Religious people and Christian people!
A. Pharisees and scribes were leaders of religion! Matt.15:1-20
1. They came to Jesus from Jerusalem saying:
Why do your disciples disobey the elder’s tradition? 15:1-2
2. The elder’s tradition--> Everyone wash their hands before eating bread!
This means literally wash their physical hands!
3. Jesus answered: Matt.15:3
Why do you disobey the command of God because of your tradition?
Jesus also explain how they did that-->
The command of God--> Honor your father and mother
and he that speaks evil of father or mother let him die the death. (Matt.15:4)
(“Let him die the death” means they must execute him!)
But they said--> Whoever shall say to his father or his mother,
what you might get from me is given (to God)then he shall not honor his father.
This is how you void God’s command with your tradition! (Matt.15:5-6)
4. About these religious people Jesus said: Matt.15:7-9
Jesus said, you hypocrites…
This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
In vain do they worship me, teaching the teachings of men!
B. Jesus explained the parable! Matt.15:10-20
1. Things that enter into the mouth do not defile the man. 15:11
Things that come out of the mouth defile the man. 15:11
Here I see religious people were about physical defilement!
2. The disciples told Jesus, the Pharisees were offended! 15:12
Jesus answered: Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. 15:13
Let them alone: they are blind guides.
And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit. 15:14
Here I see Jesus did not care whether they were offended!
Religious people were offended by the truth spoken to them!
Religious people are not planted by God and shall be rooted up!
Christians are to leave them alone.
Apostle John classified what they did were wicked work!
Those associate with them will share their wicked work! 2 Jn.1:9-11
Jesus said they are blind guides and they are blind lead the blind!
All of them shall fall into a pit! (Whatever that pit may be!)
C. Difference between religion and believer of Jesus! 15:15-20
1. Now we know why Peter was so dull in understanding! (Matt.15:15-16)
He was thinking about physical things also!
Physically what enters the mouth may defile the body in many ways!
And if what entered the stomach then come out from the mouth that would cause much
defilement to the body!
2. According to what Jesus said--> what goes into the mouth passes into the belly and
is cast out into the toilet! (Matt.15:17)
This makes good fertilizer or otherwise defiles people and environment!
3. Jesus was talking about what is in the heart of people! Matt.15:18-20
Out of the mouth from the heart:
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness and slander.(Matt.15:18-19)
These are the things which defile the man! (Matt.15:20)
Being religious is profitable if the heart is without all these evils!
Believers of Jesus are about having a heart that is clean!
May the Lord bless you and keep you!