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That Which Defiles

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus, you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”

 

“Remember; when you point your finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you!”

The Pharisees seem to have forgotten that adage when they try to do that to Jesus. They wanted to test him on the law. Jesus, however, turned their criticism back on them, emphasizing their own misunderstandings or mistakes in interpreting the law.

 

Sometimes we also tend to “point the finger” at others, to justify something we have done, or saying; “I had nothing to do with it . . .”. Or possibly pointing out the errors in someone else’s opinion that differs from ours. We could be just as much at fault as anyone!

 

Dear Jesus, help us remember to “think twice”, when we are quick to point out our perceived errors of others, knowing that we also could be wrong.

 

Jerry Bratz

jnbratz70@gmail.com

 

Alternate verses: Proverbs 16: 21-23, Psalm 5