Mark 7:1-13
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."
Part of me is like, "YEAH! STICK IT TO 'EM JESUS!", but then a little whisper begins to form in the back of my mind, "Do you honor God's laws fully?" It's a fair question and the more time I take to analyze myself the more I fall short. I kinda wish I had been one of these pharisees. I mean, sure I would have been ashamed, but at the same time Jesus is the ultimate life coach. I would have loved to had a face to face conversation with him so that I could find out how I could be a better person. Each time I learn something at church that rubs me a bit the wrong way or that I try and resist is a great opportunity to become a better Christian. It might be hard, but just like training for anything the more I put into it the more that I know that I am going to get out of it and become a better person.
Jesus,
I know that when I turn everything over to you I am happier, have more peace and more love in my life. I want you to fill my heart. I want to learn and own your ways. Help me to choose your way today. My ego might not like it but I know I will be happier. Help me to love you and follow your ways. Help me to not be a hypocrite. Help me to love like you do. Help me to accept all of you children and love all your children that cross my path today. I love you Jesus and I want to be the best me for you.
In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen
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