We read in Matthew 15:3, He answered them, "Why do you break the commandment of God because of your traditions? (GW)
As we continue to study the questions that Jesus asked, we realize that all of them were deep and thought provoking. In the above mentioned question there are two important aspects mentioned. One is the commandment of God, and the other the traditions of men. The question that Jesus posed to those who interrogated Him was why they chose to break God’s commandments, just to implement their own human traditions.
The ones who questioned Jesus
We read in Matthew 15:1-2, Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They asked, "Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat." (GW)
The Pharisees and scribes had travelled almost 150 kilometers from Jerusalem, to interrogate Jesus. They were curious to know why Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before they ate. They therefore questioned Jesus as to why His disciples broke the traditions of their ancestors, which all of them followed meticulously. Jesus was not in any way against washing of hands, but, He challenged the religious leaders for valuing their traditions over God’s commandments.
When these religious leaders came to Jesus, there were huge crowds that had gathered to meet Him. These multitudes came to Jesus with sickness, trouble, pain, evil oppression believing that He could bring healing and deliverance from all of their calamities. These people too had meticulously followed the traditions of their ancestors, to no avail. However, when they came to Jesus everything changed instantaneously, and they were relieved of all their disheartening situations.
There are loads of traditions that Christians follow today, unaware that these are entirely man made. Ever so often traditions will blind people’s eyes, so they are unable to perceive the mighty wonders that God performs.
This was Jesus’ response in Matthew 15:3, He answered them, "Why do you break the commandment of God because of your traditions? (GW)
Jesus did not reply the question that the Pharisees and scribes raised to him, but rather made them ponder by asking the above mentioned question as recorded in Matthew 15:3.
There are many Christian believers who meticulously observe fasting for the period of forty days once every year. During these days there will be no talk of marriage, many won’t move house, and there are others who abstain from eating meat. This kind of tradition does not have its basis from the bible. The premise for this practice is that Jesus fasted for forty days. It is true that Jesus did fast for forty days, but the fast He observed was total abstinence from food and water. Also there is mention of this forty day fast only once, and that too before Jesus began His ministry in the open.
You will be surprised to note that almost every major religion seems to attest to this kind of fast for forty days, or leaving away of sinful practices for a short time. As I researched this a little deeper, I realized that for most people it is far more convenient to live a life of piety for forty days, rather than for a whole year. There are many who are leading a life of sin and disobedience to God, who are constantly disturbed by a guilty conscience. In order to silence their conscience, they erroneously believe that forty days of devotion will nullify all the wrongs they do through the year. Have you noticed how after the period of forty days are done, many will go back to their sinful ways. For instance, a person may give up drinking alcohol for forty days, and will afterwards become a worse alcoholic.
Fasting is a good spiritual discipline. However, it is important to comprehend whether what we observe is based on God’s word, or if it is leaning towards tradition.
In the Old Testament the presence of God dwelt in the tabernacle. There were various courts, and there were regulations as to who could enter the various parts of it. Only the High Priest could enter the most holy place, once a year and if he did so unworthily, he too would be punished with death. God was not satisfied to reside in temples made with hands, and therefore He decided to come down to dwell in the hearts of men. It will not suffice to have the Lord reign in our hearts for just forty days in a year. God yearns that our bodies be His holy temple where He can inhabit, and reign every day of every year, all through our lives. That is also the reason why we do not need to undertake pilgrimage to any religious places, as the Lord longs to live right inside of us.
There are believers who are well-versed with God’s word, who are still caught up with many traditions and superstitions. There is this belief that Wednesday is the best day of the week to conduct a wedding. Every day that the Lord has given to us is good, and is most certainly blessed by Him. There is therefore no time that is bad or ill-fated in God’s perspective. There are calendars that mention good times, bad times and we should be cautioned to not get trapped into following these blind beliefs, which the Lord does not approve of.
We read in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee." (KJV)
Most of us may console ourselves that we do not follow most of the above mentioned superstitions that the Lord declared are an abomination to Him. However, woefully there are those who still observe days and times, not realizing this is also equally detestable to the Lord.
