Don’t Put Tradition Over God’s Word
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Mark 7:1-13. Let’s go!
Mark 7:1-13 (NIV)
1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and
2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed.
3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.
4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?”
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’
On verses 1-13: Jesus had no problem with washing your hands before eating per se. Rather Jesus’ problem was with the Pharisees and teachers and how they put more focus on following their man-made traditions (like “wash your hands before you eat”) than obeying God’s commands. As Jesus says in verse 8, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!”
