n inventions, were
regarded by the devotees as impious, just as an evangelical Protestant
of the present day is regarded as an unbeliever in Catholic countries.
At all events, from such a party no very strong reaction against Jesus
could proceed. The official priesthood, with its attention turned
toward political power, and intimately connected with it, did not
comprehend these enthusiastic movements. It was the middle-class
Pharisees, the innumerable _soferim_, or scribes, living on the
science of "traditions," who took the alarm, and whose prejudices and
interests were in reality threatened by the doctrine of the new
teacher.

[Footnote 1: Jos., _Ant._, XIII. x. 6, XVIII. i. 4.]

One of the most constant efforts of the Pharisees was to involve Jesus
in the discussion of political questions, and to compromise him as
connected with the party of Judas the Gaulonite. These tactics were
clever; for it required all the deep wisdom of Jesus to avoid
collision with the Roman authority, whilst proclaiming the kingdom of
God. They wanted to break through this ambiguity, and compel him to
explain himself. One day, a group of Pharisees, and of those
politicians named "Herodians" (probably some of the _Boethusim_),
approached him, and, under pretense of pious zeal, said unto him,
"Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in
truth, neither carest thou for any man. Tell us, therefore, what
thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" They
hoped for an answer which would give them a pretext for delivering him
up to Pilate. The reply of Jesus was admirable. He made them show him
the image on the coin: "Render," said he, "unto Caesar the things which
are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."[1] Profound
words, which have decided the future of Christianity! Words of a
perfected spiritualism, and of marvellous justness, which have
established the separation between the spiritual and the temporal, and
laid the basis of true liberalism and civilization!

[Footnote 1: Matt. xxii. 15, and following; Mark xii. 13, and
following; Luke xx. 20, and following. Comp. Talm. of Jerus.,
_Sanhedrim_, ii. 3.]

His gentle and penetrating genius inspired him when alone with his
disciples, with accents full of tenderness. "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but
climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he
that entereth i