Delphi Complete Works of George Eliot (Illustrated) (744 page)
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Authors: George Eliot
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THE mosaic institutions were actually extinguished in tlie church of which Jesus was the founder; lience it is natural to suppose that their abolition formed a part of Ins design:-a reach of vision, beyond the horizon of the ceremonial worship of his age and country, of which apologists have been ever anxious to prove tliat lie was possessed, f
Neither are there wanting spceclies and actions of Jesus which seem to favour their effort. Whenever lie details the conditions of participation in the kingdom of heaven, as in tlie sermon on the mount, lie insists, not on tlie observance of the Mosaic ritual, but on tlie spirit of religion and morality; he attaches no value to fasting, praying, and almsgiving, unless accompanied by a corresponding bent of mind (Matt. vi. 1-18); the two main elements of the Mosaic worship, sacrifice and tlie keeping of sabbaths and feasts, he not only nowhere enjoins, but puts a marked sliglit on the former, by commending the scribe who declared that tlie love of God and one’s neighbour was more than v’/hole burntofferings and sacrifices, as one not far from the kingdom of God (Mark xii. 23 f.)4 and lie ran counter in action as well as in speech to tlie customary mode of celebrating tlie Sabbath (Matt.
Neither are there wanting spceclies and actions of Jesus which seem to favour their effort. Whenever lie details the conditions of participation in the kingdom of heaven, as in tlie sermon on the mount, lie insists, not on tlie observance of the Mosaic ritual, but on tlie spirit of religion and morality; he attaches no value to fasting, praying, and almsgiving, unless accompanied by a corresponding bent of mind (Matt. vi. 1-18); the two main elements of the Mosaic worship, sacrifice and tlie keeping of sabbaths and feasts, he not only nowhere enjoins, but puts a marked sliglit on the former, by commending the scribe who declared that tlie love of God and one’s neighbour was more than v’/hole burntofferings and sacrifices, as one not far from the kingdom of God (Mark xii. 23 f.)4 and lie ran counter in action as well as in speech to tlie customary mode of celebrating tlie Sabbath (Matt.
xii. 1-13: Mark ii. 23-28; iii. 1-5; Luke vi. 1-10; xiii.
10. ff.; xiv. 1. ff. ; Jolm v. 5. ff. ; vii. 22 ; ix. 1. ff.), of which in his character of Son of Man he claimed to be Lord. Tlie Jews.
too, appear to have expected a revision of the Mosaic law by their Messiah.§ A somewhat analogous sense is couclied in the declarations attributed by the fourth evangelist to Jesus (ii. 19); Matthew (xxvi. 61.) and Mark (xiv. 58.) represent him as being accused by false witnesses of saying, I am able to destroy (John, destroy)
* Berthold, Christ. Jud. § 39.•|’ E. g. Eeinharri, Plan Jesu, S. 14 ff.f For an ----....!. : n,. T?i.;..,,;>o hnsnt.1 vW F,r>i nhaniiis. hares, xxx. 16.S Bcrtholdt, lit
JESUS AS THE MESSIAH. 313
the temple of God (Mark, that is made with hands), and to build it in three days (Mark, I will build another made without hands).
The author of the Acts has something similar as an article of accusation against Stephen, but instead of the latter half of the sentence it is thus added, and (lie i. e, Jesus) shall change the customs which Moses delivered us ; and perhaps this may be regarded as an authentic comment on the less explicit text. In general it may be said tliat to one who, like Jesus, is so far alive to tlie absolute value of tlie internal compared witli the external, of the bent of tlie entire disposition compared with isolated acts, tliat he pronounces the love of God and our neighbour to be tlie essence of the law (Matt. xxii. 36 ff.),-to him it cannot be a secret, that all precepts of the law which do not bear on these two points are unessential.
But the argument apparently most decisive of a design on tlie part of Jesus to abolish tlie Mosaic worship, is furnished by hia prediction tliat the temple, tlie centre of Jcwisli worship (Matt.
xxiv. 2. parall.), would be destroyed, and that tlie adoration of God would be freed from local fetters, and become purely spiritual (Jolm iv. 21 ff.).
The above, however, presents only one aspect of the position assumed by Jesus towards tlie Mosaic law; there are also data for the belief that lie did not meditate tlie overthrow of tlie ancient constitution of his country.
This side of the question lias been, at a former period, and from easily-conceived reasons, tlie one which the enemies of Christianity in its ecclesiastical form, have chosen to exhibit ;* but it is only in recent times that, tlie tlicological horizon being extended, tlie unprejudiced expositors of the churchf have acknowledged its existence. In the first place, during his life Jesus remains faithful to tlie paternal law ; lie attends the synagogue on the sabbath, journeys to Jerusalem at the time of the feast, and eats of the paschal lamb witli his disciples. It is true tliat lie heals on tlie sabbath, allows his disciples to pluck ears of corn (Matt. xii.
