Are you Offended by the Truth?

What offends you?

We all have things that offend us.

Have you ever considered what offends you?

More importantly, why does it offend you?

Matthew 15:1–2 NKJV

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from 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.”

The Pharisees were offended by Jesus’ disciples.

But what offended them?

Was it that they didn’t wash their hands when they ate bread?

No, they were offended that Jesus’ disciples transgressed their traditions?

Not the law mind you, but the traditions of their elders.

In fact, the only law I found regarding washing and eating came from

Leviticus 22:4–6 NKJV

‘Whatever man of the descendants of Aaron, who is a leper or has a discharge, shall not eat the holy offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse, or a man who has had an emission of semen, or whoever touches any creeping thing by which he would be made unclean, or any person by whom he would become unclean, whatever his uncleanness may be—the person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat the holy offerings unless he washes his body with water.

This was no general command to wash before eating,

But to ritually cleanse yourself before eating of the holy things until he does.

However, the elders made up this rule to wash your hands before you eat.

That may be a good rule, but it was not a law from God.

Matthew 15:3 NKJV

He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

The scribes and Pharisees were worried about others transgressing their traditions,

But Jesus pointed out their own transgressions.

Using their traditions to transgress the commandment of God’s,

Matthew 15:4–6 NKJV

For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

The first of the Ten Commandments God gave Israel through Moses that had a direct promise was:

Exodus 20:12 NKJV

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Later, the punishment for curing was spelled out.

Exodus 21:17 NKJV

“And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

While it may seem cruel to our modern ears, God’s law is pretty simple and straight forward.

That’s not to say the scribes and Pharisees couldn’t find a way to wiggle out,

They were, after all, the lawyers of their time.

So they created a tradition that said, OK, you don’t have to honor your father and mother, if you call it a gift to God.

They claimed the authority to “rewrite” God’s laws using their traditions.

Needless to say, Jesus wasn’t to pleased with how these people were treating His Father’s commandment.

Matthew 15:7–9 NKJV

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘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 as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Hypocrites! Actors! Pretenders! Phonies!

Wait, I thought was the kind and gentle guy that hung our with sheep and children.

Apparently He doesn’t like it when people play fast and loose with His Father’s commandments.

Not that Jesus was surprised,

After all, Isaiah prophesied about these two-faced people long ago.

But what about today?

Do the people talk the talk, but not walk the walk?

That’s what Isaiah prophesied,

That people would honor God with the mouths,

But their hearts would be far from Him.

How many people today talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk?

How many church leaders teach the doctrines of men rather than of God?

And many people, in how many pews are worshiping God in vain,

Because they’ve been taught man’s commandments rather than God’s?

After Jesus explains why He doesn’t get all bent out of shape because His disciples don’t wash their hands before eating, they came to Him to point something out.

Matthew 15:12 NKJV

Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

Tell me this isn’t today’s mantra,

Do you know that you offended someone?

Now I’m not saying we should all go about trying to offend people,

But if you are more worried about offending your family, your neighbor, of someone else in church than you are of offending God, then you’ve got a problem.

Matthew 15:13–14 NKJV

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

If these people have not been planted by God the Father, they will be uprooted.

If their doctrine does not come from God, it will not last either.

But look at what Jesus says to do about it.

LET THEM ALONE.

They are blind leaders of blind people.

What happens when the blind lead the blind?

They both fall in a ditch.

Wait, where is that kind dude who hangs out with children and sheep?

Conclusion

When we read this story, or hear it preached, we often talk about what defiles you.

But I also see a very important story about what offends you.