Evening journal., 1905-10-23
Fifteenth Study in Exposi-
ton of Book Of Matthew
by Pastor Pettingill
TYPICAL SIGNIFICANCE
OF JESUS MIRACLES

THE supreme authority OF the Wofd
OF God is the question brought before
US in the opening paragraph of the hf-
teenth chapter of Matthew. The Jewish
leaders had placed numerous rabbinical
rules and regulations alongside the Word
of God. as having equal authority with
the Scriptures. and indeed wherever there
was conflict. the human traditions were
counted as having higher authority than
the divine revelations. The issue is
sharply drawn in the opening verses Of
our chapter:
Then there come to Jesus from Jeru-
salem Pharsees and scribes. saying. Why
do Thy disciples transgress the tradition
Of the eldersg for they wash not their
hands when they eat bread. And He am
swered and said unto them Why do yc
also transgress the commandment Of Gcd
because Of your tradition? For God said.
Honor thy father and thy mother: and
lie that speaketh evil OF father or mother.
let them die the death But ye say, Who
soever shall say to his father or his
mother. That wherewith thou mghtest
have been prohted by me is given to
God: he shall not honor his father. And
ye have made void the Word of God be-
cause Of your tradition. Ye hypocrites,
well did Isaiah prophesy Of you, saying,
This people honoreth Me with their lips.
but their Heart is far from Me. But in
vain do they worship Me. teaching as
their doctrines the precepts of men (vs.
1-s)
THAT the Lord Jesus attached great
Importance to this matter is shown by
the public manner in which He proceeded;
And He called to Him the multitude. and
said unto them. Hear. and understand:
Not that which entereth into the mouth
dedleth the man; but that which pro-
ceedeth out Of the mouth this dehleth
the man.. Tvs. 10, IL
Here. then. is an end to all the Law.
for Il had done its work as ministration
Of condemnation and death. and tho min
istration of justification and life was soon
to he brought to light in the Gospel.
Compare IT. Cor. 80 Christ is the end
Of the Law for righteousness TO every
one that believeth: and His word to His
disciples now is. Sin shall not have do
minion over you, because We are not un-
der the Law but under grace. (Rom. 6:
I14) Under the Levitical code certain
foods were cognted clean and certain 9TH
ers unclean. but by the pronouncement in
our chapter Jesus swept away all sucf
distinctions. AS Mark records il, Jesus
said 10 His disciples Perceive We not
that whatsoever from without goeth into
the man. It cannot dedle h.m; because
IL goeth not into his heart but into his
belly. and goeth out into the draught'
This He said, making all meats clean
Mark Z: 1e) Therefore. there is now
nothing unclean. Of itself but every
creature OF God is good. and nothing is
to be rejected II It be received with
thanksgiving for It is sancthed through
the Word OF God and prayer q. Tim
A. 50
Now an this was exceeding bitter &c
the Jewish teachers. They had long since
lost ell heart for the Word of the Liv-
ing God. for It only searched and iudgeC
them; and all they had left were the ira
ditiors OF the elders. which called for out
ward morality alone, and exalted forma
reHgiousness In the place of real obedi
ence unto God Therefore these Phari
sees turned away their ears from thu
truth. Then came the disciples, and sai'
unto Him. Knowest Thou that the Phar
isees we're offended when they heard thl
saying? But He answered and said. Ev
cry plant which My heavenly Fathe
planted not, shall be rooted up. Let then
alone: they are blind guides. And IL tn
blind guide the blind, both shall fan in
to a pit cs i2-l4)
''This disposed Of the hypocrltical Phar
isees-but. alas for the blindness of tn
human heart. even His disciples wer
far from entering into His thought. Peter
always the spokesman who blurts on
what his brother-disciples are thinkin
but dare not say-'Peter answered an
said unto Him. Declare unto us the par
able And He said Arc yc also yet with
out understanding? Perceive ye not .ha
whatsoever goeth into the mouth passet
into the belly, and is cast out into IN
draught? But the things which procee
out of the mouth come forth out of tn
heart: and they dehle the man. For on
Of the heart come forth evil Thoughts
, murders. aduteries. foundations. theft
false witness. railings: These are IN
things which defle the man; but to ca
with unwashen hands dehleth not N
T man. Ws i5-eO)
1T surely needs not to be said that N
. Lord Jesus was not encouraging person.
untidiness among His disciples The poir
. is not that these mems hands We're ac
ually dirty, but rather that they ha
failed to go through the interminab
round Of washlngs that were required 1
the rabbis. We have seen how very 4
dious was the process of leading even n
. disciples themselves into the truth Tn,
had. al their lives long. been taught tn,
religion was n matter OF merely outwai
, show. Certain feasts must be attende
: certain fasts must be observed. certa
/ offerings must be given. certain Carmen
r must be worn, certain prayers must
said-this was the only religion they hs
J. ever known. To un-iearn all this was Iii
J. fcult Jesus Himself seemed at time
g despair. saying. I have yet many .thinl
n to say unto YOU. bat We cannot bear the
2 now But Jesus could SOW the seed
e their hearts and wait for the Holy Spill
2 20 bring Il 10 fruition ana this was II
, plan. For He said: 'Howbeit when "A
. the Spirit of Truth. Is come. He shs
guide YOU into an the truthi FOR =
shall not speak from Himself but VIII
things soever He shall hear. these sh,
+, He speak and He shall declare unto y,
4, the things that are 10 come He shf
> giorifg Me, for He shall take OF Min
ana shalt declare il unto you All thin
y whatsoever the Father hath are Min