False Teaching - Traditions - Mark 7-8

 Mark 7:1-8 (ESV)

Traditions and Commandments

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

One of the most fascinating aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry was this continuous interaction with the religious leaders of the day.   Jesus had four particular platforms while He was on the earth.   

1. The disciples

2. The crowds of people (all nationalities) 

3. The political leaders

4. The religious leaders 

In each of these groups Jesus message was the same but His methods often varied. Truth was always the message.   For the crowds and the religious leaders He often spoke in parables. To the disciples He unfolded the parables and taught deeper truth.   To the political figures He often didn’t respond or challenge them. He even submitted to their authority (1 Peter 3-4).   But, to the religious leaders He often confronted them.   He even was so bold, as in the above text, to call them hypocritical for the way they conducted themselves and the way they hindered others from seeing truth.   In the above passage He confronts them about their valuing their own traditions over the truth of the Word of God.   When we get to the point that we hold on to our traditional way of doing things instead of listening to God’s Word we not only hurt ourselves we lead others astray.  That was Jesus’ main thought in the above text.   Jesus condemns tradition over obedience.   In our churches today we often hold so tightly to our traditions that we can’t see God’s moving in ways we might never have seen.   As God unfolds His plan for the end of the ages we will see more and more of His Word fulfilled that will run contrary to our traditions.   Yet we, like the religious leaders of the day, might be blinded to the truth because of the traditions of man.