This side of the question lias been, at a former period, and from easily-conceived reasons, tlie one which the enemies of Christianity in its ecclesiastical form, have chosen to exhibit ;* but it is only in recent times that, tlie tlicological horizon being extended, tlie unprejudiced expositors of the churchf have acknowledged its existence. In the first place, during his life Jesus remains faithful to tlie paternal law ; lie attends the synagogue on the sabbath, journeys to Jerusalem at the time of the feast, and eats of the paschal lamb witli his disciples. It is true tliat lie heals on tlie sabbath, allows his disciples to pluck ears of corn (Matt. xii.
1. ff.), and requires no fasting or washing before meat in his society (Matt. iv. 14; xv. 2). But the Mosaic law concerning tlie sabbath simply prescribed cessation from common labour, fa^-a, (Exod.
xx. 8. ff.; xxxi. 12. ff.; Deut. v. 12. ff.), including ploughing, reaping, (Ex. xxxiv. 21), gathering of sticks (Numb. xv. 32. ff’.)
and similar work, and it was only the spirit of petty observance, the growth of a later age, that made it an offence to perform cures, or pluck a few cars of corn.:}: Tlie wasliing of hands before eating was but a rabbinical custom ;§ in the law one general yearly fast was alone prescribed (Lev. xvi. 29 ff.; xxiii. 27 ff.) and no private lasting required ; hence Jesus cannot be convicted of infringing the precepts of Moses. |] In tliat very sermon on tlie mount in which Jesus exalts spiritual religion so far above all ritual, lie clearly
* Tins is done the most concisely in the Wolfenbuttel Fragments, von dem Zweck u.
8. f. S. 66 ff. •)• Especially Fritzschc, in Matt. S. 214 ft; f Winer, bibl. Kealwortcrbuch, 2, S. 406 ff.§ Comp. 1’aulus, exog. Handb. 2, S. 273.|| Wiuer, bibl. Eealw. 1. Bd.
THE LIFE OF JESUS.
presupposes the continuation of sacrifices (Matt. v. 23 f.), and declares tliat he is not come to destroy tlie law and the prophets, but to fulfil (Matt. v. 17.). Even if K^puMi, in all probability, refers chiefly to tlie accomplishment of the Old Testament prophecies, OVR
fj^Obv K.a-aXvaa.i must at tlie same time be understood of tlie conservation of the Mosaic law, since in the context, perpetuity la promised to its smallest letter, and lie “who represents its lightest precept as not obligatory, is threatened witli tlie lowest rank in tlio kingdom of heaven.* In accordance with this, the apostles adhered strictly to the Mosaic law, even after tlie Feast of Pentecost; they went at tlie hour of prayer into tlie temple (Acts iii. 1.), clung to the synagogues and to the Mosaic injunctions respecting food (x. 14), and were unable to appeal to any express declaration of Jesus as a sanction for tlie procedure of Barnabas and Paul, when tlie judaizing party complained of their baptizing Gentiles witliout laying on them
tlie burthen of the Mosaic law.
Tills apparent contradiction in tlie conduct and language of Jesus, lias been apologetically explained by the supposition, that not, only tlie personal obedience of Jesus to tlie law, but also his declarations in its favour, were a necessary concession to tlie views of Ilia cotcmporarics, wlio would at once have withdrawn their confidence from him, liad lie announced himself as the destroyer of their lioly and venerated law.f \Vc allow tliat tlie obedience of Jesus to tlie law in his own person, might bo explained in tlie same way as that of Paul, which, on his own sliowing, was a measure of mere expediency (1 Cor. ix. 20. comp. Acts xvi. 3.). But, tlie strong declarations of Jesus concerning tlie perpetuity of the law, and tlie guilt of him who dares to violate its liglitest precept,- cannot possibly be derived from tlie principle of concession; for to pronounce that indispensable, wliicli one secretly holds superfluous, and which one even seeks to bring gradually into disuse, would, leaving honesty out of the question, be in tlie last degree injudicious.
IIcnce others have made a distinction between the moral and the ritual law, and referred the declaration of Jesus tliat lie wished not to abrogate tlie law, to tlie former alone, which lie extricated from a web of trivial ceremonies, and embodied in his own example.:!: But such a distinction is not found in tliose striking passage,-, from tlie Sermon on the Mount; rather, in tlie vo^ and -rpo<^ra(., the law and tlie pro/)/i.ets, wo have tlie most comprehensive designation of the whole religious constitution of tlie Old Testament,§
and under tlie most trivial commandment, and the smallest letter of the law, alike pronounced imperishable, we cannot well understand
any tiling else than tlie ceremonial precepts.||
A liappicr distinction is tliat between really Mosaic institutes, and their traditional amplifications.^ It is certain that tlie Sabbath
* Fritzsche, S. 211 ff,
+ Kuinliani, S, 15 ft; Planrk, Grsrhirlite dea Cliristentliui-ns
+ Kuinliani, S, 15 ft; Planrk, Grsrhirlite dea Cliristentliui-ns
in tier Pin-lode sv’iiwr Eiiifuliruiii;, 1, S, 17,’) ff.
j: Ur Wrttr, liibi, Ihi^m, § 210,
tj 1’ritz.
j: Ur Wrttr, liibi, Ihi^m, § 210,
tj 1’ritz.
