Grace For Your Day September 27
Mark 7:1-13
The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
As Jesus reaches the apex of His earthly ministry having just performed two of the most monumental miracles imaginable to the human mind, (Creating food from His hands and walking on water) He will be met now with increasing hostility. That hostility primarily coming from the religious leaders, as their influence, way of life, and pride is overshadowed by the God-Man. At this point in the narrative, it is clear that they have had enough of this carpenter’s son that many are saying is the Messiah.
In this section of Mark, it seems word has made it back to Jerusalem regarding the feeding of the masses that took place across the Sea of Galilee. This miracle that proved Jesus has the ability to create something out of nothing did not produce in the religious leader faith that desired to be close to this One who is clearly God in Human flesh. Rather, they were indignant. No doubt with jealous pride.
Their inditement seems strange at first glance in verses 1-5. Why would they not accuse Him of breaking God’s written Law? Why would they accuse His disciples of something that seems so trivial? It would seem that they would want to have biblical grounds for their accusation. That He was a transgressor of the Law. Their desire to put Him to death should seemingly cause them to appeal to absolute authority for that to result.
The reality is, their appeal to the traditions of the elders (v.5) is what they considered to be the highest authority. They saw their traditions handed down as being the correct understanding and interpretation of the Law of God. They had turned a simple sanitary law into a manmade ritual that gave an outward appearance of an act of worship.
Jesus, of course knew the correct interpretation of the law, and the heart of it had nothing to do with a man centered outward appearance of a ceremonial washing. The religious leaders had a wrong understanding of the Law and added their own. Thus, overshadowing the correct understanding and leading people astray.
Jesus’ rebuke gets to the heart of the matter. Verses 6-8 record the implication of adding manmade rituals to the Word of God. His words to them reveal their hypocritical life and exposes their heartless and empty worship. Their outward expressions of worshiping God the wrong way had led them to completely neglect the actual commands of God for worship (v.8).
Jesus’ quote of Isaiah is the central point of His rebuking their actions. The point is clear. God must be worshiped on His terms. Even if you have the right God to worship, that worship can be empty and worthless if done the wrong way. The wrong way is clear. God wants the heart of man in worship. That is to say, you must love Him with your whole being for proper worship.
This concept of loving God for proper worship is not unfamiliar to the Jewish people. Deut. 6:4-6 says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” God requires heart love and obedience for worship. External showings that point to you and not Him are repulsive and offensive to Him. That was what the traditions of the elders is and was to God. Jesus, being God, said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The heart of worship is love for God that leads to obedience.
In the last few verses, Jesus further illustrates for the religious leaders how their traditions have invalidated the Word of God. By dedicating all their goods and wealth to God, they say they can no longer obey the most basic of God’s commands. That is to honour your father and mother. Essentially what they were saying was, “Sorry dad and mom, I know you need help right now, but I have dedicated all my wealth to God. So, there is nothing left for you.” The truth is by dedicating their money and goods to God, they could keep it for their own greed. What they said was worship, was actually hatred for God and hatred of their parents. Both of which were punishable by death according to God’s law (v.10).
The warning for God’s people is clear.
We hope to see you this Lord’s Day to worship and study together.
SDG
Jory
The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
As Jesus reaches the apex of His earthly ministry having just performed two of the most monumental miracles imaginable to the human mind, (Creating food from His hands and walking on water) He will be met now with increasing hostility. That hostility primarily coming from the religious leaders, as their influence, way of life, and pride is overshadowed by the God-Man. At this point in the narrative, it is clear that they have had enough of this carpenter’s son that many are saying is the Messiah.
In this section of Mark, it seems word has made it back to Jerusalem regarding the feeding of the masses that took place across the Sea of Galilee. This miracle that proved Jesus has the ability to create something out of nothing did not produce in the religious leader faith that desired to be close to this One who is clearly God in Human flesh. Rather, they were indignant. No doubt with jealous pride.
Their inditement seems strange at first glance in verses 1-5. Why would they not accuse Him of breaking God’s written Law? Why would they accuse His disciples of something that seems so trivial? It would seem that they would want to have biblical grounds for their accusation. That He was a transgressor of the Law. Their desire to put Him to death should seemingly cause them to appeal to absolute authority for that to result.
The reality is, their appeal to the traditions of the elders (v.5) is what they considered to be the highest authority. They saw their traditions handed down as being the correct understanding and interpretation of the Law of God. They had turned a simple sanitary law into a manmade ritual that gave an outward appearance of an act of worship.
Jesus, of course knew the correct interpretation of the law, and the heart of it had nothing to do with a man centered outward appearance of a ceremonial washing. The religious leaders had a wrong understanding of the Law and added their own. Thus, overshadowing the correct understanding and leading people astray.
Jesus’ rebuke gets to the heart of the matter. Verses 6-8 record the implication of adding manmade rituals to the Word of God. His words to them reveal their hypocritical life and exposes their heartless and empty worship. Their outward expressions of worshiping God the wrong way had led them to completely neglect the actual commands of God for worship (v.8).
Jesus’ quote of Isaiah is the central point of His rebuking their actions. The point is clear. God must be worshiped on His terms. Even if you have the right God to worship, that worship can be empty and worthless if done the wrong way. The wrong way is clear. God wants the heart of man in worship. That is to say, you must love Him with your whole being for proper worship.
This concept of loving God for proper worship is not unfamiliar to the Jewish people. Deut. 6:4-6 says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” God requires heart love and obedience for worship. External showings that point to you and not Him are repulsive and offensive to Him. That was what the traditions of the elders is and was to God. Jesus, being God, said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The heart of worship is love for God that leads to obedience.
In the last few verses, Jesus further illustrates for the religious leaders how their traditions have invalidated the Word of God. By dedicating all their goods and wealth to God, they say they can no longer obey the most basic of God’s commands. That is to honour your father and mother. Essentially what they were saying was, “Sorry dad and mom, I know you need help right now, but I have dedicated all my wealth to God. So, there is nothing left for you.” The truth is by dedicating their money and goods to God, they could keep it for their own greed. What they said was worship, was actually hatred for God and hatred of their parents. Both of which were punishable by death according to God’s law (v.10).
The warning for God’s people is clear.
- Do not add to His Word, lest we end up neglecting what He has actually commanded.
- Our worship is only acceptable when it is done His way, out of love for Him and His word.
We hope to see you this Lord’s Day to worship and study together.
SDG
Jory
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