The Pilgrim Path---Mark 7: 1—8

Now when the Pharisee gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,

But their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

THE PHARISEES GATHERED

---The Pharisees represented the largest religious sect in Israel in Jesus’ day. To say they were strict in “religious” observance would have been an understatement…

---The Pharisees problem: Allowing the “traditions” of men to surpass the teaching of Holy Scripture. So many of the “traditions” merely focused on outward/observable aspects of religious practice (virtually nothing to do with the condition of the human heart before God).

---The Pharisees, believing themselves to be the “only” really “holy” ones---had to inspect---others “lack” their perceived holiness (And of course, they tended to censure them most severely). These are extremely hard neighbors to have---and difficult people to work with…

---The Pharisees were extremely interested in being ceremonially/ outwardly clean. They would go to great lengths to make sure they achieved this standard of the elders’ tradition. Now, which one of us has not been far more concerned about cleanliness---in the midst of a world-wide pandemic? Surfaces must be wiped more thoroughly. Approved disinfectants must be purchased. We are conscious of these matters now. Yet is the outward man our only concern?

---The Pharisees looked at Scripture---then they looked right past: Honoring God with their lips, but not with their hearts. They had great familiarity with the text of the Old Testament---but it did not change the way they lived. They made a choice: they decided they would put the traditions of the elders in place of the Word of God. They figured this would be a, “fine religious exchange” ---The response of the God-Man was this one: “In vain do you worship me.”

---The Pharisees left the commandment of God to hold to the tradition of men.

---The Pharisees, for the most part, were not moved by the indictment of the Lord Jesus Christ: A very tragic occurrence (this continues to happen wherever the Word of God is preached).

---“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; and broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm51: 17

---The bloodline of the Pharisee runs within us all: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me” Isaiah 29: 13. Only the Living Christ can change this. Only He can daily empower the heart to walk “other” than this. The Flesh loves the way of the Pharisee---in all its haunting and appealing forms. In all its self-promoting glory---all it is: slavery…

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2: 8—10

From J. C. Ryle: “External observances alone feed no consciences and sanctify no hearts. Let the history of the Jewish church be a warning to us never to trifle with false doctrine. If we once tolerate it, we never know how far it may go, or into what degraded state of religion we may at last fall. Once leave the King’s highway of truth, and we may end with washing the pots and cups like the Pharisees and Scribes. There is nothing too mean, trifling, or irrational for a man, if he once turn his back on God’s Word.”

“Let Christ have a commanding power and a King-throne in you.” Samuel Rutherford

The Living Christ guide and carry each of You, Pastor Jason