well be thought of, then, as a time of further discipline of the faith of his followers and of added instruction concerning the truth for which their Master stood.  The length of this supplementary period in Galilee is not definitely known.  It extended from the Passover to about the feast of Tabernacles (April to October, see John vi. 4 and vii. 2).  The record of what Jesus did and said in this time is meagre, only enough being reported to show that it was a time of repeated withdrawals from Galilee and of private instruction for the disciples.

151.  The disciples were trained in faith by further exhibitions of the complete break between their Master and the leaders of the people.  This break appeared most clearly, soon after the feeding of the multitudes, in his reply to a criticism of the disciples for disregard of pharisaic traditions concerning hand-washing (Mark vii. 1-23).  The critics insisted on the sacredness of their traditions.  Jesus in reply scored them for disregard for the plain demands of God’s law, and with a word freed men from bondage to the whole ritual of ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness (Mark vii. 19), thus attacking Judaism in its citadel.

152.  It was immediately after this that he withdrew with his disciples to the regions of Tyre.  On his return a little later to the west side of the sea of Galilee he was met by hostile Pharisees with a demand for a sign (Mark viii. 11-13), and after refusing to satisfy the unbelieving challenge,—­signs in plenty having been before their eyes since the opening of his work among them,—­he and his disciples withdrew again from Galilee towards Caesarea Philippi.  As they went on their way, Jesus distinctly warned them against the influence of their leaders, religious and political (Mark viii. 14f.).  So far as our records tell us Jesus was but once again in Capernaum.  Then he was met with the demand that he pay the temple tax (Matt. xvii. 24-27).  This tax was usually collected just before the Passover.  As this last visit to Capernaum was probably not far from the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus seems to have been in arrears.  This may have been due to his absence from Capernaum at the time of the collection.  The prompt answer of Peter may indicate that he knew that in other years Jesus had paid this tax, as it is altogether probable that he did.  The question, however, implies official suspicion that Jesus was seeking to evade payment, and exhibits further the straining of the relations between him and the Jewish leaders.  The conversation of Jesus with Peter served to show his clear consciousness of superiority, and was a further summons to the disciples to choose between him and his opponents.