Explore the Bible
Real Devotion Session 2 8 MAR 26
MATT 15:1 Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs in his book an exposition of the gospel of Matthew, Baker Book House, 1965, page 195 wrote “Following the feeding of the five thousand Jesus returned to Galilee, probably to Capernaum. This event occurred just prior to the feast of the Passover (cf. John 6:4). Due probably to the rising enmity of the Jewish leaders, Jesus did not attend this feast. It was sometime after the feast that a deputation of Pharisees from Jerusalem appeared in Capernaum (Matt. 15:1). They would hardly have left Jerusalem prior to or during the feast. Evidently the scorching attack of Jesus upon the Pharisees had been reported in Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 12:22ff.). At any rate this special group came up from Jerusalem to confront Jesus again. And in the issue at hand we see the vast chasm which existed between current Judaism and the teachings of Jesus. And as in Chapter 14 the King gave His answer to despotism, so in Chapter 15 He gives His answer to tradition. In so doing the King further sets forth His Kingdom as distinct, founded upon divine principles rather than upon human traditions.
The events in this chapter may be noted as (1) the conflict between tradition and the Law; (2) the conflict between tradition and spiritual religion; (3) the conflict between tradition and evangelism.”
The Conflict between Tradition and the Law (15:2-9)”
MATT 15:2 Jesus was asked “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders, for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” To the Pharisees this was a most serious theological problem. Dr. Hobbs, pages 195-196: “The question had nothing to do with hygiene but with ceremonial religion. Nor was it a matter of the Mosaic law, but of the "tradition of the elders." A tradition was something that was passed along (paradosin) from one group or generation to another. The word might be used in a good or in a bad sense, depending upon the context. For instance, Paul used it in the good sense to refer to certain teachings which he had handed over to the churches (cf. 1 Cor. 11:2, "ordinances"; II Thess. 2:15; 3:6). But he also used it to refer to those teachings which had been handed down from preceding generations (cf. Gal. 1:14; Col. 2:8). It was in this latter sense that the Pharisees used it in Matthew 15:2 where it definitely carries the bad meaning. The word "tradition" is used today by Roman Catholics to refer to that body of teachings which they hold in addition to the Scriptures themselves.”
Only traditional interpretation and expansion of the law required this. The written law did not (Lev. 22:1-16). Only priests needed to make an ablution before eating to cleanse themselves from anything unclean. Christ accused them of also expanding (and negating) the commandment about honoring parents by devoting goods to God, which then could not be used to support the parents. Southern Baptists have their traditions, just as every other religious group. No tradition is right for any church when it is not Bible-based. It is a long-standing SBC tradition is to have no major women leaders even though the Bible states (Gal 3:28 RSV) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
MATT 15:3-6 Jesus returned to them a bold and pointed question: “And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” Jesus accused them of also expanding (and negating) the commandment about honoring parents by devoting goods to God, which then could not be used to support the parents. Southern Baptists have their traditions, just as every other religious group. No tradition is right for any church when it is not Bible-based. It is a long-standing SBC tradition is to have no major women leaders even though the Bible states (Gal 3:28 RSV) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Dr. Hobbs, page 197: “In His reply Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees (vv. 3-6). "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by [because of] your tradition?" He did not deny that His disciples had disregarded their tradition. But He did not consider it a sin. Rather He regarded it as inconsequential. For this was merely a commandment of men.”
MATT 15:7a Jesus them gave them a stinging indictment: “You hypocrites!” Note what Jesus said later in (Mat 23:13-15 RSV) ""But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. {14} {15} Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."
Dr. Hobbs, page 186: “However, there was even a broader issue involved, the conflict between the Law and tradition. The rabbis taught that it was more important to obey the traditions of the elders than to keep the Law. The Talmud, traditional Jewish law, says, "The words of the Scribes are more lovely than the words of the law; for the words of the law are weighty and light, but the words of the Scribes are all weighty." Again, "My son, attend to the words of the scribes, more than to the words of the law." This sounds a distinctly modern note when we recall the Roman Catholic position that their traditions carry more authority than the teachings of the Scriptures.”
