Mark 7:9-13

Passage

Jesus takes the point one step further.  Not only are the Pharisees guilty of teaching man’s law as though it was God’s Law; they are also guilty of rejecting God’s Law in favor of man’s law!  Jesus reminds us that God’s Law teaches us that we should honor our father and mother.  However, the Jews had made up a law which allows a child to dedicate anything they want to God and in so doing they do not need to provide for their parents out of that part that was dedicated.  Therefore, the Jews had managed to find a way of negating God’s command to honor one’s father and mother.  Jesus then assures us that there are many examples beyond this one.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The example that Jesus uses may seem a little convoluted.  Here’s how it goes.  Often as a child matured and became an adult his parents would age and be unable to support themselves.  Or perhaps the father would die and their mother couldn’t support herself.  Under God’s Law, the child is responsible for helping to care for their parents (honoring them).  But under this manmade Jewish law, called Corban, a child could dedicate a portion (or all) of their wealth to God.  In this case, the child was released from needing to support the parent(s) out of that dedicated part.  After all, the Jews argued that things dedicated to God would naturally have to be used at the temple or synagogue because God’s place was higher than any human.  However, fundamentally this practice is circumventing God’s Law.  While certainly we should respect the happenings of the temple and the synagogue, God does not want us to use Him as a means of allowing our parents to suffer.  Thus, quite literally the Jews had found a way to not show honor to their parents but make it seem like they were doing it out of a higher calling to God.

Why is this kind of thinking dangerous?  How easy is it for us to actually neglect God’s ways while we are thinking that we are serving God?  Have you ever met people who try to use God in a way that made them seem holy but in reality they were neglecting a true spiritual life?

Second Thought:

Using this as a test case, Jesus then argues that the Jews have actually become guilty of rejecting God’s Law.  It’s one thing to make a mistake.  It is another thing to reject.  Rejecting something implies intent.  It implies thought.  It implies a conscious choice.  Rejecting implies a definite need to repent.  Imagine being guilty of rejecting God’s Law and hearing Him call you on it.

How is every sin an act of rejecting God’s Law?  How does it make you feel to be confronted with that reality?  How does this thought make you feel about repentance and the desire to change towards God?  What are the ways that you are guilty of rejecting God’s Law?

Third Thought:

Jesus tells us for certain that this is only one example.  The reality is that the Jewish legal system had many such ways of circumventing God’s desire for community.  They Jewish leaders had come up with all kind of “loopholes” to allow them to not behave in a desired manner but to make it seem like they were still a good person.  It was all an external perception.  They were all about using religion to rationalize how to really get their own way.  Jesus was right to say earlier that the Pharisees worship God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.

What parts of our society allow us to seem like a good person but still not be obedient to God?  What parts of our church allow us to appear as good people but still leave us spiritually far from God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 7:14-19