The Gospel of the Kingdom - Matthew - The First of Three Meetings.

 

TEXT: Matthew 15:1-9  – “¹Then 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.’ ”

We are going to start studying Chapter 15 today. In this chapter, we will see Jesus confront the Pharisees, the crowds, and explains His teachings to Peter and the other disciples. We will also see two more miracles. 

In our study today, we start to see three meetings that Jesus has. Today we see Him meeting with the Pharisees, tomorrow we will consider His meeting with the People, and the last lesson will be on His meeting with Peter. We will then consider the two miracles.

First, we must consider the accusations of the Pharisees in verses 1-2. Being confronted by the Pharisees has been a continual and almost expected thing. They accuse Jesus of breaking the Mosaic Law by allowing His disciples to ignore the ceremonial handwashing ritual before eating. In the Jewish legal system of that day, that was a very high misdemeanor! It also shows this was a sign that Christ's disciples conducted themselves inoffensively when this was the worst thing they could charge them with.

The word translated ritual is the Greek word paradosis and it means the body of precepts, esp. rituals, which in the opinion of the later Jews were orally delivered by Moses and orally transmitted in unbroken succession to subsequent generations, which precepts, both illustrating and expanding the written law, as they did were to be obeyed with equal reverence

What was the transgression of this tradition or injunction by the disciples; it seems, they did not wash their hands when they ate bread, which was the more offensive to the Pharisees, because they were men who in other things were strict and conscientious. The custom was innocent enough and had a decency in its civil use.  But when it came to be practiced and imposed as a religious rite and ceremony, and such a stress laid upon it, the disciples, though weak in knowledge, yet were so well taught as to comply with it, or observe it; especially when the scribes and Pharisees had their eye upon them. They were claiming that Jesus must have taught this – and thus was a Law-breaker.

We must listen in to Jesus’ condemnation in response (VSS. 3-9). He begins by speaking to their own corruption (VSS. 3-6). The Pharisees had twisted God’s Law in such a way that it allows them to ignore their responsibilities to their parents. The proof of this charge is in the particular instance, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment.

Let us see what the command of God is, what the precept, and what the sanction of the law is.
The precept is, Honor thy father and thy mother; this is enjoined by the common Father of mankind, and by paying respect to them whom Providence has made the instruments of our being, we give honor to him who is the Author of it, who has thereby, as to us, put some of his image upon them. In Exodus 21:17 we read that the sin of cursing parents is here opposed to the duty of honoring them. Those who speak ill of their parents, or wish ill to them, who mock at them, or give them taunting and opprobrious language, break this law. By our Savior’s application of this law, it appears, that denying service or relief to parents is included in cursing them. 

He then speaks to their character in verses 7-9. He says that they are hypocrites. They are play-actors wearing a mask of righteousness while in reality being something else. He then stated that they fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy concerning them – Isaiah 29:13:

“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….’”

Are we guilty of condemning others of their sin, while harboring our own sins? Are we pharisaical in our application of the Bible? Demanding others to be perfect, while we ourselves are full of sin and error?

Today, take a quiet time to sit before the true Judge and let Him reveal the areas in our lives that we need to get right.