(15:1-20,) and Mark, (12:2-13,) with serving God in an improper manner by human (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
even to those who believe that righteousness consists in ceremonies appointed by God. Christ includes more than if he had said, that it is in vain to serve God by the commandments of men, (Mark 7:7;) for he condemns generally the error of worshipping God by ceremonies, and not spiritually, by faith and a pure affection of the heart.
On this point the prophets had always contended earnestly with the Jews; but, as the minds of men are strongly inclined to hypocrisy, they proudly and obstinately adhered to the conviction, that God is pleased with external worship, even when it is not accompanied by faith. But in the time of Christ, they had sunk to such depth of folly, that they made religion to consist entirely in absolute trifles. Accordingly, he directs his accusation against the Pharisees, for being extremely careful to wash cups, and cherishing within their hearts the most abominable filth of cruelty and wickedness He charges them with folly on this ground, that God, who created that which is within the man, his soul, as truly as the body, cannot be satisfied with a mere external appearance. The chief reason why men are deceived is, that they do not consider that they have to deal with God, or, they transform Him according to the vanity of their senses, as if there were no difference between Him and a mortal man.
41. But out of what you have, give alms. Christ, according to his custom, withdraws the Pharisees from ceremonies to charity, declaring that it is not water, but liberality, 893 that cleanses both men and food. By these words he does not disparage the grace of God, or reject the ceremonies of the Law as vain and useless; but addresses his discourse to those who feel confident that God will be amused by mere signs. "It is the lawful use alone," he says, "that sanctifies food. But food is rightly and properly used by those who supply from their abundance the necessities of the poor. It would therefore be better to give alms out of what you have, than to be careful about washing hands and cups, and to neglect the poor."
The inference which the Papists draw from these words, that alms are satisfactions, by which we are cleansed from our sins, is too absurd to require a lengthened refutation. Christ does not here inform us by what price we must purchase the forgiveness of sins, but says that those persons eat their bread with cleanness, who bestow a part of it on the poor. I understand the words, {τὰ} {ἐνόντα}, to mean "the present supply," 894 and not, as Erasmus and the old translator render them, "what remains over." 895
The reproofs which immediately follow may be reserved, with greater propriety, for another occasion. I do not think it probable that Christ, while sitting at table, indulged in this continuous strain of invective against scribes and Pharisees, but that Luke has introduced here what was spoken at another time; for the Evangelists, 893"Mais que c'est une prompte affection de faire bien a ceux qui sont en necessite;" — "but that it is an active disposition to do good to those who are in want."
894"Les presentes choses, comme aussi ie l'ay traduit au texte;" — "the present things, as also I have translated it in the text."
895It seems quite as natural to suppose, with other interpreters, that {τὰ} {ἐνόντα} answers to {τὸ} {ἔσωθεν} in the 39th and 40th verses {Πλὴν} ({κατὰ}) {τὰ} {ἐνόντα} will thus be equivalent to {πλὴν} ({κατὰ}) {τὸ}
{ἔσωθεν} ({τοῦ} {ποτηρίου}) {δότε} {ἐλεημοσύνην}, but as to what is within the cup give alms out of it. The next, clause commences with {καὶ}, followed by an ellipsis of ({κατὰ}), {τὸ} {ἔξωθεν} ({τοῦ} {ποτηρίου}) {μὴ} {μεριμνήσητε}, and give yourselves no concern about what is outside of the cup; for, lo, all things are clean to you. —Ed.
HARMONY OF THE EVANGELISTS
as we have frequently mentioned, paid little attention to the order of dates.