**Matthew 15:1-39**
Enemies of Christ
major on man-made rules and traditions, which, however practical, should never
hold precedence over God-given commands or biblical principles. Obey Him!!
--Jesus taught the
truth and manifested love and concern for all who came to Him. In stark
contrast, the scribes and pharisees insisted on a literal and often painful
application of Law. They believed in keeping rules above and beyond any human
need. Note, that like so many who object to the truth, they had no alternative
to offer. Jesus healed the sick. What did the Pharisees offer in place of His
healing? Jesus gave hope and spiritual comfort to those who came to Him. What
did the scribes or pharisees have to give to the lives of those who were
hurting? We should also consider that the scribes and Pharisees were as much in
need as anyone. Surely, there were sick and crippled scribes and pharisees. No
doubt, some scribes and pharisees had blind chidren or deaf loved ones. Jesus
could have helped these people as He had helped others. Their doubt and
unreasonable questioning cut them off from the ministry of Jesus. Not only did
they not receive any physical help from the Lord, they did not receive the
spritual message that could have saved their souls and brought them into the
kingdom of God. We should keep in mind the things we are giving up when we
question and doubt the ministry of Jesus. --
The Truth about the Scribes and Pharisees
Matthew 15:3-9
"But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the
commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy
father and mother: and , He that curseth father or mother, let him die the
death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a
gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father
or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of
none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you,
saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mougth, and honoureth me
with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
**Isaiah 29:13**
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with
their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far
from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"
--The people claimed to belong to God, but they were disobedient and merely
went through the motions; therefore, God would bring vengeance upon them.
Religion had become routine instead of real. Jesus quoted Isaiah's condemnation of Israel's hypocrisy
when he spoke to the Phariees, the religious leaders of his day. --
The pharisees were faced with arguing not only with the Law, but also the
Prophets. Isaiah had declared that a people would come who honoured God with
their mouths while their hearts were far from God. They would teach as doctrine
the commandments of men. This prophecy was fufilled in the Pharisees and
Scribes.
The truth about Defilement
Matthew 15:10-14
"And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and
understand: not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which
cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this
saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath
not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the
blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 15:17-20
"Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth
goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which
proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man:
but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man."
By Dinah Ramos
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