December 20

Mark vii. — 1. Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2. And, when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled (that is to say, with unwashen) hands, they found fault.

3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, and brazen vessels, and tables.

5. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

7. Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8. For, laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of

pots and cups; and many other such-like things ye do.

9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he shall be free.

12. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother;

13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such-like things do ye.

14. And, when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me, every one of you, and understand.

15. There is nothing from without a man, that, entering into him, can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

16. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

The Jews, like Orientals nowa days, usually ate with their fingers from a common dish; and some washing, both before and after eating, was important for cleanliness. But they attached to this, also, the idea of ceremonial pacification; and, for the same reason, washed after being exposed to the mixed articles of the market. All this was matter of tradition, to which they attached greater authority and significance than to the requirements of the law. But, while they were thus punctilious in observances of their own devising, they evaded the requirements of the law of God, even in matters of filial duty. Thus property consecrated to God under the name Corban, or an offering, was exempt from secular and private claims, whether really sacrificed or not; and by this pretext

an unnatural son would rid himself of obligation for the support of aged or feeble parents, saying to his father or mother, "That from which thou mightest have been benefited by me is an offering, and is, therefore, free from family claims." And the scribes and Pharisees, the custodians and interpreters of the law of Moses, allowed this evasion, and released him from the duty of caring for his father or his mother. The attempt to cover such filial impiety by the Word of God robbed that Word of its effect upon the conscience and the life. Words, forms, ceremonies, are nothing as compared with the motive and the spirit. That which is within determines character; and no external cleansing can wash away the impurity of a selfish, evil heart.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 21, 58.

Create in us a clean heart, O God! and renew a right spirit within us. So purify us by thy grace, that we shall shine as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of life. We bless thee for thy loving care, for rest and safety in the night, for the comfort and promise of the morning. O heavenly Father! we beseech thee to look with favor upon this family. May each of us in our respective stations truly serve thee! May we do unto others as we would that they should do unto us! May we be true and just in all our dealings! May we bear no hatred nor malice in our hearts! May we be honest and upright in our daily conduct! May we keep our tongues from evil, and our lips from speaking guile!

May thy Word be precious to our souls! May it be sweet to our taste; yea, sweeter than honey

to our mouth! May we love its precepts, understand its doctrines, and rest upon its promises! Give us grace, that we may be established in the truth, and be doers of thy Word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves. Sow the seed of eternal life in our hearts, and enable us to bring forth fruit to the glory of thy name and the comfort of our souls.

[O Lord! grant unto the children of this household the teaching of thy Spirit, the guidance of thy providence, that they may walk in the way of wisdom and of life.]

Defend us with thy heavenly grace, that we may continue thine forever, and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until we come unto thine everlasting kingdom, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.