Volume 2

The Pharisees 197
be unrecognizable. He referred likewise to Elias and
Eliseus.
There were twelve obstinate Pharisees at this instruction,
and when it was over they disputed with Jesus.
They pointed to a roll of parchment, and asked what
was meant by Jonas's lying three days in the whale's
belly. Jesus answered: "In like manner will your King,
the Messiah, lie three days in the grave, descend into
Abraham's bosom, and then rise again." They laughed at
that. Then three of the Pharisees came forward and, full
of hypocrisy, said: HVenerable Rabbi, you speak always
of the shortest way. Tell us, which is that shortest way?"
Jesus answered: "Know ye the Ten Commandments
given on Sinai?" They answered: HYes." He went on:
"Observe the first of them, and love your neighbor as
yourself. Lay not upon those under you heavy burdens
that you do not impose upon yourselves. That is the
way!" They replied: "We know all that!" Jesus rejoined:
"That ye know all this and yet do nothing of it, constitutes
your guilt, therefore will ye, be chastised." And
He reproached them for burdening the people with unnecessary
prescriptions while they themselves did not observe
the Law itself, for that was especially the case in
this city. He alluded also to the priestly robes prescribed
by God to Moses, and of their mysterious signification.
He convicted them of their nonfulfillment of these matters,
for which they substituted many perversions and external
forms. The Pharisees were highly exasperated, but
they could not get the better of Jesus. They repeated to
one another: "He is the Prophet from Nazareth! The
carpenter's Son, forsooth!" Most of them left the synagogue
before Jesus had concluded His discourse. One
only remained till the end and invited Jesus and His disciples
to a repast. He was better than the rest, though
still a lurker.
Some sick persons had been brought and placed out­