"The pernicious tendency of these traditions is very strikingly illustrated, in one of our Lord’s discourses, by an example. God commanded them to honour their father and mother, on pain of death [Matthew 15:4]. It appeared hardly possible to set aside so plain a precept, without altogether renouncing the Scriptures. But by one of their traditions, it was not only made of none effect, but its observance actually forbidden; and the process by which this was accomplished was very plausible. It must be granted, that the claims of God upon his creatures are paramount. This was plainly taught in the law [Deuteronomy 13:6-10]. Now, a man devotes to God what otherwise should have been applied to the support of his parents. He consequently says, whatsoever thou mayest be profited by me—whatever you might have been entitled to from me—is corban, a thing devoted [Mark 7:10-13]; and not only was he free from any obligation to maintain his parents, but he was not suffered to do any thing for them."