-•••
•••’...>;.. u (;<>.m P;uilus. exc’i;, lliiinlb.
1, U. S, UOO f.
•••’...>;.. u (;<>.m P;uilus. exc’i;, lliiinlb.
1, U. S, UOO f.
JESL’S AS THE MESSIAH.
cures of Jesus, his neglect of the pedantic ablutions before eating, and the like, ran counter, not to Moses, but to later rabbinical requirements, and several discourses of Jesus turn upon this distinction.
Matt. xv. 3 ff., Jesus places the commandment of God in opposition to the tradition of tlie elders, and Matt. xxiii. 23, lie declares tliat where they are compatible, the former may be observed without rejecting tlie latter, in which case he admonishes the people to do all tliat the Scribes and Pharisees enjoin; where on the contrary, cither tlie one or tlie other only can be respected, he decides that it is better to transgress the tradition of the Elders, tlian the commandment of God as given by Moses (Matt. xv. 3 ff.).
lie describes tlie mass of traditional precepts, as a burthen grievous to be borne, wliicli lie would remove from tlie oppressed people, substituting Ills own light burthen and easy yoke; whence it may be seen, tliat witli all his forbearance towards existing institutions, so far as tlicy were not positively pernicious, it was his intention tliat all these commandments of ‘meii, as plants wliicli Ills heavenly Father liad not planted, should be rooted up (xv. 9. 13.). The majority of tlie Pharisaical precepts referred to externals, and had tlie effect of burying the noble morality of the Mosaic law under a lieap of ceremonial observances; a gift to tlie temple sufficed to absolve tlie giver froin his filial duties (xv. 5.), and the payment of tithe of anise and cummin superseded justice, mercy and faith (xxiii. 23.).
Matt. xv. 3 ff., Jesus places the commandment of God in opposition to the tradition of tlie elders, and Matt. xxiii. 23, lie declares tliat where they are compatible, the former may be observed without rejecting tlie latter, in which case he admonishes the people to do all tliat the Scribes and Pharisees enjoin; where on the contrary, cither tlie one or tlie other only can be respected, he decides that it is better to transgress the tradition of the Elders, tlian the commandment of God as given by Moses (Matt. xv. 3 ff.).
lie describes tlie mass of traditional precepts, as a burthen grievous to be borne, wliicli lie would remove from tlie oppressed people, substituting Ills own light burthen and easy yoke; whence it may be seen, tliat witli all his forbearance towards existing institutions, so far as tlicy were not positively pernicious, it was his intention tliat all these commandments of ‘meii, as plants wliicli Ills heavenly Father liad not planted, should be rooted up (xv. 9. 13.). The majority of tlie Pharisaical precepts referred to externals, and had tlie effect of burying the noble morality of the Mosaic law under a lieap of ceremonial observances; a gift to tlie temple sufficed to absolve tlie giver froin his filial duties (xv. 5.), and the payment of tithe of anise and cummin superseded justice, mercy and faith (xxiii. 23.).
Hence tills distinction is in some degree identical with tlie former, since in tlie rabbinical institutes it was their merely ceremonial tendency tliat Jesus censured, wliilc, in the Mosaic law, it was tlie kernel of religion and morality tliat lie chiefly valued. It must only not be contended tliat he regarded tlie Mosaic law as permanent solely in its spiritual part, for tlio passages quoted, especially from the Sermon on tlie Mount, clearly show tliat he did not contemplate the abolition of tlie merely ritual precepts.
Jesus, supposing tliat lie liad discerned morality and tlie spiritual worship of God to be tlie sole essentials in religion, must have rejected all wliicli, being merely ritual and formal, liad usurped the importance of a religious obligation, and under tills description must tall a large proportion of tlie Mosaic precepts; but it is well known liow slowly such consequences arc deduced, when tlicy come into collision with usages consecrated by antiquity. Even Samuel, apparently, was aware tliat obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam.
xv. 22), and Asapli, tliat an offering of thanksgiving is more acceptable to God than one of slain animals (Ps. 1.); yet liow long after were sacrifices retained together witli true obedience, or in its stead!
Jesus was more thoroughly penetrated with tills conviction than tliose ancients; witli him, the true commandments of God in the Mosaic law were simply, Honour thy father and thy mother, Thou shcdt not kill, &c., and above all, Thou shall love tlie Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy ncliJhbonr as thyself. But his
THE LIFE OF JESUS.
the sake of these essential contents, to honour the unessential which was the more natural, as in comparison with the absurdly exaggerated pedantry of tlie traditional observances, the ritual of the Pentateuch must have appeared highly simple. To honour this latter part of the law as of Divine origin, but to declare it abrogated on the principle, that in the education of the human race, God finds necessary for an earlier period an arrangement which is superfluous for a later one, implies that idea of the law as a schoolmaster, v6fiog Traidaywyoc (Gal. iii. 24.), which seems first to have been developed by tlie apostle Paul; nevertheless its germ lies in the declaration of Jesus, that God had permitted to tlie early Hebrews, on account of the hardness of their hearts, (Matt. six. 8 f.) many things, which, in a more advanced stage of culture, were inadmissible.
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