Traditions of Men Versus The Word of God

Traditions of men versus the word of God
Matthew 15:1-9

Recently this passage of scripture was brought to my attention. This passage has a very important lesson for all who desire to please and worship God.

Matthew 15:1-2 (NASB) 
1 Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 
2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

The disciples were caught, by Pharisees and Scribes, eating food with unwashed hands. The Scribes and Pharisees pointed out to Jesus that his disciples were guilty of violating the traditions of the elders.

These traditions were called “The Oral Law” and according to Jewish tradition, they were given to Moses on the mount, where he had received the “Written Law”, but were never written down. Instead, they were supposedly passed down Orally from generation to generation. Therefore, these oral traditions were called the “Unwritten Law”, which means they were not contained in the “Written Law” which is the first five books of Moses, Genesis through Deuteronomy.

The traditions of the elders were the most important words within the hearts of the Pharisees and Scribes. These traditions clearly contradicted the Written Law of Moses as Jesus pointed out. Jesus did not accept the Oral Traditions as coming from God. Jesus did accept Genesis through Deuteronomy as coming from God.

Matthew 15:3-6 (NASB) 
3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 
4 "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' 
5 "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," 
6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Their tradition stated that if a person pledged all their property and wealth to God, then it could not be used to benefit anyone except the giver during his or her lifetime. At the end of the giver's life, their prosperity would go to God (probably the Temple treasury). According to Jesus, this was a teaching, doctrine, and precept of men. This teaching was not given by God. Jesus did not consider it scripture.

It is obvious that the Pharisees believed the wrong words. Their hearts were filled with the wrong words. They spoke and taught the wrong words. But because the giver donated all his wealth to the Temple it appeared as if they were worshipping and honoring God by keeping this tradition. But it was only in appearance.

How can a person honor God when their heart and their mouth is filled with the wrong words? How can one honor God when their words and practices invalidate God’s written word? They cannot!!!

What Law of Moses did the tradition of the Pharisees and Scribes invalidate? The fifth commandment. This commandment obligated the children to take care of their parents when they needed such help. Most children would gladly do for their parents what their parents had done for them. This was natural family affection. It was a severe crime to even speak evil of your parents much less deny them your help when they needed you.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NASB) 
16 'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Leviticus 20:9 (NASB) 
9 'If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.

Jesus rejects any teaching or words which conflict with and would allow a follower of God to break one of God’s commandments. The teachings of men are never to be the script that directs our hearts. God’s children are directed exclusively by His teachings. Anything else will result in worship which is unacceptable to God.

Jesus continues to educate us in this discourse:

Matthew 15:7-9 (NASB) 
7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 
8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 
9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

Jesus calls the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something they are not. These men pretended to be followers of the God of the Old Testament. Followers of the God of the Old Testament could be identified by the fact that they believed in and followed the teachings of the Old Testament. The Scribes and Pharisees held to traditions which were not a part of the Old Testament. They not only followed such traditions but invalidated the written word of God by their traditions. Therefore, they were merely actors and not true followers of the one true God.

The one thing that separated the followers of God from those who did not follow, was obedience to God’s commands. Obedience demonstrates a true love for God. In fact, to highly esteem God’s word, was to highly esteem the one who spoke the word. When a follower obeys God’s word because it is God’s word, the follower is, in fact, worshiping God. Obedience motivated by respect for God's word is worship.

Jesus said of the Scribes and Pharisees that they were honoring God with their lips. This simply means they claimed to be pleasing God by giving all their wealth to God at their death. Their heart was far away from God because they were not doing what he had commanded. They were actually dishonoring God by not obeying his commandment to take care of their parents.

The very act of taking care of their parents would give honor to the God who had commanded them to do so. Therefore to take care of one's parents would have been an act of worship that would give much glory to God. And God would have accepted that worship. Such worship would not have been vain in God's eyes.

The worship of the Scribe’s and Pharisee’s was vain because they were following the wrong words. They chose to follow the words of their traditions rather than the word of God. It is not possible to worship God when in your heart you choose to follow the wrong words. True worship comes from a heart that has God's words indelibly imprinted within as the standard of worship.

John 4:23 (NASB) 
23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

They did not love God because, in their heart, the word of men was more important than the word of God. They had the wrong words, not the right words and that led to their spiritual ruin.

Exodus 20:6 (NASB) 
6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Deuteronomy 11:13 (NASB) 
13 "It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,

John 14:15 (NASB) 
15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Let us learn from the master.