Wednesday Thought -- January 9, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“‘You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.’  And he said to them:  ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!  For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.”  But you say that if a man says to his father or mother:  “Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban” (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.  Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.  And you do many things like that.’” (Mark 7:8-13)

The Pharisees were sticklers about the outward performance of the Law and following all of the traditions of men.  In this passage it’s the matter of washing hands before eating that has them riled.  Jesus’ disciples weren’t careful about following that tradition.  They sometimes ate with dirty hands.  That’s not hard to believe of men who spent their lives traveling.  Sometimes they weren’t around a place where washing could be done.  Compare that to the guys on the construction site who grab their lunch pails and dig right in.  To the Pharisees, the actions of the disciples didn’t just represent bad hygiene, it was sin.

But while the Pharisees were sticklers about these outward observances of the Law and traditions, they found loopholes that allowed them to disregard some even more important matters.  “Honor your father and mother” wasn’t just a tradition of the elders.  It was a part of the Ten Commandments, the very foundation of the all the Law of the Old Testament.  While worrying about handwashing and other minor traditions, the Pharisees ignored some of the Ten Commandments!

Ceremony and the outward performance of things thought “religious” are easy.  They are not only easy to do, but they are easy to judge.  But the heart, it’s harder to change -- in fact, a man can’t change his own heart – and it’s harder to judge.  And it’s the heart that truly matters to God.

His, by Grace,

Steve