So it’s been a little bit, but today I feel as though this isn’t a blog to be missed! We have been looking at the book of Mark for a little while now and we are going to continue our journey by heading into chapter 7. We will be focusing on the first section and I hope to ask some underlying questions the text has to offer!
Jesus was just seen previously walking on water and bringing the disciples to where they currently are in this passage. They are traveling around and the Pharisees travel from Jerusalem, hoping to find a way to trap Jesus.
“5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean hands?” 6 He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 7 They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men. 8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”
MARK 7:5-8 (Bold is Quoted OT)
The Pharisees are asking a very interesting question. Jesus’ disciples weren’t washing their hands before eating. Nowhere in the OT does God tell the Jewish people that this is a part of the Law. Look above again. The Pharisees state they aren’t following the “tradition of the elders.” This was a particular set of rules that had been set up by the Pharisees over the past several hundred years. Their elders had passed them down to their followers. They believed that if they followed God’s law to the “T” that the messiah would come quicker.
In the process of making these rules, they went from an assistance, to having more weight than God’s laws did. They began to be held higher than the OT laws and became more about rule following, rather than heart devotion. Jesus in this passage is outraged by this question because of it’s implications.
These Pharisees are basically asking Jesus, “Why aren’t your disciples following OUR rules?” Jesus is FURIOUS! He calls them hypocrites!
Beloved, understand that your faith isn’t measured by what you do, or the rules you follow. It’s scary that someone can look at someone else and say, “I don’t swear, don’t smoke or drink, only listen to Christian music, I read my bible, pray daily, go to church every Sunday, and even attend bible studies…” yet because this is a list of things that need to be completed, they don’t know God in their heart. These are all things that when our hearts are right, promote a healthy relationship with God. However, we should never exalt these actions over a submitted heart to Jesus!
Where are you at today? Are you a list follower, or are you a submitted heart?
I don’t want to be in the position of the those “believers” in Matthew 7:23
“23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!” MATTHEW 7:23
We have the opportunity to know Him Beloved! If you have questions, feel free to ask below. Please share if this challenged you!
Jesus was just seen previously walking on water and bringing the disciples to where they currently are in this passage. They are traveling around and the Pharisees travel from Jerusalem, hoping to find a way to trap Jesus.
“5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean hands?” 6 He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 7 They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men. 8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”
MARK 7:5-8 (Bold is Quoted OT)
The Pharisees are asking a very interesting question. Jesus’ disciples weren’t washing their hands before eating. Nowhere in the OT does God tell the Jewish people that this is a part of the Law. Look above again. The Pharisees state they aren’t following the “tradition of the elders.” This was a particular set of rules that had been set up by the Pharisees over the past several hundred years. Their elders had passed them down to their followers. They believed that if they followed God’s law to the “T” that the messiah would come quicker.
In the process of making these rules, they went from an assistance, to having more weight than God’s laws did. They began to be held higher than the OT laws and became more about rule following, rather than heart devotion. Jesus in this passage is outraged by this question because of it’s implications.
These Pharisees are basically asking Jesus, “Why aren’t your disciples following OUR rules?” Jesus is FURIOUS! He calls them hypocrites!
Beloved, understand that your faith isn’t measured by what you do, or the rules you follow. It’s scary that someone can look at someone else and say, “I don’t swear, don’t smoke or drink, only listen to Christian music, I read my bible, pray daily, go to church every Sunday, and even attend bible studies…” yet because this is a list of things that need to be completed, they don’t know God in their heart. These are all things that when our hearts are right, promote a healthy relationship with God. However, we should never exalt these actions over a submitted heart to Jesus!
Where are you at today? Are you a list follower, or are you a submitted heart?
I don’t want to be in the position of the those “believers” in Matthew 7:23
“23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!” MATTHEW 7:23
We have the opportunity to know Him Beloved! If you have questions, feel free to ask below. Please share if this challenged you!
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