For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
Ver. 3. Except they wash their hands oft] Or up to the elbow, or with utmost diligence, sedulo et accurate. (Syr.) The Pharisees deemed it as great a sin to eat with unwashen hands, as to commit fornication. a Do not our modern Pharisees the Papists as much? Fornication is a money matter with them; but to eat an egg in Lent, or the like, a deadly sin. You may see them sometimes in Italy go along the streets with a great rope about their necks, as if they were dropped down from the gallows. And sometimes they wear a sausage or a swines' pudding in place of a silver or gold chain. Is not this sufficient to deserve heaven by?
a Godwin's Antiq. Heb.