LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 15:1-2, Then the scribes and Pharisees who were in Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

Traditions are being broken again! Oh no, the disciples of Jesus did not wash their hands before eating; that’s poor hygiene. Can we all agree that washing your hands before you eat is a good idea and a recommendation we should follow? However, the scribes and Pharisees are not concerned about hygiene; about once again trying to discredit Jesus for not following the rules, man-made rules.

Jesus replied by calling them hypocrites. He said, “You have made the commandments of God of no effect by your tradition”. Jesus went on to quote from Isaiah 29:13. “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching the commandments of men.” God had given these words to Isaiah to the people he faced. Now, Jesus is calling those He faced hypocrites and making it quite clear these words apply to them.

The scribes and the Pharisees put on a great show, appearing to honor God with their words and religious performances. Saying all the right words for people to hear and doing all the right things for people to see without doing it from one’s heart is only a religious performance. It does not honor God. Those who do this today are as much hypocrites today as those Jesus called hypocrites face to face. Look at the last part of the quote from Isaiah. Jesus declares to those hearing Him that their worship is in vain; it is useless and ineffective. Their traditions may show outward appearance of being religious but are only teachings centered on man.

The true and faithful followers of Jesus Christ know that true worship is not a matter of standing or sitting at the right time or saying the right words or singing the right songs. Worship and living the way Jesus demands them to live is about every aspect of their life responding to God the way He desires. It is about obeying the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Word! Walking the narrow way is not about checking off things on a “To Do List of Religious Things” each day. It is not about vain repetitions of meaningless words and repetition of prayers. It is not about making sure God’s Word is read for a length of time each day so one can say the Bible was read. That is the way of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time on earth. Any motive one has that does not come from a living and active faith in Jesus Christ, the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, and the sincere desire to obey and please God is only an outward act of following rules and speaking empty words; “drawing near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me”. It is worshipping the way we want and not the way God has told us to worship Him – in spirit and truth.

God’s faithful followers must not follow the traditions of men instead of Biblical principles of walking with Him on the narrow way into eternal life in His kingdom. What are the Biblical principles to follow? Check out the next page of the blog.