The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-11-08

WarU HE Oe pure, aSlue lFom YOUR 0eA0no
NAL observances comp. Hos. vi: 6, Luke
xvi: 9, James i: 27.
Robinson contests the views of the Eng
lish version, and of the Ironists, and cites 8
passage from Epictetus against Schleusner
1t will be observed that Robinsou's gene
raj notion of the verse is the same with that
of others who do not adopt his method
The last named cites two instances from De-
mosthenes pro Corona where eaOnta is used
for property. The two former, following the
Syriac and Theophylact would render ia
eaonta by, according to Vhat you hare, under
standing kata. Rose thinks Koehnoel right
in saying that the parallel in Matt. decides
for the meaning, what IS IN the cup, as in
Ken. Agesilaus ii +: 10, Heb. ii: 3, 6; and with
Parkhurst coneurs in Raphelius's explana-
tion: "Do not BE- careful as to the vessel or
its splendor, but rather attend to the con-
tents; for if with them you assist the poor,
food and everything else is pure to you;
or as Bretschneider puts it, "yOu have then
no need of the Levitical publication. -
Koehnoel, with Erasmus, Lightfoot, ct al
prefers the IrOnical view. Lange also ad-
vOcates this view. Rev. Thomas Sheldon
Green in his CIR. Eng. Lexicon, translates
ia enOnta "those things which are within. D"
Scott says: "Some think our Lord meant
that, as the possessions of many among
the Pharisees had been in great mea-
sure acquired by oppression and injustice;
and as it would have been impracticable in
all cases to make restitution, they
must dispose of all their ill-gotten and idol
lied property in aims, before they could ex-
pect that God would accept their services
and bless their provisions; and the original
expression with the conhexion and the char
acter of the persons addressed give cOnsid-
cradle probability to this interpretation
Li5erality to the poor, however, according to
mans ability, from proper principles, does
more tOwards rendering OuteOard possessions
or enJoyments sanctifsd than any ceremonial
washings can do Where this is duly at
tended to from scriptural mOtives, and men
deduct fom their own indulgence to give
portion to their poor neighbOrs, Behold
all things are clean unto them
Rev. Charles G. Starbuck in his comment
on Lange's note in favor of "holy irony "
expresses himself thus: "This is very
doubtful Interpretation. There seems no suf-
6cent reason for doubling that our Lord
means to commend practical benevOleace as
better than any serupalOsity about ceremonial
purity. Instead of any excessive anxiety,
he says, about having the outside of your
vessels duly purified, it would be better to
give their contents to the poor. Such
spirit viii render any merely ceremonial de-
fects of small account" The Italics are mine.
Ryle in his usual succinct, unpretending
way gives an admirable summary of opinions
"Some think" he says, "that the whole
verse is ironical, and that our Lord means,
Go on in your practice of giving aims of
such things as you have, and then indeed ye
are very holy people! All things are clean
upon you! Give aims and keep up the cere-
monial law and then no doubt ye are the peO-
plel None so holy as yel' This is the
opinion of Lightfoot, who thinks that our
Lord is quoting the tenets of the Pharisees
in mere scof and displeasure." This view
Ryle dismisses. 1.-The real difficulty -. no
doubt lies in the -. such things as ye
have Some think that this expression is
elhptical, and that it means, GIVE aims
every one according to his ability. This is
the view of Euthymius, MaldOnatus, Coo
ceius, Hammond, Whitby, Schoettgen, and
DOddridge Others think that the express
sion means, 'Give as aims to the poor, those
things that ye haze, that as the things that yOa
haze O5tajaedby auariee and plaader, as Zacch-
ets did. Others think that the expression
means, 'All that ye have-all your proper
ty. Others think that it means, THAT
which is over and above superfuities,
give them as aims. Others think that it
means give aims with all your might
Others think that it means, 'Give aims,
which is the only remedy left to you, -
Ryle decides against all these interpreta-
tions, and adds another of his own which he
thinks deserving of consideration. The lit
eral meaning of the Greek word is: "But
rather give the things that are an, as aims"
The simplest sense, he holds, appears to be
this: "Give first the offering of the inward
man. Give your heart, your affections, and
your will to God, as the first great aims
which you bestOw, and then all yOur other
actions, proceeding from right heart, are
an acceptable sacrifice, and clean Offering
IN the sight of God. Give yourselves first
to the Lord, and then he will be pleased with
your gifts. See that your persons are first
accepted, and then your works will be ac-
Ceptable. To the pure all things are pure. :"
He cites as parallels, Rom. xii: l, PS. Ii:
II, 2 Cor. viii: 5.
The sentence which l have here italicized
though not, as is the case with the sentence
italicized from Scott, Identical with the doc
trine of the Synod's Committee on System
attic Beni6cence, is yet, obviously, not far
removed from it.
According to Ryle the aims referred to
are "justice, mercy, and truth, i. e. in
ward THINGS. "fruits meet for repentance."