Bible Study - Questions Jesus Asked - Tradition or God's Word? - Matthew 15: 1-11, 17-20 - March 3, 2013

Bible Study – Questions Jesus Asked – Tradition or God’s Word? – March 3, 2013

This begins a new series entitled “Questions Jesus Asked.”

The scripture for this lesson is Matthew 15:1-11, 17-20.

This five (5) week study will deal with the following subjects:

Tradition or God’s Word? – Matthew 15:1-11, 17-20.

Half-Hearted Interest or Total Commitment? – Luke 9:20-26, 57-62.

Indifference or Compassionate Action? – Luke 10:25-37.

Being Served or Serving? – Luke 22:19-30.

Seeing or Recognizing? – John 20:1-18.

Now to our lesson entitled, “Tradition or God’s Word?” “Superficial faith based on outward conformity to rules and tradition is the enemy of true faith.” (Advanced Bible Study Commentary, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175, “Tradition or God’s Word?”, Dr. Warren McWilliams, page 9) This is a profound statement. Most people seek truth and especially from Christian teachers, church leaders and pastors.

What is truth and what is tradition. Many of us have heard quotes which have been touted as coming from the Bible but cannot be found in the Bible. It is vital that every person and especially Christians to study the Bible and glean the truth from GOD’S Word. What is fact and what is fiction? Pray and study as you search.

Most of us have questions to which we would like to have answers. In the political arena, I have always been told never to ask a question you did not already know the answer or else the answer could be embarrassing or contrary to your agenda.

In our study, it would be interesting to know how long the Pharisees and scribes thought about the question they were going to ask JESUS and what they hoped to accomplish. The Pharisees and scribes asked a question that gave JESUS the opportunity to minister to them, as well as to all people. Did JESUS’ response motivate them to search the scriptures for truth and seek GOD’S guidance to separate truth from tradition? Likely not, because they thought they were right. There is nothing wrong with the right traditions. Tradition is wrong when it is elevated by man to become Holy and Spiritual.

The question these religious leaders asked JESUS was an opportunity for them to see or seek truth. Did they see truth or did their positions as religious leaders prevent them from seeing or seeking truth? Some religious leaders did see truth and became followers of CHRIST such as Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and Joseph of Arimathea, an honored member of the Sanhedrin or Council. It is sad when our position or affiliation with a certain group or sect often prevents us from seeing truth or from acknowledging truth once we see it. Our political system is a prime example. The question those we elect should ask themselves is, “What is good for our country and not what is good for a certain political party?” Unite and get it done.

Let’s read Matthew 15:1-6:

The Tradition of the Elders 

1 Then •Pharisees and •scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat!” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? 4 For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, The one who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple”— 6 he does not have to honor his father.’ In this way, you have revoked God’s word because of your tradition.

Our scripture begins with the religious leaders coming from Jerusalem to find JESUS and ask HIM a question. Since they came from Jerusalem, scholars think they were an official delegation to put JESUS on the spot to discredit HIM and HIS ministry. The Pharisees and scribes were the religious leaders and authorities on the interpretation and the application of the scripture for everyday life. The Pharisees insisted that the law of GOD be observed just as the scribes interpreted it. The Pharisees and scribes referred to the tradition of the elders, which meant this tradition was spawned by the elders and thus carried their stamp of approval of the tradition or ritual based upon tradition.

The ceremonial washing of the hands was a ritual to ensure ceremonial cleanliness. This ceremonial washing was not done for health reasons but to remain ceremonially clean. Failure to go through this ritual resulted in the person being ceremonially unclean. It did not mean that JESUS and HIS disciples did not wash their hands before they ate, they just did not wash all the way to their elbows as the ritual required. So who were these elders?

In the early days, the first five (5) books of the Bible written by Moses were called the Torah. Later the books of wisdom and the prophets were included in the Torah. The Torah formed the foundation of the Jewish religion. The Torah both then and now for the Jewish people is seen as GOD’S direction for living in covenant relationship with HIM. The problem is the interpretation of the scripture and how it is to be applied in everyday life. The letter of the law is one thing but the Spirit of the law if quite another. GOD’S desire is for HIS people to live according to the Spirit of the law.

During the exile of the Jews in Babylon, the Jewish scholars made an effort to help fellow Jews to understand and apply the laws of GOD. The teachings form these scholars were called “traditions” and these teachers were called “elders.” These teachings or traditions, in time, were given the status of being included as what GOD gave to Moses. These “traditions” were transmitted by word of mouth for many years and were referred to as the “the oral law” versus the written law that GOD gave to Moses.

Some traditions are very good but when they carry the weight of Spiritual law then they are misleading. By JESUS’ day, the Jews had hundreds of rules and regulations which the Pharisees believed the truly righteous must obey to be acceptable to GOD. These outward rules and regulations dealt with the outward signs of being righteous but did nothing to renew the mind and heart. It was mechanical and made a person feel like he/she had done something to please GOD and appear to be righteous. The important missing factor was the heart. The very core of the person had not changed. Salvation is the beginning process of renewing the heart and mind. Sanctification is the lifelong process that continues to work within each Christian to mold them into the image of CHRIST, through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Pharisees and scribes went out to where JESUS and HIS disciples were. They asked JESUS a question, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat!” The real question was, “Why do You allow Your disciples to eat with ceremonially unwashed hands?”

As already stated, did this mean that JESUS and HIS disciples ate with unwashed hands? No! It meant that they did not wash their hands all the way to their elbows to reveal how pious they were. The washing of their hands, according to the Pharisees, was a ceremonial cleansing. Not to wash according to tradition was sinful. JESUS’ message was, “you consider anyone who does not do things the way you think they should be done as sinners. You place yourselves as judges. And as a result, you do not reach out to those who do not obey your rules because you consider them unclean and your association with them might defile you. You are more concerned about tradition than people having an intimate relationship with GOD. Your traditions and you are barriers to a person having an honest and true relationship with GOD. You are hypocrites because you do not measure up to GOD’S standard!!!” 

