Vain Tradition; the Syrophenician's Daughter Healed

Notes

The Syrophenician's Daughter Healed.

Notes

1. From the questions of these scribes and Pharisees, it seems plain they came to Jesus to find fault, and to seek to entrap Him in His talk, that they might have something whereof to accuse Him before the rulers at Jerusalem.

2. These words of Christ apply with equal force to the traditions of the "fathers" to-day as to those then held by the Jews. Of man-made traditions, Jesus said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." To observe such traditions, the commandment of God must be set aside. How literally is the fourth commandment of the law set aside to-day, that a tradition of the "fathers," with much religious zeal and devotion, may be observed! All such worship Christ declares to be "in vain." "The words of Christ were an arraignment of the whole system of Pharisaism. He declared that by placing their requirements above the divine precepts, the rabbis were setting themselves above God."—"Desire of Ages," page 397.

3. "'They [the disciples] neglect only a ceremony introduced by men,' retorted Jesus; 'but how comes it that you, who know the law, transgress commands which are not of man, but from God Himself? How comes it that, for the sake of traditions invented by the rabbis, you set aside the most explicit commands of God? He has, for example, said that we must honor our father and mother, and support and care for them in old age. He has declared it worthy of death for any one to deny his parents due reverence, or to treat them harshly or with neglect. But you have invented a doctrine which absolves children, in many cases, from this commandment. "If any one," says your tradition, "is asked by his parents for a gift or help, for their benefit, he has only to say that he has vowed that very part of his means to the temple, and they can not press him further to contribute to their support." How cunningly have you circumvented God's law! How easy is it for any one to break it, and affect a zeal for religion in doing so!'"—Geikie's "Life of Christ," Vol. 1, p. 197.

4. From this point on until the close of Jesus' ministry, He sought not public places; but, through the hatred of the Pharisees, was driven to the more secluded sections of the country. But His fame had spread throughout all the region round about, and all who came to Him for relief from the heavy burdens of sin and physical suffering, were tenderly received by Him, and healed of their infirmities.

5. "Jesus received the importunities of this representative of a despised race in the same manner as the Jews would have done; this was not only to prove the faith and sincerity of the woman, but also to teach His disciples a lesson of mercy, that they might not be at a loss how to act in similar cases after Jesus should leave them and they could no longer go to Him for personal counsel. Jesus designed that they should be impressed with the contrast between the cold and heartless manner in which the Jews would treat such a case, as evinced by His reception of the woman, and the compassionate manner in which He would have them deal with such distress, as manifested by His subsequent granting of her petition in the healing of her daughter."—"Spirit of Prophecy," Vol. 2, page ⟦302?⟧.