There are probably a number of instructions we have all received from our parents, especially our moms, that are universal. We all have been instructed to not chew food with our mouth open. Countless times were were told to brush our teeth. Do you think you could get out of the house as a teen-ager without being told, "drive safe" (as if without the instruction we would jump in the car and pull out in front of someone). But, perhaps the most given instruction from mom to child was "wash your hands before you eat." Apparently, the Pharisees in Jesus day were consumed with such instruction. In 15:1-2 we see them observe Christ's disciples eating with unwashed hands. The Pharisees strict teaching was that to eat with unwashed hands would defile the thing eaten and therefore defile the one eating it. (One Pharisee's teaching equated eating with unwashed hands to adultery.) If, according to Pharisaical teaching, I touched meat with unclean hands I would become unclean myself. Such traditions of men are still around today. We apply the same thing to some beverages or some foods. Today we have Christian teachers who believe what we put into ourselves can make us unclean and unfit for God's service. We may laugh at the Pharisees of the day but don't live far from their teaching in today's church. Christ quickly turns the conflict into a teaching opportunity (a lesson to learn by itself). Christ teaches them and the disciples that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him but what proceeds out of the heart of man. (15:11). The Pharisees start with the premise that we are clean on the inside and can "mess it up" by eating something in the wrong way. Christ begins with the premise we are evil and defiled on the inside and can defile ourselves and others by what comes out. Only Christ and His love can clean up the inside so that out of our heart flow joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, etc. Only through the work of the Spirit can we change how we are defiled on the inside. Don't get caught up in trying to correct the behavior, as though the behavior will defile us. We are already defiled. It is only after the Spirit of God does a work in our lives that we can change the inside and produce fruit on the outside via good behavior.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wash your hands before you eat - Matthew 14-16
There are probably a number of instructions we have all received from our parents, especially our moms, that are universal. We all have been instructed to not chew food with our mouth open. Countless times were were told to brush our teeth. Do you think you could get out of the house as a teen-ager without being told, "drive safe" (as if without the instruction we would jump in the car and pull out in front of someone). But, perhaps the most given instruction from mom to child was "wash your hands before you eat." Apparently, the Pharisees in Jesus day were consumed with such instruction. In 15:1-2 we see them observe Christ's disciples eating with unwashed hands. The Pharisees strict teaching was that to eat with unwashed hands would defile the thing eaten and therefore defile the one eating it. (One Pharisee's teaching equated eating with unwashed hands to adultery.) If, according to Pharisaical teaching, I touched meat with unclean hands I would become unclean myself. Such traditions of men are still around today. We apply the same thing to some beverages or some foods. Today we have Christian teachers who believe what we put into ourselves can make us unclean and unfit for God's service. We may laugh at the Pharisees of the day but don't live far from their teaching in today's church. Christ quickly turns the conflict into a teaching opportunity (a lesson to learn by itself). Christ teaches them and the disciples that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him but what proceeds out of the heart of man. (15:11). The Pharisees start with the premise that we are clean on the inside and can "mess it up" by eating something in the wrong way. Christ begins with the premise we are evil and defiled on the inside and can defile ourselves and others by what comes out. Only Christ and His love can clean up the inside so that out of our heart flow joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, etc. Only through the work of the Spirit can we change how we are defiled on the inside. Don't get caught up in trying to correct the behavior, as though the behavior will defile us. We are already defiled. It is only after the Spirit of God does a work in our lives that we can change the inside and produce fruit on the outside via good behavior.
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