Miracles and Multitudes ~ Part 6

In our last post, we continued the topic entitled Miracles and Multitudes. In this post, we begin to conclude the topic of Miracles and Multitudes.

Tradition Condemned

¹ Then some P’rushim and Torah-teachers from Yerushalayim came to Yeshua and asked Him, ² “Why is it that your talmidim break the Tradition of the Elders? They don’t do n’tilat-yadayim (ritual hand washing) before they eat!” ³ He answered, “Indeed, why do you break the command of God by your tradition?

The Tradition of the Elders. Interpretations of Scripture handed down from esteemed rabbis. They do not wash their hands. Priests were required to wash their hands and feet before performing their duties. The P’rushim made this a matter of ceremonial purity and applied it to all Israelites in their desire to meticulously avoid any possibility of becoming unclean. Yeshua makes a clear distinction between the Torah, the commandment of God, and the Pharisaic tradition, which consisted of merely human pronouncements.

⁴ For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ ⁵But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “I have promised to give to God what I might have used to help you,” ⁶ then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.’ Thus, by your tradition, you make null and void the Word of God!

Give to God reflects a technical term for a formal vow (Korban, Mark 7:11). This allowed a person to be released from other responsibilities, such as caring for aging parents. The P’rushim have made the word of God void with their traditions and rulings: anyone who broke a vow (human law) to help needy parents (God’s law) would have committed a severe transgression, according to the P’rushim.

 ⁷ You hypocrites! Yesha’yahu was right when he prophesied about you,

⁸ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away from me.
9 Their worship of me is useless

because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’ ~ Mattityahu 15:1-9.

⁸ “You depart from God’s command and hold onto human tradition. ⁹ Indeed,” He said to them, “you have made a fine art of departing from God’s command in order to keep your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moshe said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If someone says to his father or mother, “I have promised as a Korban” ’ ” (that is, as a gift to God) “ ‘ “what I might have used to help you,” ’ ¹² then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God! And you do other things like this.” ~ Mark 7:8-13.

In our next post, we will finish examining the Miracles and Multitudes series beginning in Mattityahu 15:20 & Mark 7:14-23.

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