The Pharisees, and certain Scribes from Jerusalem, came in a body to Jesus;

for from within, from the heart of man proceed wicked designs, adulteries, fornications, murders; thefts,

Jesus leaving that place, went towards the frontiers of Tyre and Sidon; and entring into a house, desired to let nobody know it; but he could not be conceal'd.

Jesus answered, to such hypocrites as you may well be applied those words of the prophet Esaias, "this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men."

Jesus then quitting the confines of Tyre and Sidon, and passing to the confines of Decapolis, came back to the sea of Gallilee.

You are in the right, said he, to abolish the laws of God, to make way for such traditions.

for laying aside what is of divine appointment, you stick to their human traditions, about the washing of pots, and cups, and many other the like practices.

but your doctrine is this, if any one shall tell his father or his mother, that what he could bestow for their relief, is corban, that is, to be given to the temple;

you discharge him from the obligation of doing any thing for his father or his mother.

he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

When he withdrew from the people into the house, his disciples ask'd him the meaning of that maxim.

for the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, in pursuance of their antient traditions, never eat till they have wash'd their hands up to their elbows.

avarice, malice, fraud, impudence, envy, scandal, pride, vanity.

the Pharisees, and Scribes therefore ask'd Jesus, why don't your disciples observe the tradition of the antients? why do they take their meals without washing their hands?

nay, when they have been at any publick place, they never eat till they have washed. they observe besides several traditions, such as the washing of cups, pots, brass vessels, and beds.

when observing that some of his disciples were eating with profane hands, that is, without having wash'd them, they found fault.

Jesus therefore said to her, let the children first be satisfy'd; for it would not be decent to take the children's bread, and throw it to puppys.

for a woman, whose child was possess'd with an impure spirit, having heard of him, found him out, and throwing herself at his feet,

entreated him to force the demon out of her daughter; now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation.

all these vices come from within, and are what defile the man.

then said Jesus to her, for this expression, go thy way, the demon has left your daughter.

accordingly she went home, where she found that the demon was indeed gone out of her daughter, and she was lying on the bed.

she answer'd, true, Lord, yet puppys eat of the crumbs, which children drop under the table.

but, said he, that which proceeds from a man, is what defiles him:

by such traditions, and such a number of practices, as you have settled, the word of God is stript of all its authority.

there is nothing from without, that entring into a man can defile him: but that which originally proceeds from the man, is what defiles him.

Moses said, "honour thy father and thy mother;" and, if any one speak contemptibly of his father, or his mother, let him be put to death.

Then Jesus having called all the people to him, said, attend every one of you, and understand.

because that does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, whence it is discharg'd, the purest part of the food being left for nutrition.

then looking up to heaven, with a sigh, he said, Ephphata, that is, be open:

and he said, are you likewise so void of understanding? don't you perceive that what passes from without into a man cannot defile him?

and they presented to him a deaf man, that had an impediment in his speech, desiring he would lay his hands upon him.

Jesus taking him aside from the crowd, spit upon his fingers, and applied them to the ears and to the tongue of the deaf man.

for they were transported with admiration, and said, all his actions are beneficent! he gives hearing to the deaf, and speech to the dumb.

and his Ears were instantly opened, his tongue was loosen'd, and he spoke freely.

and Jesus charg'd them not to mention it to any one; but the more be enjoin'd them, the more they publish'd it.