Matthew 15:12

In one of the Lord's discourses the whole superstition of Jewish observances had been cut down. They placed their whole religion in using or abstaining from certain meats.

When the Pharisees heard the things that went before, they made no reply to them, because He had so mightily overthrown them, not only refuting their arguments, but detecting their fraud, but they, not the multitudes, were offended at them. "Then came his disciples unto him and said, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?"

As this word "scandalum" (offence or stumblingblock) is of such frequent use in ecclesiastical writings, we will shortly explain it. We might render it in Latin, "offendiculum," or "ruina," or "impactio;" and so when we read, Whosoever shall scandalize, we understand, whoso by word or deed has given an occasion of falling to any.

Christ does not remove the stumblingblock out of the way of the Pharisees, but rather rebukes them; as it follows, "But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up." This Manichaeus affirmed was spoken of the Law, but what has been already said is a sufficient refutation of this. For if He had said this of the Law, how would He have above contended for the Law, saying, "Why transgress ye the commandment of God through your tradition?" Or would He have cited the Prophet? Or how, if God said, "Honour thy father and thy mother," is not this, being spoken in the Law, a plant of God?

What He intends then by a plant not planted of His Father, is that tradition of men under cover of which the Law had been transgressed, this He instructs them must be rooted up.

Every false doctrine and superstitious observance with the workers thereof cannot endure; and because it is not from God the Father, it shall be rooted up with the same. And that only shall endure which is of God.

Shall that plant also be rooted up of which the Apostle says, "I planted, Apollos watered?" [1 Cor 3:6] The question is answered by what follows, "but God gave the increase." He says also, "Ye are God's husbandry, a building of God;" and in another place, "We are workers together of God." And if when Paul plants, and Apollos waters, they are in so doing workers together with God, then God plants and waters together with them. This passage is abused by some who apply it at once to two different kinds of men; they say, "If every plant which the Father hath not planted shall be rooted up, then that which He has planted cannot be rooted up." But let them hear these words of Jeremiah, "I had planted thee a true vine, wholly a right seed, how then art thou turned into the bitterness of a strange vine?" [Jer 2:21] God indeed has planted it, and none may root up His planting. But since that planting was through the disposition of the will of him which was planted, none other can root it up unless its own will consents thereto.

interlin.: Or, the plant here spoken of may be the doctors of the Law with their followers, who had not Christ for their foundation. Why they are to be rooted up, He adds, "Let them alone; they are blind, leaders of the blind."

They are blind, that is, they want the light of God's commandments; and they are "leaders of the blind," inasmuch as they draw others headlong, erring, and leading into error; whence it is added, "If the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the ditch."

This is also the same as that Apostolic injunction, "A heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is perverse." [Tit 3:11-11] To the same end the Saviour commands evil teachers to be left to their own will, knowing that it is hardly that they can be brought to the truth.

18. Some thoughts, then, are speeches of the heart, wherein the Lord also shows that there is a mouth, when He says, “Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, that defileth a man.” In one sentence He has comprised two diverse mouths of the man, one of the body, one of the heart. For assuredly, that from which they thought the man to be defiled, enters into the mouth of the body; but that from which the Lord said the man was defiled, proceedeth out of the mouth of the heart. So certainly He Himself explained what He had said. For a little after, He says also to His disciples concerning the same thing: “Are ye also yet without understanding? Do ye not understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?” Here He most certainly pointed to the mouth of the body. …

But mark their kindly affection also, how they have much regard for the others, and seek their good first, and then their own. “For why,” it is said, “speakest Thou unto them in parables?” They did not say, why speakest thou unto us in parables? Yea, and on other occasions also their kindliness towards men appears in many ways; as when they say, “Send the multitude away;”and, “Knowest thou that they were offended ?”

4. When therefore they had heard these things, “the Pharisees,” it is said, “were offended,”not the multitudes. For “His disciples,” so it is said, “came and said unto Him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard the saying?” Yet surely nothing had been said unto them.

These things, most sweet and excellent daughter, I have briefly said, lest, as often as thou hearest of foolish men speaking in derogation of thee, thou shouldest be touched by even the least sadness of heart. But, seeing that this very murmuring of foolish men cannot be allayed by quiet reason, I hold it to be sin if the doing of what can be done is neglected. For, when we appease insane minds, and bring them back to a healthy state, we ought by no means to cause them offence. For there are some offences that are to be altogether despised; but there are some which, when they can be avoided without guilt, are not to be despised, lest there be guilt in keeping them alive. We learn this from the preaching of the sacred Gospel; since, when the Truth said, Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man ( Matth. xv. …