Matthew 15:1-9 It Is The Law Of God, Not The Traditions Of Man That Matters

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

This whole discussion goes back to the Kingdom of Heaven. The Temple was trying to make them holy by washing their hands. To those who did not follow their traditions, they became accusers of. The heart of the Kingdom teaching is that which is pleasing to God comes not from the hands of men but from their heart. The Law was never designed as a list of do and do not actions. Instead it is based on a love relationship between God and man, a covenant if you will, a bond of otherness shared between God and us. For this reason Jesus calls the accusers hypocrites’ because they try to judge others, when they themselves are not clean.
Daily Prayer: Father, soften our hearts so that we spend more time examining ourselves than measuring and finding fault with others. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.