Tradition! Pt 1

Matthew 15:1-20

By way of introduction: watch the screens… (FOTR.mp4) Now, tradition is of vital importance to many cultures. But our jewish brethren have the commands of God. Yet, they promoted the authority of their “teachers” to be equal with God. Know any others that do that?

Matthew 15:1–20  NKJV  “ Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.””

For the sake of of time, we’ll look at Part 1, vv 1-9, then next week Lord willing, vv10-20.

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

These were specifically sent from J-Town the Sanhedrin (rulers of Israel), mainly to trap jesus and gather evidence against Him, and try to agitate the people against Him.

Scribes are experts in the law, many had memorized the entire Bible.

Pharisees were experts at manipulating the law.

Now we may think this is about how we often tell our kids to wash their hands before they eat.

this was not that. They did a ritual washing, a bowl, shared by everyone present, and everyone dipped their hands as many times as required by their tradition, and then passed it to the next.

It wasn't just hands, Mark 7:3–4  NKJV  “ For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.”

The idea was that they may have gotten dirt or dust that came off a gentile and they didn't want to be unclean.

They constantly added by tradition to prevent the possibility of breaking the law. Rules for the rules.

Jesus, turns it back around…

Matthew 15:3–6  NKJV  “ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? He then explains

4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

Paul reminds us, looking at Ex. 20:1, 12 Ephesians 6:2  NKJV  “ “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:” He then reminds us of what the law called for (not a be unsaved but literally, killed Exodus 21:17)

to not Honor/bless your parents had very severe consequences. Very severe.

5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”

Like many traditions of the modern church, they nullified, or cancelled out God’s commandments by creating from their own authority an overriding a command of the living God.

We do it at times, we think people are saved or not because of something they do, not who they trust.

We tell people they only have to believe then require obedience for salvation.

If God says there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, then there is none.

The condemnation that Christ points out is another one of those heavy sayings, that scared even Peter when he asked for explanation.

Jesus now reveals a prophecy about them!

Matthew 15:7  NKJV  “ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:” turn to Isaiah 29:13

Matthew 15:8  NKJV  “ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.”

Isaiah 29:11–14 “The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate.” 13 Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, 14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.””

How can you say you obey the word that you read it but don’t read it? Everything is an excuse. Cant read it? Listen to it be read. Then dismiss it saying, who can understand it?

You wont listen, because you have a hard heart.

It really is all about the heart. Even Pauls declaration on salvation says, Romans 10:8–11  NKJV  “ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.””

The heart is the core of Gospel obedience.

Matthew 15:9  NKJV  “ And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ””’

As we saw in, “But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,” (Is 29:13)

Many still do this today. Its nothing new. Isaiah 5:20–21  NKJV  “ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”

Ladies and gents when we make up our own ideas and philosophies about God, about salvation, we risk becoming like the Pharisees.

In closing: Our worship is fruitless when we see to obey God or relate to him simply through obedience to what someone tells us about God without comitting our entire self to him.

As we saw from 1 John not long ago, its love God, love saints.

Matthew 22:35–40  NKJV  “ Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him (Jesus) a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.””

Thats fruit. And we can only experience that, through the changing of our hearts. That we would be a new creation, like adam, the dirt boy become Image Bearer of God, of which we are. Corrupt showers of His mercy, grace, peace. But we kept dropping it, until Jesus… 2 Corinthians 5:17  NKJV  “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things (old man/flesh) have passed away; behold, all things have become new (new man/spirit).” Are you dead to this world? Crucified and raised up? Born again of the Spirit? Better check.