Text: Mark 7:1-13 ESV
1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,
2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,
4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And, there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of...
Text: Mark 7:1-13 ESV
1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,
2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,
4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And, there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)
5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”
6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)—
12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
-Mark 7:1-13 ESV
THE WORD OF GOD AND TRADITIONS
For whatever reason, the Pharisees and scribes gathered around Jesus. They were always stalking Him and the disciples. They asked Him,” “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” they were offended upon seeing the disciples eating with unwashed hands. They got this as a traditional practice from their great fathers.
Jesus addressed by rebuking them, saying, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
Jesus, without hesitation, has alluded their reaction as fulfillment to prophet Isaiah’s prophecy. That they’re hypocritically serving God. But, in reality, they leave the commandments of God and hold on man-made traditions. An outside ritualism without reality in the heart.
They are doing it in a very subtle way. Jesus exposed it through their invention of the Corban, that is, devoted to God as a gift. The word described something to be offered to God or given to the sacred treasury in the temple. If something was “Corban,” it was dedicated and set apart for God’s use. Jesus exposes their corruption of the Law by citing their abuse of “Corban.” Moses had instructed God’s people to “honor their father and mother” (Ex 20:12).But, the Pharisees negated that command by teaching that they could give money to the temple in lieu of helping their parents in need.
The Scriptures is our source of authority for belief and practice. Why? “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”[2 Tim 3:16,17] Nothing must be added to the Scriptures. Instead, every tradition and practice must be subservient to it.
When tradition is in conflict with the Scriptures, would you forsake your traditions in order to embrace the Scriptures. Some traditions have their own merits, but that tradition is only authoritative insofar as it is aligned with biblical truth.
-------------------------
Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram
