In today’s passage, the Pharisees ask Jesus why his disciples break the traditions of the elders. Jesus doesn’t immediately answer this question, though he does in tomorrow’s passage, instead, he asks why these traditions are given so much authority. The Pharisees had begun to replace God’s law with these traditions. Jesus isn’t arguing against tradition. God’s law was meant to be a tradition to the people. But the Pharisees had replaced the old tradition with a new one. Before Jesus gives any explanation as to why his disciples are eating with unwashed hands, he makes it clear that these laws are not God’s but man’s, and that to elevate them to the status of God’s laws is a fatal mistake.
Matthew 15:1-9
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ Whose traditions were the disciple’s breaking? God’s or man’s?
+ Whose commandments were the Pharisees breaking? God’s or man’s?
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What is the foundation upon which I build my life upon?
+ What are some areas in our life where we rely on the commandments of man instead of the commandments of God?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?