Matthew 15:3
He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Traditions Over Commandments
We are all creatures of habit, and we
love our routines. But when our traditions become more important than
God’s commandments, we’ve unwittingly put our own personal traditions
over God’s commands, and that’s going no place good. The Pharisees and
the Scribes rebuked Jesus’ disciples for not following their own
traditions about washing before eating, but that doesn’t mean the
disciples didn’t wash their hands before a meal. The Pharisees and the
Scribes had a tradition where they washed all the way up to their elbows
before they dined, and then they wouldn’t even dry their hands with a
towel. They let their hands and arms drip dry before they ate anything.
They did what was not even commanded and went above and beyond what is
written. By doing so, they not only judged those who didn’t do as they
did, but they also expected others to do as they did. They placed their
own traditions over and above what God requires, and that is never a
good thing to do because it creates a self-righteous attitude. No one is
righteous or declared righteous in their own sight or by their own
works (Rom. 2:12-13; Gal. 3:11).
Doctrines of Men Over Commandments of God
After the Pharisees and Scribes rebuked
Jesus’ disciples, He rebuked them for teaching the doctrines or
traditions of man and elevating them over the commandments of God (Matt.
15:3). They made void the commandments of God in order to make their
own fleshly traditions more important (Matt. 15:6). This was an affront
to God. When the disciples later came to Jesus, they said, “Master didn’t you realize that you just offended the Pharisees by what you just said”
(Matt. 15:12)? Jesus was never concerned with winning friends and
influencing people, and He never desired popularity with the people,
including the religious leaders of the day. He reminded the disciples
that whatever is not planted by God will be plucked up and thrown into
the fire someday (Matt. 15:13). Therefore, He said to just let them be
because they are only like a blind person leading another blind person,
and both are headed for the pit (Matt. 15:14). Was this a reference to
the fiery pit of hell or the lake of fire (Rev. 20:12-15)? It could have
been.
What’s Inside Defiles, Not What’s Outside
The religious leaders were so concerned
with the exterior or outside because it gave the appearance of
righteousness to those who saw them, but Jesus said that what truly
defiles men and women is what comes out of the mouth because it reveals
what’s in the heart (Matt. 15:17-20). Jesus is saying that it’s not what
we do but our interior motives and the intents of the heart. We can
look good on the outside, but if our intents are evil, then we are
altogether defiled, and that’s the way God sees us because He can see
our thoughts and intents.
A Closing Prayer
Great God, please help me see what my
true intents and motives are, and help me by Your Spirit to not try to
live for the outward appearance of righteousness but to elevate Your
commandments over any traditions that I might think give a show of
holiness, when in actuality, they are just filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). In
Jesus’ name I pray.
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