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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Thursday, May 5, 2022
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Traditions and Commandments Bible Verse:Matthew 15:1-9 (ESV) "Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘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.’”" Message:
Matthew is 28 chapters long, which means we have just moved into the second half by simple numerical count; and we immediately see a subtle shifting of gears, from the building of Jesus' ministry to the preparation for his death.
The chapter numbering we use today was created by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207-1228. It would appear that he chose to start Chapter 15 here precisely because it marks a major thematic change.
In effect, we could call Chapters 1 to 14 of Matthew’s Gospel “Part One: Birth and Ministry.” Chapters 15 to 28, then, we might call “Part Two: Opposition, Death, and Resurrection.” Chapter 14 ends with a demonstration that Christ’s ministry had become widespread, a sort of fulfillment scene for popular acceptance of Jesus’ teaching. And now, notice that the very first verse of Chapter 15 describes a group of Jewish leaders who have come from Jerusalem; the Sanhedrin is beginning an investigation of Christ.
The criticisms made by both the Pharisees and by Jesus are difficult to follow, as they are embedded in the society and religion of ancient Judaism. The Pharisees criticize Jesus’ disciples for not washing their hands before they eat, and if we read this without preconception, our immediate reaction is to side with the Pharisees! But it is critical to understand that the issue being addressed is not one of physical hygiene (nor even the law of Moses), but rather orthodoxy and ritual.
Hebrew purification jars
Purification jars
The Jewish leaders had developed a set of rules beyond the law of Moses, and a precise ritual of hand-washing was one example. The disciples could have washed their hands of dirt and yet been in violation of the rules. And the uncleanness that concerned the Pharisees was not hygienic, but racial. The hand washing ritual was founded largely in a desire to purify oneself from the taint of Gentiles and other things ritually “unclean”.
This ritual was not ordained by God — you will not find it in Exodus or Deuteronomy. It was, rather, created by scribes and priests; it was orthodoxy, a “tradition of the elders.” (There is a set of rituals about uncleanness and washing in Leviticus 15, but nowhere does one find the complex ritual prescribed by the Jewish authorities for hand washing before meals.)
Christ has brought a righteousness of the heart and spirit, in opposition to seeking God by outward compliance with a complex set of external rules. The Pharisees criticize his disciples for not complying with a ritual; He criticizes them for using formal doctrine to evade true Godliness in their hearts.
God is love, simple red heart
Jesus’ answer is hard to follow. One possible interpretation is that the Jewish leadership had devised a loophole, whereby children could be wealthy and yet ignore the needs of indigent parents. Something like, “I'm sorry, but the part of my estate that would have been given for your support has been dedicated to God” — an abysmal dereliction of a clear duty under the law of Moses.
The quote from Isaiah, however, is crystal clear. Judaism had exalted the form of worship over the substance of love and obedience to God. The Jews of the 1st century could be corrupt and evil, as long as they said the correct prayers at the correct time, etc. Even worse, the rituals they relied upon were not necessarily those of Moses (and therefore of God), but doctrine interpreted and imposed by the priests and scribes (such as the hand washing ritual).
Meditation : “Don't let your real situation discourage you. Everyone who got where they are, started where they were.” ~ John C. Maxwell Prayer : May I go in peace, with God and with his other children, and may we love one another as Christ taught us. May I follow the example of good men of old, and may God comfort and help me and all who believe in Him, both in this world and in the world which is to come.......Amen |
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