r question put
their cherished traditions as in direct conflict with the commandment of
God. Adding to their discomfiture, He cited the prophecy of Isaiah, and
applied to them whom He designated hypocrites, the prophet's words:
"Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This
people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men."[741] With deserved severity Jesus carried the
lesson home to their consciences, declaring that they had laid aside the
commandments of God in order that they might follow the traditions of
men.

This accusing affirmation was followed by the citing of an undeniable
instance: Moses had voiced the direct commandment of God in saying:
"Honour thy father and thy mother," and had proclaimed the ordained
penalty in extreme cases of unfilial conduct thus: "Whoso curseth father
or mother, let him die";[742] but this law, though given of God direct
to Israel, had been so completely superseded that any ungrateful and
wicked son could find ready means, which their traditions had made
lawful, of escaping all filial obligations, even though his parents were
destitute. If a needy father or mother craved help of a son, he had but
to say--What you ask of me is Corban--or in other words, an intended
gift to God; and he was held to be legally exempt from all requirements
to contribute of that substance to the support of his parents.[743]
Other obligations could be similarly evaded. To declare that any article
of property real or personal, or any part or proportion of one's
possessions was "corban," was generally understood as an averment that
the property so characterized was dedicated to the temple, or at least
was intended to be devoted to ecclesiastical purposes, and would
eventually be turned over to the officials, though the donor might
continue to hold possession during a specified period, extending even to
the end of his life. Property was often declared to be "corban" for
other purposes than dedication to ecclesiastical use. The result of such
established though utterly unlawful and pernicious traditions was, as
Jesus emphatically stated to the Pharisees and scribes, to make the word
of God of none effect, and, He added, "Many such like things do ye."

Turning from His titled visitors, He called the people together and
proclaimed unto them the truth, as follows: "Hearken unto me every