Unwashed Hands
TRANSLATION
(1) Now when the Pharisees with some of the teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, (2) they saw that some of his disciples were eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (3) The Pharisees and all the (observant) Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands diligently, holding to the tradition of the elders. (4) Upon returning from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. They observe many other traditions such as the washing of cups, pots, and copper vessels. (5) The Pharisees and teachers of the Law questioned him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders but eat their meals with defiled hands?” (6) And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. (7) In vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrine the rules of men.’ (8) You ignore the commandments of God in order to observe the traditions of men.” (9) And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God so that you may observe your tradition, (10) for Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother should be put to death.’ (11) But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother, “Whatever might have been used to help you is Corban (that is, given to God),”’ (12) you no longer require him to provide support for his father or his mother. (13) In this way you nullify the Word of God by your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
OBSERVATIONS
Faced with criticism from the religious conservatives, Jesus was again forced to defend himself and his disciples for having violated certain extra-biblical traditions practiced by devout Jews. Among the repetitions found in this segment are two verbs for “eat” and “wash” and the noun “hands,” each appearing three times along with the adjective, “unwashed” (vss. 2-5). “Tradition” occurred four times, twice designated as the “tradition of the elders” (vss. 3, 4, 5, & 9). “Commandment(s)” was used three times, once accompanied by “of men” (vs. 7) and twice by “of God” (vss. 8 & 9).
OUTLINE
I. The Pharisees faulted Jesus and his disciples for violating the elders’ traditions. (1-5)
II. Jesus responded by declaring that by holding to their traditions the Pharisees were disregarding the commands of God. (6-12)
IDEA STATEMENT
Supplanting God’s commands with human traditions leads to a self-righteous hypocrisy that dishonors God.
APPLICATION
Legalism in any of its forms can be an ugly business. While the legalists’ motives may be to guard us from transgressing God’s commands, human traditions can shift our focus from what the Law intends to spotlight non-essential side issues. God’s desire is internal purity of heart. The Pharisees shifted the emphasis to externals such as washing of hands and the scrubbing of dishes and cooking vessels. The Law of Moses was designed to engender family loyalty so that aging parents might be cared for by loving children. The legalists’ use of the declaration of “corban” allowed those who selfishly desired to escape filial responsibility a clever way to neglect such biblical requirements. Jesus aptly described this temporizing as “straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel” (Mt. 23:24).
How can we protect ourselves from becoming legalistic in the way we live out our faith? Answering two probing questions can help us become aware of creeping legalism and take steps to avoid it. First, we should ask whether our behavior fulfills the intent of Scripture, that is, what it really means in its context. And then we should seek to determine if what we are advocating aligns with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and his loving ways. If we guard ourselves by making it a priority to examine our motives, we will go a long way toward avoiding preoccupation with outward observances (washing hands instead of purifying hearts) and finding clever ways to excuse ourselves from doing the will of God (declaring “corban” instead of fulfilling family responsibilities).