pharisees was, for the most part, founded on that most awful and consummate of all hypocrisies, which makes the profession of sanctity a veil for selfishness of heart, under which the pursuit of worldly gain, honour, and influence, might be sought securely; and that, while claiming to be the singular favourites of God, and to honour him, and do him service beyond all men, they neglected "the weightier matters of the law"justice, mercy, and truth; and found full scope within their system for all the evil passions and propensities of their hearts were proud, arrogant, grasping, deceitful, implacable, cruel-and, with the most intense practical blasphemy, sought to make God the agent for the gratification of their own lusts and appetites. But God knew their hearts. To this general character there were however exceptions; and Nicodemus, Gamaliel, and Saul may be cited as instances of men who held the principles of the sect, without being tainted with the vices which those principles were calculated to produce.

The distinguishing tenets and practices of the Pharisees will best come under our notice in connection with the several texts of Scripture which refer to them.

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CHAPTER XIII.

3 The parable of the sower and the seed: 18 the exposition of it. 24 The parable of the tares, 31 of the mustard seed, 33 of the leaven, 44 of the hidden treasure, 45 of the pearl, 47 of the drawnet cust into the sea: 53 and how Christ is contemned of his own countrymen.

THE same day went Jesus out of the house, 'and sat by the sea side

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, 'Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mys teries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, 'By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive :

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with

J Mark 4. 1. * Luke 8.5. 3 Chap. 25. 29.

their cars, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, 'That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the housholder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Isa. 6.9. Mark 4. 12. Luke 8. 10. John 12. 40. Acts 28. 26. Rom. 11. 8.
5 Luke 10. 24.