The Heart Of The Matter: When Tradition Makes A Trespasser

Introduction: The Danger of Good Habits

Traditions can be wonderful things. They give us a sense of identity and rhythm. They connect us to our heritage and to our families. In the life of faith, traditions and habits—like coming to church, praying before a meal, or reading our Bibles—can be powerful aids to our devotion.

But there is a subtle and terrible danger that even the best traditions can pose. The danger is that the tradition, which was meant to be a signpost pointing to God, can become the destination itself. The good habit can take the place of a genuine relationship. And slowly, without us even realizing it, our religion can become a set of external rules we follow, rather than a matter of a heart that loves and adores God.

In our text today, the religious experts from the capital city of Jerusalem travel a great distance to confront Jesus. But they do not challenge Him on a great point of doctrine. They do not accuse Him of a great moral sin. They come to challenge Him on a broken tradition. And in this confrontation, Jesus peels back the layers of their external religion to expose the true condition of a heart that has elevated the rules of men above the reality of God.

I. The Accusation: A Broken Tradition (v. 1-2)

The conflict begins with a sharp accusation from the most respected religious leaders in the nation.

"Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread."

Now, we must understand that this was not a question of hygiene. They were not concerned about germs. They were concerned about their "tradition of the elders"—an elaborate system of ceremonial hand-washing rituals that had been added to God's law over the centuries. In their minds, to eat with unwashed hands was to become spiritually defiled. Their entire focus, their test for righteousness, was an external, man-made ritual.

II. The Counter-Charge: A Broken Commandment (v. 3-9)

Jesus does not answer their question. Instead, He exposes the rotten foundation upon which their question was built. He turns the accusation back on them with devastating force: "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"

He is saying, "You are obsessed with a broken tradition? I am concerned with a broken commandment!" He then gives them a clear and damning example:

The Divine Commandment: God's Law, in the Ten Commandments, is clear: "Honour thy father and mother." This was not just about being respectful; it included the sacred duty of providing for and caring for one's parents in their old age.

The Human Loophole: But the Pharisees had a tradition called "Corban." A person could declare that their money or property was "Corban"—a gift dedicated to God. By doing this, they could then tell their needy parents, "I'm sorry, I cannot help you, because the money that would have supported you is now a holy gift to God." They were using a "spiritual" sounding rule as a loophole to avoid a clear moral command from God Himself.

Then Jesus, the great physician of the soul, delivers His three-part divine verdict on their entire religious system:

Your tradition nullifies God's Word (v. 6): "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." You have taken a clear command from God and emptied it of its power.

Your heart is far from God (v. 8): He calls them hypocrites and quotes the prophet Isaiah, saying you "honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Your worship is just a show. It's a performance of words and rituals that is completely disconnected from the reality of your inner life.

Your worship is worthless (v. 9): "But in vain they do worship me..." All of your religious activity, your prayers, your songs, your rituals—it is all in vain. It is empty, useless, and worthless before God, because it is built on the foundation of human ideas instead of divine truth.

III. The Core Principle: A Defiled Heart (v. 10-14)

Having exposed the hypocrisy of the leaders, Jesus turns to the common people and teaches them the true heart of the matter.

The Source of Defilement:

He gives them this revolutionary principle: "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

Jesus radically redefines what it means to be pure. True spiritual defilement is not an external issue. It is not about what you eat, or what you drink, or what rituals you perform or fail to perform. True defilement, true sin, is an internal issue. It is the evil that originates in the un-reborn human heart—the evil thoughts, the pride, the greed, the lust, the bitterness, the envy—that then comes out of us in our words and in our actions.