WE shall not say much more about the Pharisees, as there are other subjects of interest, relating to the time when our Lord was on earth, which may well occupy us, but we will merely add two or three more things about those wonderful men.
What was it in the Pharisees’ thoughts of the Sabbath which made the Lord angry? Surely it was that peculiar hard-heartedness that made the observance of tradition as to the Sabbath, of far greater importance to them than acts of mercy done on that day. Over and over again they sought to kill the Lord because He showed mercy on the day of rest. Little did they acknowledge the presence of sin as witnessed in the cases of misery Jesus graciously healed on that day; no, to them their thoughts of holiness were paramount, and God’s thoughts they despised.
As to this spirit, we can but observe a similar one around us, for after all, Phariseeism is but fallen human nature working out its own intellectual and traditional ideas, from and upon, the letter of God’s word. In religious life, if a deed be done in accordance with the current traditions respecting religious propriety, it is accepted if not, it is rejected. The grooves in which the work is done are esteemed beyond the work itself. Many a good act is called bad because it is not wrought according to “the tradition of the elders,” and many a formal lifeless deed is reckoned to be a good work, because it is done after human rules. Right well did the man whose eyes Jesus had opened answer the Pharisees as to this. He reasoned from what God is on the character of the work Jesus had performed. “Why herein is a marvelous thing,” said he, “that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth.” (John 9:30-3130The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:30‑31).) Alas! how many refuse to accept as the work of God that which is not accomplished after their traditions.
What is the meaning of “corban”? It is simply a devoting to God by gift. Promises of giving and abstaining from things were made by Israel, and this was according to God’s word. But the Pharisees had enlarged upon this principle, and argued that things might be devoted or given by the bare use of the word corban. Thus, supposing a parent in need or distress, and the son, a Pharisee, not wishing to help his father or mother, he had only to utter the mystic word “corban,” and at once he was free from the call of common piety at home. This word so used was accepted as the expression of a religious principle by which his selfish soul could escape from the ordinary kindness which would be shown in a heathen home.
Whatever religion a man’s may be, if it sets aside the relations of life, and the care and love for parents and children, it is a bad religion: it is more or less like that of the Pharisees. Another and somewhat similar question among them was this — “Who is my neighbor?” but it was asked in order to prove who is not our neighbor, and with the object of avoiding helping a poor creature in distress. It was all very well for these people to know so clearly the letter of the divine word, but their hearts were far from the love of God, as their use of the word “corban” and their question, “Who is my neighbor?” painfully prove.
Another well-known feature of the Pharisees’ religion was that of despising others, and considering themselves to be righteous. They looked upon themselves as superior people, and all the rest, all who did not belong to their fraternity, were “without,” and were to be abstained from. But this was not enough! This select few in Israel had inner circles among themselves. They had their special holy people who were within the sacred number! A Pharisee of the higher grade would not eat with a Pharisee of the Faithful lower order, lest perchance he should defile himself; unless, indeed, the inferior put on the garment of one of the upper order! What a poor holiness that is which comes off with our clothes, or which is put on our shoulders with the clothes of other people! Yet these principles of the Pharisees are like a looking-glass held up to ourselves in order that we may see very much of ourselves in them.
Our last remarks have arisen from the Lord’s words about the Publicans and sinners in contrast with the Pharisees, and we should like you now to place side by side, our picture overleaf of the Publican at the receipt of custom and the picture of the Pharisee at prayer, which occupied page 9 of our January number, and you will observe the contrast. We almost require a picture of the scene to enable us to realize what the Publican was in the days of our Lord. He was a collector of customs, and when he was the chief of a district, having various collectors under him, he became rich.
In foreign towns and on our own coasts the custom-house officers overhaul the traveler’s baggage to see if any article is in it upon which a tax is due. Such a scene our picture presents. Some merchants or traders have come with their camels and baggage to the city, but before they may enter the gates and begin their business they must pay the custom dues. All their baggage will be overhauled. A noisy, quarrelsome scene ensues, and one thing which makes the traders so very vexed is, that these dues go to support the Roman power which has conquered their nation. Everything they have to sell is taxed, and the taxes are for the heathen foreigners, who are their conquerors; and another vexation is, that at the receipt of custom sits a Jew―yes, one of their own nation’s religion has farmed these taxes for the city they are about to enter, and he, by serving the Romans, is getting rich out of the misfortunes of his own nation.
Farming the taxes means, that a man gives the government a sum of money for taxes that will be taken through the year at the city gates. He naturally pays to the government a less sum than the taxes will bring in, and the overplus becomes his gain or profit. It was in this sort of way the chief of the Publicans became so rich. Perhaps they employed several men to inspect the baggage, and to do the hated work. In our picture is a chief of the Publicans at the receipt of custom ordering the merchants about, collecting the money in bags, while the Roman gentleman drives his chariot along just as he pleases!
Now certainly this was no peaceful or pleasant occupation, and it was one which gave an opening to all kinds of cheating and robbing. Hence as a Jew, and as a religious man, we can well understand how bitterly a Pharisee hated a Publican.
But the Publican had a soul to be saved as much as the Pharisee, and he had a conscience about his sins, which in most cases the Pharisee had not; hence, notorious as he was for ill-doings, he was nearer the kingdom than his religious brother!