Superstitious Scrupulousness
John 18:28-32
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall…


In Sir Fowell Buxton's account of his visit to the prison at Civita Vecchia (Life, c. 29.) may be found the following curious illustration: — "It is odd enough that Gasparoni is very religious now: he fasts not only on Friday, but adds a supererogatory Saturday... But, curious as his theology now is, it is still more strange that, according to his own account, he was always a very religious man. I asked him whether he had fasted when he was a bandit? He said, 'yes,' 'Why did you fast?' said I. 'Perche sono della religions della Madonna. 'Which did you think was the worst, eating meat on a Friday or killing a man?' He answered without hesitation, 'In my case it was a crime not to fast, it was no crime to kill those who came to betray me.' With all his present religion, however, he told the Mayor of the town the other day, that if he got loose, the first thing he would do would be to cut the throats of all the priests: and the Mayor said in this he perfectly believed him, and if he were now to break out, he would be ten times worse than ever. One fact, however, shows some degree of scrupulosity. The people of the country bear testimony that he never committed murder on a Friday!"



Parallel Verses
KJV: Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

WEB: They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn't enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.




Spurious Sanctity Is
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