Tradition vs Commandment
Matthew 15:1-20 reveals some important truths for us today. The principles of the Pharisees never die. First, hypocrites place great importance on outward things in religion—“Why do your disciples break
the tradition of the elders?” (v. 2) The Pharisees brought an accusation to the Lord against His disciples: (a) it wasn’t that they were covetous or self-righteous; (b) it wasn’t that they were untruthful or unloving; and (c) it wasn’t that they had broken any part of God’s law. They didn’t follow some rule invented by human authority: “For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” Do we experience this today? Sadly, we see it too much. There are many professing Christians, who seem to care nothing about the faith of their neighbors, as long as it agrees in outward things with their own. Second, there is the danger of trying to add to the word of God—“For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.” (v. 6) When a man adds to the Scriptures, he usually ends up valuing his own additions above Scripture itself. We have seen the sad proof of this in the history of the Church. Puritan Richard Baxter wrote, “Men think God’s laws too many and too strict, and yet make more of their own, and are precise for keeping them.” The spirit of the Pharisees is still alive after 2,000 years. The tendency to “[make] void the word of God’ by traditions is still found among Christians. Third, the religious worship God desires is worship of the heart—“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.” (vv. 8-9) The heart must be the main thing in our relationship with God. J.C. Ryle wrote, “As long as our hearts are far from Him, the bended knee, the bowed head, the loud amen, the daily chapter, the regular attendance at the Lord’s table, are useless and unprofitable.”
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.