1) Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked. 2) Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat! 3) Jesus replied, " And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
4) For God said, Honour your father and mother and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5) But you say that if a man says to his father or mother. 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,'
6) He is not to honour his father' with it. This you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7) You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8) "These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." 10) Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand.
11) What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' 12) Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" 13) He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
14) Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." 15) Peter said, "Explain the parable to us.?" 16) "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. 17) " Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?" 18) But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean'. 19) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20) These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean'.
Questions
1) Verses 4-6
Here Jesus gives a specific example of a clear biblical command they had thrown aside for the sake of their own tradition. Which did not please God. God had made it clear that He wanted people to respect and take care of their own parents. There is no command anywhere in the Old Testament that a person should wash their hands before eating.
Traditions vs Commandments.
The Pharisees and most Jews at the time of Jesus were following a mostly a man-made religion. What Jesus said about the Pharisees.
Verse 13-14. "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by
the roots."
As in verse 14. Jesus says;" Leave them, they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Questions
Why do we have these traditions? Are they good or bad?
What was the Pharisees goal in pointing out that the disciples did not wash their hands first.? Are the 10 Commandments more important?
2) Verses 7-9
Here Isaiah wrote about these types of people. They lived in his time and also lived in Jesus' time and They still live now. These verses describe people who are very religious. They go to church they follow the rules but their hearts are far from God.
Question
How should we view other believers who do not hold these traditions?
Are there any traditions mentioned which should be changed?
3) Verses 8-9
8) Jesus said, "These people Honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
9) They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules by men."
Questions
How can we be careful that our following Jesus does not become an external ritual?
How can we keep our hearts close to Jesus?
4) Verses 10-11
Here Jesus says, "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean' but what comes out of his mouth , that is what makes him 'unclean'."
Verses 18-19-20
18) Here Jesus says, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart and these make a man 'unclean',
19) "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony and slander,"
"These are what makes a man 'unclean'; But eating with unwashed hands does not make him ' unclean'."
Questions
1) What do your words say about your heart?
2) Do you gossip about or judge brothers or sisters who don't hold the same traditions you do?
3) Do your words show a heart that is focused on worldly things?
4) Are your words angry and loud?
5) or do your words show your love for and thankfulness to God?
6) Are your words filled with compassion and grace?
7) Are you following the Lord from your heart?
8) Do you really love Him?
9) Do you go to Church because you are excited to learn more about
Him or because it is a habit?
Conclusion
We must be careful that our belief is internal, not external. To make sure the real you is gracious and pure is to confess your sins and ask God to transform your heart, because you can't do it through following rules. We need to come before the Lord regularly in prayer and ask Him to work in our hearts. Then we need to renew our hearts with the truth of Scripture.
Philippians Ch 4 verse 8
Says; Finally, brothers and sisters. Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things and put them into practice.