JESUS responded to their question with a question, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition?”

I am sure their ears perked up. JESUS continued to give them something to ponder in verses 4-6.

4 For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, The one who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple”— 6 he does not have to honor his father.’ In this way, you have revoked God’s word because of your tradition.

The Jews referred to this practice as “Corban” which means “offering.” Those who embraced Corban were required to dedicate the money to GOD’S temple that otherwise could go to support a person’s aging or infirmed parents. Even though their money was dedicated to the temple, they still had control over how it was used. JESUS hit the nail on the head when HE told these learned purveyors of the law that Corban was not part of GOD’S law but it was tradition. Yet, they have made the tradition of Corban to be law to justify their sin of neglecting their parents. JESUS made it clear that sin was sin and doing so was sin. JESUS told them that GOD’S commandment was clear, Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” They embraced the tradition of Corban because it got them around this commandment from GOD. Their consciences were eased because they were not breaking a commandment. But it reflected the heart of the child or children toward their parents, which in turn reflects the heart of the person toward GOD. GOD said to “Honor your father and your mother!”

Let’s read Matthew 15:7-9:

7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said: 8 These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.”

JESUS tells it like it is – Hypocrites! JESUS quoted Isaiah 29:13, which deals with people not worshiping GOD in the proper way. They went to the temple to worship but did so out of obligation. They went through the motions of worship. GOD revealed six woes through Isaiah to the Jews and JESUS quoted one of the woes regarding GOD’S judgment regarding Jerusalem.

Could it be that JESUS was pointing them to study the scripture in Isaiah for several reasons? One was it to convict them of their hypocrisy in their hearts toward GOD and their worship of GOD. Or two was it to guide them to the message GOD had for them at this marvelous moment in their lives to witness the presence of the promised Messiah. The Messiah had arrived and HE was JESUS! The traditions of the religious leaders had blinded them to an event they had been looking for hundreds of years. They had preconceived notions about the Messiah and JESUS did not measure up to their expectations. Do we know the truth or are we blinded by false notions, preconceived notions, stubbornness or tradition?

Hypocrites are those who talk the talk but do not walk the walk. They are play actors. Isaiah stated that they gave lip service because their hearts were corrupt toward GOD and they taught the commands of men as GOD’S doctrine. Tradition was being taught as truth for them to hide behind, otherwise what they were doing would be sin.

Do Christians embrace tradition as truth or GOD’S doctrines today? It is easy to elevate traditions to the level of doctrine because they support our position. Many Christians do not know enough scripture to know the difference. If a supposedly learned person says it, they accept it.

In different ways, we allow tradition to guide our decisions in church when we embrace the idea of we have never done so-and-so this way before or we have always done it this way. It is often easier to do something the same way rather than seek and depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into new territory and to expand your territory.

Tradition can be confused with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Are we willing to reach out to all people with the message of salvation through CHRIST? If our church or group grows, do we feel threatened? Does our tradition prevent us from seeking the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit? Answers to these questions may indicate that it is time for a Spiritual heart checkup individually and/or collectively.

GOD looks upon the heart. JESUS addressed this in our next scripture.

Let’s read Matthew 15:10-11, 17-20:

Defilement Is from Within

10 Summoning the crowd, He told them, “Listen and understand: 11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

17 “Don’t you realize that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a man. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. 20 These are the things that defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

JESUS gave these religious leaders a graphic example of the physical versus the Spiritual. We as humans must take food into our bodies to live and function. The food is necessary to provide energy for the physical body. Once it has entered the physical body that is all a person has to do, the natural body process takes over. Every person has control over what goes into their bodies but the most important and revealing is what comes out of his/her mouth.

What goes into the body and exercise can influence the size and shape of the human body. What comes out of the mouth reflects the Spiritual condition of their heart/center of their being, which is shaped by their relationship with GOD. The right balance between the intake of physical food and exercise influences the human body. The right intake of Spiritual food and exercise, through obedient service, shapes the Spiritual body as empowered and led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  

JESUS gave a list of the things that spew from the heart of a person whose heart has not been redeemed and controlled by GOD. JESUS came back to the question the Pharisees and scribes had originally asked HIM, “but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man, it is what comes out of his/her mouth.”  Ouch!

Our hearts reflect our true relationship with GOD. What spews out of our mouths is a good measure. JESUS’ message to the religious leaders then and to us today, was to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and expose traditions. Does our strict adherence to tradition result in us judging others or prevent us from ministering to others in obedience to GOD’S command. Are we being led by tradition or by GOD’S Word and the Holy Spirit?

When we study the Old Testament and consider that GOD’S desire is for HIS children to obey the Spirit of the law, we see how much we fail to measure up to GOD’S expectations for righteousness. It is impossible for any human to achieve in his/her own effort. The only person to measure up to GOD’S standard is JESUS. When a person places his/her faith in CHRIST and HIS atonement, he/she becomes the righteous of GOD. Remember 2 Corinthians 5:21 – He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

HIS shed blood results in making Christians righteous before GOD and every Christian receives gifts of eternal life, GOD’S grace and mercy, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and so much more.

Christians get to heaven based upon HIS credentials, through no merit of their own. If you have not accepted CHRIST as your Savior, please do so right now and experience the miracle of rebirth. Be born anew into the family of GOD and receive forgiveness and complete cleansing from all your sins forever. You also receive eternal life and eternal citizenship in heaven beginning NOW! Blessings!