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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: August 27
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Mar_1:21-22; Luk_4:31-32
It will be well, however, to consider what was the teaching of the Scribes, with which that of our Lord was so strikingly and favorably contrasted.
And here it is important to observe, that in some of the respects in which the teaching of Christ differed from that of the learned teachers of his day, it differed also from that of Christian teachers. The former could only declare what they found set down in the writings of Moses and the prophets, and their exhortations could only expand and enforce what was understood to be the meaning and full purport of what they found written there. Had they brought forward any novelties not to be found in these ancient Scriptures, or not supposed to be fairly deducible from their contents, they would have laid themselves open to the charge of heresy. This applies equally to Christian teachers, who have no authority to put forth any new doctrine, nor have any right to build on any other foundation than that which Christ and his apostles have already laid; and who begin to stumble and fall among the dark mountains, as soon as they wander from that record which has been left as a lamp for their path.
But here, where Jewish and Christian teachers feel equally bound to the records of their faith, Christ was altogether free, and spoke as one who claimed to be, as one who was himself, a sufficient authority for all He uttered, and as by no means bound to appeal to law or testimony, although He often did so, to silence the gainsayers or to convince the doubters. He spoke as one who was himself a lawgiver, equal to Moses, superior to Moses, and as entirely competent by his own proper authority to abrogate any old law, and to establish any new law, without being accountable to any of the powers on earth, before which others bowed. His doctrine was his own. His mouth was a sufficient law to himself and to the world. Others said—others say, Believe this, for it is written there. But He always says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” He says, Believe this, because I say it. No one before Him, nor any since, could ever speak thus; and, therefore, it was with great truth and with just perception of the distinctive qualities of his teaching, that his auditors on one occasion declared, “No man ever spake like this man!”
But there was another very serious point on which the teaching of the Scribes at this time and since differed from that of our Lord, and from that of every sound and “able minister of the New Testament.” They not only were of necessity tied to Scripture, but they voluntarily tied themselves to certain interpretations, nor did any one attempt to gain, or expect to gain, attention to the exposition or interpretation he offered, without producing for it some antecedent authority; and, therefore, no preacher ventured to declare what appeared to himself the right view to be taken of any text of the law or of the prophets; but invariably would say, “Our rabbis, or our wise men, say so and so;” “Our ancient doctors thought thus and thus.” The name of the particular rabbi or doctor was also usually given, and the tenets circulated were judged rather by the renown of the name than by the weight of the opinion. The great doctors whose names were most frequently heard at that day, were Hillel among the Pharisees, and Shammai among the Sadducees. But the rabbinical writers have left a tradition concerning Hillel himself, which curiously illustrates this mode of teaching, and shows that even he was obliged to submit to it. “The great Hillel taught truly, and according to the traditions respecting a certain matter. But although he discoursed of that matter all day long, they received not his doctrine, until he at last said, ‘So I heard from Shemaia and Abtalion.”
This kind of teaching went for little but to display the memory and the learning of the teacher. It was to the hearers flat and unprofitable; it was also low; for while it affected to be high in scholarship and knowledge, the teachers inevitably spoke as those who were not themselves masters of what they preached. Thus the word, even if in itself good, could not come from them with any life or force. It was not from the heart; it was not aimed at hearts, and it did not reach them. But the teaching was not intrinsically good. It was full of curious questions and vain janglings that edified not, and brought no refreshment to thirsty souls; while the teaching of Jesus, as shown in the Sermon on the Mount, to which the same observation is appended as on the present occasion, was open, plain, grave, useful, direct, and animated. These are qualities which those who cannot speak with the like authority, may imitate; and those who are “wise to win souls,” and who have no care but that, will do so, and may expect that God will not suffer his word, thus poured fourth, to return unto Him void.