Matthew - Week 47

Ignoring Traditions 

READ 

Matthew 15:1-2 

1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” 

The Pharisees and teachers of religious law were scrupulous about keeping the Old Testament laws. The “teachers of religious law” were the scribes who copied the Scriptures and were those in authority to teach it. In fact, these groups were so intense about keeping the law they even added other laws to what God had instructed. They added their traditions. The “ceremonial hand washing” involved much more than just washing the hands, as thought of today. It was a religious ritual they thought should be performed. 

REFLECT 

Do you know of some who have added rules of their tradition to what the Bible says? Have you been guilty of this? 

RESPOND 

Read Colossians 2:16-17 to see what Paul said about diets and special days. Talk with a fellow believer about following these instructions. 

Traditions and Commandments 

READ 

Matthew 15:3-4 

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’” 

Jesus is about to point out that these religious leaders had found a way to get around what God instructed about honoring their parents. To prepare them, Jesus reminded them of what the Scriptures said and this laid the basis for His showing they were not really keeping God’s law. 

REFLECT 

Think on Exodus 20:12 for the passage Jesus was referring to. Honoring parents would necessarily involve providing for any needs the parents had. 

RESPOND 

A Christian child at home is to obey his or her parents. See Ephesians 6:1 for this instruction. This is the way believing children reveal their faith. Grown children are not necessarily to obey everything their parents say, but are to honor them. The word “honor” could be thought of as “respect.” Grown children should have respect for their parents and provide for their needs, if possible, but this would not include obeying their every wish.  

Legal Loopholes 

READ 

Matthew 15:5-6 

5 “But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.” 

Jesus exposed these religious leaders revealing how they got around the clear commandments of the law. They could claim something was devoted to God, which would allow them to keep it without needing to give it in support of their parents. Jesus charged these religious leaders with canceling God’s word and going by tradition instead. 

REFLECT 

Think about the culture from which you have come. Are you following some of those traditions rather than the Bible? 

RESPOND 

With a Christian friend, read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to see that the Bible has been breathed out by God and what its uses are.  

Far Away Hearts 

READ 

Matthew 15:7-9 

7 “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” 

Jesus did not try to please these religious leaders—He called them hypocrites! He charged them with saying proper things but not doing what God instructed. As a result, their worship was only for show. They were guilty of teaching man-made ideas as if they were the commands of God.  

REFLECT 

Today these religious leaders would be called “legalists.” Such people substitute their man-made rules for what the Bible actually teaches. 

RESPOND 

With a friend, read Luke 13:10-17 for another occasion when Jesus called out religious leaders for their hypocrisy. Pray about being consistent in your life. 

Defiling Words 

READ 

Matthew 15:10-11 

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” 

Jesus’ comments must have been earth-shaking to the listeners. They had been taught from the Old Testament that some animals were unclean and should never go into the mouth. Now Jesus said that is not what defiles one. He emphasized even a more basic truth—the mouth only reflects what is in the inner person.  

REFLECT 

Have you found that your words reflect what is in your heart? Do you find this to be true with others? 

RESPOND 

Read Acts 10:9-20 to see God’s lesson to Peter not to call unclean what He had called clean. This was preparing Peter to take the Gospel to a Gentile, whom the Jews considered unclean. Talk with a fellow believer about whether some are neglecting today to take the Gospel to groups not considered acceptable to them.