??
Then some of the Pharisees and scribes gathered together to Jesus (having come from Jerusalem). Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled (that is unwashed) hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms… holding to the tradition of the elders. They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things which they have received to hold to (washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches).
The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God… because of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,” he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites! As it is written,
‘These people draw near to me with their mouth,
and honor me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
And, in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrine – rules made by men.’”
He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man, but that which proceeds out of the mouth… this defiles the man.”
Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?”
But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
When he had entered into a house (away from the multitude), his disciples (Peter) asked him, “Explain the parable to us.” So, Jesus said to them, “Are you also still without understanding? Don’t you perceive and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly… and then out of the body? It doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach… then into the latrine (thus purifying all foods).” He said, “But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
For from within (out of the heart) come:
- evil thoughts,
- murders,
- covetings,
- wickedness,
- adulteries,
- sexual sins,
- lustful desires,
- thefts,
- false testimony,
- deceit,
- an evil eye,
- pride,
- foolishness
- and blasphemies.
All these are the evil things which come from within and defile the man… but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
Source Text Prioritization:
- Matthew 15:1-20
- Mark 7:1-23
4 Comments