And the Roman Catholics do not stand alone in this. Many Christian groups do similar things. Jesus would ask us about GAL 3:28 and many more.
MATT 15:7b-9 Dr. Hobbs, page 197 “But He accused the Pharisees of a far greater sin. They were guilty of breaking God's law because of their tradition. The word rendered "transgress" basically means "to turn aside" or "to deviate from the way." It is used in the papyri in the sense of breaking one's word or of disobeying the terms of a legal contract. So Jesus accused them of deviating from the Law of God. They had agreed to keep it, but had broken their word. They had entered into a covenant relationship with God, but had disobeyed the conditions of the covenant. This last sense is especially meaningful. For their covenant with God involved their being a priest-nation to the Gentiles (cf. Exod. 19:56). But their attitude toward them made it impossible for them to turn the nations to God. And all because of their tradition!”
MATT 15:10-11 Jesus “called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." (James 3:8-10 RSV) "but no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. {9} With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. {10} From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so."
MATT 15:15-16 (Mat 15:15-16 RSV) "But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us." {16} And he said, "Are you also still without understanding?" Wasn’t Peter and the rest listening and LEARNING? The meaning of a disciple is not to just follow around after a teacher. But it deeply means to become like the teacher and even grow beyond. Going beyond Jesus is not possible, but our goal is to be as perfect and complete and God the Father.
MATT 15:17-20 A sinful heart is what defiles a person, not a set of do’s and don’ts. Dr. Hobbs, page 199: “"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man" (v. 11). In these words Jesus did not quote from any rabbi. Nor was He citing any precept of the Mosaic code. In a very real sense He was setting aside the Old Testament laws about the clean and the unclean. He is the King stating a new principle altogether. This does not mean that the Mosaic code as to the clean and the unclean was not a teaching of God. For it was. As previously noted, some of these laws were hygienic in nature. Therefore, we must not press unduly the implications in Jesus' words with respect to certain forbidden foods. They were unfit for human consumption. For instance, pork harbors two worms, trichina and tape worm, which may be passed on to human beings. Under certain conditions of cooking these may be destroyed. But in ancient times such food was better avoided. As we shall see presently even Acts 10:9-15 primarily was designed to teach a spiritual truth. It was that which was upper-most in our Lord's mind.
Many of the ceremonial laws of clean and unclean were in a sense God's primer designed to teach morality. So in reality Jesus did not abrogate the law. But as in the Sermon on the Mount He raised it to a higher meaning. From ceremonial or outward morality He raised it to the level of the spiritual. Thus He taught a higher concept of purity, a purity which is gauged not by that which enters the mouth but by that which comes from the mouth.”
However Peter did not learn his lesson here or later. It would take the Father and the Holy Spirit to finally get through to Peter. Dr. Hobbs, pages 199-200: “However, there is an even profounder lesson in Jesus' words. The tradition of the elders had extended the laws of the clean and unclean to make them a cleavage between Jew and Gentile. What God had given to the Israelites to distinguish them from their pagan neighbors, the Jews had made a source of pride for them-selves and of prejudice toward others. And it was this attitude which had defiled them and made them unclean, or unfit for God's service as a priest-nation. That this thought was involved in Jesus' words is seen in Peter's housetop vision at Joppa (cf. Acts 10:9-15). "What God hath cleansed, that call not common." "Common" (koinos) is from the same verb used in Matthew 15:11 for "de-fileth." In Acts the idea of animals (10:12-15) was incidental to a greater truth. God was about to send Peter to witness in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, who to Peter was "common" or "defiled." So the real lesson of Peter's vision was that the chasm between Jew and Gentile must be removed in order that God's servants might lead them to the Lord. In a veiled form this was the import of Jesus' words in Matthew 15:11, a lesson which He presently will demonstrate to the Twelve (vv. 21ff.). But for the moment He set it forth as a spiritual principle in contrast to the tradition of the elders.”
Doctrine always outweighs tradition. Doctrine comes only through correct Bible study and application.
APPLY THE WHOLE BIBLE BEFORE YOU STATE A DOCTRINE!
Best Study Guide: How to Study the Bible Principles with Bible, A Study Sources by Orin T. Binkley.
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