Pastor Brian McGuffin

Matthew 14: 32 - 15: 9

Introduction

In Pastor Brian's sermon in Matthew, we are warned against being deceived or manipulated. How did you feel when either of those things happened to you?

Scripture  

(There are 2 places in the Bible where this situation is described. They are included so you can get some more detail from Mark. Different translations sometimes give some added information because of the words they use. So these Bible passages are in the New Living Translation at the end of the questions.)

Matthew 14: 32 -  34   to  15: 9  ESV

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Traditions and Commandments

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
     but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
     teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  (Isaiah 29: 13)

Mark 7: 1 - 13 ESV

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 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.) 5 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?” 6 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;
7 in vain do they worship me,
     teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’  (Isaiah 29: 13)

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

9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Discussion Questions

1. a) Who were the Jewish people who talked to Jesus? Why would they be considered important?

     b) What was their complaint about Jesus?

     c) Their complaint was given the word "tradition". What is a tradition? How does that differ from a Biblical law?

     d) Jesus replies to their complaint with one of his own. What does he say they do wrong?

     e) He quotes scripture verses:

            (Exodus 20: 12; Deuteronomy 5: 16; Exodus 21: 17; Leviticus 20: 9)

            What do those verses say?

     f) Jesus quotes Isaiah 29: 13. Put that verse into your own words. What is he saying to the Pharisees and scribes?

2. Why do you think the Pharisees and scribes approached Jesus? Is there anything wrong with the way they spoke to Jesus?

3. Perhaps you know some Jewish people. Do you know anything about the traditions they use?  Does it complicate their lives at all?

4. Have you ever had the experience of a church tradition that seemed contrary to how you felt you were led to worship Jesus? Did this tradition feel upsetting to you? Did you feel that it went against Biblical truth in any way? (Think of various church denominations.)

5. Our society today has made many changes in what is acceptable.  Do you tend to go along with the changes, or would you stay firm on what the Bible says?

6. Have you ever thought just being a good person meant you would be saved by God? What kind of good things did you consider should be done? What caused you to turn away from that?

7. How does God want us to come to Him? What are various ways we could worship him/obey him/ love him?  Be practical and specific.

Following are the verses in Matthew in the New Living Translation.

Matthew 14: 34 - 36 and 15: 1 - 9  NLT

34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed. 

15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
     but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
     for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

Mark 7: 1 - 13   NLT

One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
     but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
     for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”