Mark 7:5-7 "Then the Pharisees and
scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the
elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? (6) He answered and said
unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written,
This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
(7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men."
I try to condense the verses in order to save space. (Some may say that I am not very successful at saving space) I encourage each one to read the verses surrounding the passages I use.
Jesus and His disciples had just been to the desert land and crossed back over to the land of Gennesaret. They had been surrounded by people with needs. Jesus had healed many. They had fed the multitude with five loaves and two small fishes. They had endured the contrary wind on the sea of Galilee. Then they were once again surrounded by a multitude of people with more needs to be met. They were tired. They were hungry. They ate. They did not wash their hands before they took up the bread to eat. The criticizers did not have to look far to find fault with Jesus and His disciples, for they washed their hands before picking up anything whether it was food to eat or any vessel.
They washed before. They washed after. They washed constantly. Washing had become a part of their religion. Now before I go any farther, let me say that we know we are in a situation now where we are advised to wash our hands often. But we know the washing of hands that we are asked to observe now is not a religious activity; rather, it is an activity of health. We know washing hands does not make us righteous in the sight of God. It is a matter of good hygiene.
At some point, the scribes and Pharisees had transformed washing hands from hygienic to religious. They had spoken that by the washing of hands, God is honoured. That is only one of the things they observed that had been manmade. This caused Jesus to say, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." God is not interested in lip service. His design is for our hearts to be focused upon Him. His design is for our actions to come from our hearts, not just from the mind. Their doctrine had become the commandments of men.
Let us be very careful that the force behind any "religious" activity is from a heart that is focused upon, and in deep love with, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And may that deep love be based completely on the washing of our hearts that has been accomplished by the sovereign work of God.
I try to condense the verses in order to save space. (Some may say that I am not very successful at saving space) I encourage each one to read the verses surrounding the passages I use.
Jesus and His disciples had just been to the desert land and crossed back over to the land of Gennesaret. They had been surrounded by people with needs. Jesus had healed many. They had fed the multitude with five loaves and two small fishes. They had endured the contrary wind on the sea of Galilee. Then they were once again surrounded by a multitude of people with more needs to be met. They were tired. They were hungry. They ate. They did not wash their hands before they took up the bread to eat. The criticizers did not have to look far to find fault with Jesus and His disciples, for they washed their hands before picking up anything whether it was food to eat or any vessel.
They washed before. They washed after. They washed constantly. Washing had become a part of their religion. Now before I go any farther, let me say that we know we are in a situation now where we are advised to wash our hands often. But we know the washing of hands that we are asked to observe now is not a religious activity; rather, it is an activity of health. We know washing hands does not make us righteous in the sight of God. It is a matter of good hygiene.
At some point, the scribes and Pharisees had transformed washing hands from hygienic to religious. They had spoken that by the washing of hands, God is honoured. That is only one of the things they observed that had been manmade. This caused Jesus to say, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." God is not interested in lip service. His design is for our hearts to be focused upon Him. His design is for our actions to come from our hearts, not just from the mind. Their doctrine had become the commandments of men.
Let us be very careful that the force behind any "religious" activity is from a heart that is focused upon, and in deep love with, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And may that deep love be based completely on the washing of our hearts that has been accomplished by the sovereign work of God.