A Life of Jesus for Young People

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ...of Capernaum, for the purpose of taking a new start in another direction. Among the people who followed him, there were spies, who had dogged his footsteps all the way from Jerusalem. They probably supposed that Jesus was much frightened since John's death, and that if they put some questions to him, he would answer so timidly as to make his disciples ashamed of him. They thought it was a good time to destroy the respect which the people had for him; for if they could lead him to show himself a coward, all the people would despise him. So they approached him in an insolent, overbearing way and demanded to know why he allowed his disciples to be so irreligious as to omit washing their hands before eating! For the Jews washed their hands as a religious ceremony, but Jesus and his friends washed only for the sake of cleanliness. Now Jesus knew perfectly well that these men were upon his track, like bloodhounds, but they were much mistaken in thinking that he was afraid of them. Turning upon them, he asked sternly, Why do you transgress the commandments of God by your traditions? The law commands children to care for their parents when they are old and feeble. But your customs allow the undutiful son to pronounce the magic word ' Corban' over his money and goods, and the priests release him from obligation to support those who cared for him in infancy. Ye hypocrites I Well did Isaiah say of you, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. You say it is wicked to omit washing the hands before eating bread. I say. that is nothing. But it is wicked in you to allow a son to say over his property, 'It is a gift to God, ' and then hold him guiltless when he leaves his aged father and mother to starve....