is not merely meddling with parts of
the Law," remarked the scribe. "The fact is that he is not a true Jew at
all!"

A group of people had gathered on the shore, just to the right of the
road. "There they are!" exclaimed Symeon.

The two men stopped briefly at the edge of the circle of people and then
walked boldly up to Jesus. Seeing their robes, everyone made way. "It is
widely reported, Rabbi," said the scribe, "that your disciples do not
keep all the sacred customs of our religion."

Jesus answered them the same way he spoke to the common people that sat
around him. "Where do your customs come from?" he asked directly.

Just the opening they wanted! The scribe did not miss his chance.

"Moses himself gave us these commands," he declared. "Yet I heard that
your disciples do not wash their hands before meals as Moses commanded
us."

Without a moment's hesitation Jesus retorted: "Have you forgotten that
Moses also commanded you to honor your father and your mother? Yet you
have made up a rule that allows a rich man to say to his aged parents,
'I can't support you--I have given all my money to God.' The fact is
that he has not given it to God at all; he has only paid a fee to the
priests!" Jesus was indignant. "You talk about Moses, but you yourselves
break his commands!"

The scribe had to defend himself. "This rule was made by one of our
great rabbis," he said.

"You have put human rules in the place of the commands of God," declared
Jesus. "Isaiah was talking about you when he said, 'These people give me
respect with their mouths, but their hearts are far away from me!'"

"Do you dare attack the great Rabbis?" demanded the scribe angrily.
"Every true Jew at least respects their words. Yet you say that a man
need not purify his hands before he eats!"

"It is not what goes into a man's mouth that hurts him," replied Jesus,
quietly. "It is the things that come out of a man--his words and
deeds--that harm him."

"Are you saying that we should disobey this law?" retorted the scribe.
"Moses himself gave us this command!"

"You cannot find eternal life just by keeping rules," replied Jesus. The
watching people wondered at his calmness. "If you are really in search
of the Kingdom of God, repent!"

Dramatically the scribe turned to the people. "Do you see?" he demanded.
"This man is not one of us! He wants to change the laws that Moses has
given us! He is dangerous--do not believe him!" He stalked through the