The difference between commandment and tradition
We read in Matthew 15:4-6, For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that whoever tells his father or mother, ‘I have given to God whatever support you might have received from me,’ does not have to honor his father. Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God’s word. (GW)
Jesus explained this using an example from their day to day lives. The commandment of Lord clearly instructed that children should honor their father and mother. When there is a chief guest invited to a function, he or she is usually honored by gifting them with a bouquet or a shawl. Honoring is different from obedience. The people took this commandment, and bypassed it by devising a tradition that suited them. Instead of supporting their parents financially, and thereby honoring them, they appeased themselves with the thought they would give that amount to the temple, thereby excusing themselves from having to take care of their parents. It was to such a thinking that Jesus said, ‘you have destroyed the authority of God’s word by your traditions.’
There are some who have images or pictures which they revere. The commandment of the Lord is clear-cut in Exodus 20:3-5 that we should not make a graven image or likeness of anything in heaven above, earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. The Lord is categorical that no one should worship them or serve them. Some may justify that they did not worship the images but just paid a visit to the shrine. The consequence of this is that the Lord will punish the children of these parents’ to the third and fourth generation. By so doing we nullify the command of God for our human traditions.
It is necessary for us to constantly ask ourselves, if what we follow are the commandment of God or so called traditions of men.
In Matthew 15:7, Jesus addresses these people as ‘hypocrites’. The reason Jesus referred to them this way was because there was a mismatch between what was inside their hearts, and what they portrayed on the outside to others.
Honor God from your heart
Lord Jesus continued His teaching, as we read in Matthew 15:8, 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and they honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. (EMTV)
Also in Matthew 15:9, Lord Jesus said, They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy." (MSG)
To explain this let me give you an example from daily life. A father leaves his son at home, and advices him to spend his time studying, keeping the child’s future in mind. The boy speaks respectfully, with love to his father, and once his father leaves he expends the entire time watching television. What the boy has done is honored the father with his lips, but has in reality a rebellious heart that does not truly obey or respect his father. By his disobedience, the child was actually destroying his own future.
When we obey the commandments of God, we must remember that they are purely for our own good. When we travel through some roads, there are road signs to caution drivers to maintain a certain speed, or go on a certain gear. This is sometimes accompanied by pictures and statistics of accidents that have occurred in that spot. These are highlighted only for the good and safety of travelers. However, for those who choose to ignore these warnings, and drive at any speed, the consequence is inevitable.
Our bodies are the temple of God
We are the most blessed people for we are assured in 1 Corinthians 3:16, Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (ESV) God desires to live inside us not just for forty days in a year, but for all of the 365 days, where He will be the Lord and master of our lives. When someone decides to just fast in order to abstain from all that is sinful for just forty days, and then gets back to their old sinful living, they have invalidated the commandments of God for the traditions of men.
To observe spiritual disciplines like fasting or prayer are extremely beneficial to us, but they should never to done for the sake of tradition. These disciplines and desire to please the Lord should not end with forty days, but should continue with us every day of our lives. It is also important for us to know that none of our good deeds will ever save us from our sins. It is only our faith on the finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary that will save our souls and deliver us from all unrighteousness.
Don’t follow the blind guides
We read in Matthew 15:14, "Don't worry about them! They are blind leaders of the blind; and when one blind man leads another, both fall into a ditch." (GNB)
We are admonished to not follow those leaders who will lead us astray into all sorts of traditions and superstitions. Jesus refers to them as blind guides, who if we were to follow after, we too would end up in the same pit of destruction.
We read in Revelations 3:20 that the Lord is standing outside the door of the church and knocking. It seems that many have shut the Lord outside of our hearts, so that He will not have a say in all the decisions they make, so they can live any way they want. Let us remember that our body is God’s temple and when we allow Him to live inside our hearts, He will bring unimaginable transformation within and without. Our weakness will turn to strength, our sickness to health, our wants to plenty and our sorrow to joy.
Let us desire for the Lord to come and dwell inside our hearts. Let the prayer of David be our prayer. David prayed in Psalm 51:10, Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me. (GW) The Lord is more concerned about what’s inside our heart. May we therefore allow Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. When we do so, He will come in and fill our hearts with His grace, and set us free from every bondage to sin.
The Spirit of God when He descended on Jesus after His baptism, came in the form of a dove. The reason for this is that the dove is pure and gentle. The Holy Spirit of God who dwells inside of us is a gentle Spirit. May we therefore never permit sin in any form to control us, to thereby grieve that gentle Spirit of God. Let us honor the Lord in sincerity and present our bodies as His holy temple where He alone reigns as Lord and Master.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
