We continue. In this passage today, we see Jesus in the region of Galilee, and his presence always created great excitement. Immediately upon getting out of the boat, people recognized Jesus, and a flurry of activity began. There still would be no rest for him. The news of Jesus’ arrival spread quickly through the area. As Jesus moved through the region, people brought all their sick to be healed. Perhaps the story had spread of the woman in Capernaum who had been healed by touching Jesus’ robe, for at this time the people begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his robe. No one missed out on Jesus’ loving compassion; all who touched it were healed.
But as the woman in Capernaum learned, healing came from faith in Jesus, not from his garment.
We then see a delegation of Pharisees coming from Jerusalem. (bad news seems to always travel in packs) As these religious leaders scrutinized Jesus and his disciples, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating without first performing the tradition of ceremonial hand washing. This referred not to washing for cleanliness, but to a particular kind of washing that made a person “ceremonially clean” before eating. The Pharisees called this a “tradition,” but they believed that it had the same authority as God’s law. Their underlying question was, “If you are really a rabbi, as holy, righteous, and versed in the law as we are, then you should know that we don’t eat without first ceremonially washing our hands.” Jesus didn’t answer their question right away, Instead, he dealt with the issue of authority—your traditions versus the direct commandments of God. Jesus would show that the religious leaders, who had supposedly devoted their lives to protecting the law, had become so zealous for their traditions that they had missed the point of God’s law entirely.
Jesus quoted one of the Ten Commandments: honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12). The commandment did not apply just to young children but to anyone whose parents were living. “Honor” includes speaking respectfully and showing care and consideration. The same law is written negatively in Exodus 21:17, anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. “Speaking evil” (also translated “cursing”) means to criticize, ridicule, or abuse verbally. Such action carried a severe penalty.
Jesus then went on to explain how some of the Pharisees had found a way to completely sidestep God’s command to honor parents: “But you say, ‘You don’t need to honor your parents by caring for their needs if you give the money to God instead.’” Jesus was referring to the vow of “Corban” which allowed a person to dedicate money or property for God’s exclusive use, but it could still be used by the donor. This vow was grossly misused. A man could use an article vowed to God indefinitely, but could not transfer it to anyone else. The Pharisees had allowed men to dedicate money to God’s Temple that otherwise would have gone to support their parents. But some found a way to keep from doing so and still use their money or property as they chose.
A man could simply take the vow of Corban, saying that all his money was dedicated to God. Although the action—dedicating money to God—seemed worthy and no doubt conferred prestige on the giver, these people were ignoring God’s clear command to honor their parents. Even worse, this was an irrevocable vow. If a son were to later decide that he needed to help his parents, the Pharisees would not permit it. Jesus rightly said that the Pharisees nullified the direct commandment of God by allowing their tradition to violate the fifth commandment.
Jesus blasted these self-righteous leaders with one word; he called them hypocrites. Jesus then quoted the Scripture that they claimed to know so well. The great prophet Isaiah had described these religious leaders: they gave honor with their lips, but their hearts were far away (Isaiah 29:13). They had replaced God’s commands with their own man-made teachings. Isaiah explained that their worship is a farce. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. If they are not, Isaiah’s words also describe us. The Pharisees knew a lot about God, but they didn’t know God.
The Pharisees thought that to eat with defiled hands meant to be defiled. Jesus explained that they were wrong in thinking they were acceptable to God just because they were “clean” on the outside. Defilement is not an external matter (keeping food laws, washing ceremonially, keeping Sabbath requirements), but an internal one. The phrase “You are not defiled by what you eat” refers directly to the Pharisees’ question about the disciples eating with “defiled” hands. A person does not become morally defiled by eating with hands that have not been ceremonially washed. Instead, “you are defiled by what you say and do.” The condition of a person’s heart will be revealed by his or her words and actions.
The concept that people were not defiled by “what goes into the mouth” was revolutionary to the Jews—and especially to the Pharisees, who had built a whole set of rules governing such matters. Mark added the parenthesis that by saying this Jesus had declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). By so doing, he was establishing himself as the right interpreter of Scripture. Leviticus 11 contains many of the Jewish dietary laws, including a list of foods considered “clean” and “unclean.” Over the years, however, the laws had become more important than the reasons for them and the meanings behind them. As the Jews interpreted the dietary laws, they believed that they could be clean before God because of what they had refused to eat.
But Jesus explained that sin and defilement do not come from eating the forbidden foods. Rather, they come from the disobedience that begins in the heart. No wonder Jesus offended the Pharisees!
The Pharisees may have been offended, but Jesus would add more, explaining that they were being rejected as leaders of God’s people. They claimed to be God’s true people, but like a weed growing in a flowerbed, they would be rooted up. The Pharisees claimed to be leaders of the people (Romans 2:19), but Jesus turned this around to show that they themselves were blind guides leading the blind. They were very proud of their wisdom and enlightenment, so Jesus’ indictment would have stung. Their failure to understand God and his desires for people would prove to be disastrous for them and for those who followed them. Both fall into a ditch is probably a picture of judgment (Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 48:44).
Peter often would act as spokesman for the disciples, so he asked Jesus to explain what he meant. Later, Peter would be faced with the issue of clean and unclean food (Acts 10:9-15). Then he would learn that nothing should be a barrier to proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Even more, he would learn that everything created by God is good. Jesus explained that what goes into a person cannot make that person unclean. Thus, to eat food with hands that may have touched a “defiled” person or article did not mean that the person was ingesting defilement. Logically, as Jesus explained, food passes through the stomach and then goes out of the body. It has no effect whatever on the moral condition of the heart. Sin in a person’s heart is what defiles that person, not the lack of ceremonial cleansing or the type of food eaten.
Defilement occurs because of sinful thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Sin begins in a person’s heart, and evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. All evil acts begin in the heart. Jesus made it clear why people sin—it’s a matter of the heart. Our hearts have been inclined toward sin from the time we were born. While many people work hard to keep their outward appearance attractive, what is in their hearts is even more important. When people become Christians, God makes them different on the inside, beginning with the heart.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Some pretty tough words for the religious leaders - the Pharisees. Because they were "show" ponies, these rebukes by Christ infuriated them and embittered them even further. Lord, keep me humble. When I am confronted, when I am rebuked, give me a humble heart to hear the truth and a contrite spirit to change. I can be so full of pride and arrogance - it's actually pretty scary. Who am I after all? I am one chosen. I did nothing to be chosen. I am what I am by God's grace. Lord, strip me of my pride. Help me Lord, be a living example of Romans 12:1-2.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, build a church at COV where we worship in truth and with genuine hearts. Strip of all of us of any phoniness and pretense. Remind us, especially those of us who like to hang onto traditions, that we worship You and You alone. Lord, may we cling to you and not a formula of worship (hymns) or a way of doing ministry (my way or I'm outta here). Even now, on this Saturday, stir in people's heart of their need to be in church tomorrow. Put someone on their heart that they can invite or bring. Lord for every parent who may battle their kids to be at church, give them strength and power and fortitude to stand their ground and make worshipping you a priority in their lives and family. Give us a great day, a powerful day. May we lift you up and bring honor and glory to you in all we do and say.
"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV)
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