Jesus is still saying to the hypocrites today, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” “You have rejected the commands of God in order to keep your traditions.”

Jesus is still saying to the hypocrites today, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” “You have rejected the commands of God in order to keep your traditions.”

 

 

When the Pharisees and some teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem saw that some of Jesus' disciples were eating with unwashed hands, they asked Jesus, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?  They don't wash their hands before they eat."  The "tradition of the elders" they referred to included the practice of not eating without first washing hands and also cleansing themselves after coming from the marketplace before eating.  Additionally, there were many other things to observe, such as washing cups, pitchers, and metal bowls.  However, Jesus answered them, saying, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'  You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men ... 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 mother,' and 'Anyone who kidnaps another and sells him 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 7:1-13, Korean Modern Bible).  When reflecting on this passage, I have a few thoughts:

 

(1)    There were at least two reasons why crowds gathered around Jesus: (a) When Jesus took pity on a man with leprosy and healed him, the man went out and spread the news, causing people to continue gathering around Jesus from all over (Mark 1:40-45).  (b) Jesus said to the crowds, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill" (John 6:26).  However, the Pharisees and teachers of the law gathered around Jesus for different reasons.  They did so to observe whether Jesus was breaking the law (Luke 14:1; see also Mark 2:16), to see if he was violating traditions (Mark 7:5; Luke 5:33), to find evidence to accuse him for healing on the Sabbath (Luke 6:7), to test him (Matthew 16:1, 19:3; Mark 8:11, 10:2), to trap him with his words (Mark 12:13), or to attempt to entangle him in his speech (Matthew 22:15).  So, why do we gather around Jesus?  Isn’t it because He has the words of eternal life? (Ref.: John 6:68).  We should listen carefully and understand the words of eternal life that Jesus speaks to us (Ref.: Matthew 15:10; Mark 7:14).

 

(2)    The Pharisees and Jews originally followed the traditions passed down from their ancestors, where they would not eat without first washing their hands, and when returning from the marketplace, they would not eat without first cleansing themselves.  They also had many other practices to follow, such as washing cups, pitchers, and bronze vessels (Mark 7:3-4).  In response to this, Jesus said, “You hypocrites …,” “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me,” “They worship me in vain,” and “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions” (vv. 6-9, Korean Modern Bible).  To put it in modern terms, those who forsake God's commandments in order to uphold church traditions are seen by the Lord as hypocrites.  If they honor the Lord with their lips but their hearts are far from Him, they are merely worshiping in vain.  These hypocrites may appear clean on the outside, but their hearts are full of greed and indulgence (Matthew 23:25).  They are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside, but inside full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean (v. 27).  Thus, the vain worship offered by such hypocrites is viewed by God in this way: "What is the use of your many sacrifices to me?  I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats.  When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?  Stop bringing meaningless offerings!  Your incense is detestable to me.  New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies.  Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being.  They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.  When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen" (Isaiah 1:11-15).  For these hypocrites, misfortune will inevitably come upon them (vv. 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29).

 

(3)    Jesus is still saying to the hypocrites today, “You have let go of the commands of God and held up human traditions” and “You have rejected the commands of God in order to keep your traditions” (Mark 7:8-9, Korean Modern Bible).  When our pastors do not take care of their wives and children (family) according to the church’s tradition(?) and serve the Lord’s church devotedly even at the expense of them, they are making God’s word void (v. 13) and rejecting God’s commands (v. 9).  They “have denied the faith and are worse than unbelievers” (1 Timothy 5:8, Korean Modern Bible).