Reading: Mark 6-7
Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye (Mark 7:7-13).
Webster defines tradition as “an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom).” Traditions take generations to form, but once rooted, they are among the most powerful influencers of behavior known to man. When traditions are given the added weight of religious imperative, they become subconsciously binding to many.
Over the millennia since the earthly ministry of Christ, the Christian church has repeatedly divided and sub-divided until there are now over 45,000 different denominations worldwide. Each of these denominations has established its own doctrine based on a combination of the teachings of God’s Word and what they consider essential religious tradition. The teachings of God and man have become so intertwined that many modern Christians have difficulty understanding which is which, and they wind up giving everything equal weight. This, in turn, dilutes their witness to the world, as the Jesus they portray is based more on an amalgamation of human perceptions than on the Gospel that He charged us to share—Making the word of God of none effect.
In today's reading, Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees and scribes reveals that this is not merely a modern-day problem. For as long as there has been organized religion, individuals have tried to control the narrative. People have attempted to pad God’s Word to fit more comfortably into the world around it. Others have strived to find a way to make it more profitable or have sought to twist it to amass worldly power. These changes are passed down and embellished with each successive generation, and the problem continues to grow.
The solution is simple. Go back to the source. Immerse yourself in God’s Word. Take everything you have been taught and compare it with what you find there. Examine the traditions of your congregation and determine if they are based on the teachings of God or man. For any tradition that is determined to be manmade, look deeper. Does it in any way contradict God’s Word? Does it draw the focus away from Him and His message? Is it being propagated by you or your congregation as holy and necessary for salvation? If any of these can be answered yes, then it must be discarded. It is our job as Christ’s witnesses to illuminate the path, not to set up barriers that will prevent others from finding the way.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (John 4:23-24).
Thought for Today: Many claim to look to God for answers when in truth, they only seek justification.
Cross Reference: For Mark 7:6-7: See Is. 29:13. Mark 7:10: See Ex. 20:12; 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 5:16.
Word Studies:6:25 charger = a large dish; 7:19 purging all meats = declaring all food ceremonially clean.
Pray for Staff:Judy McCrary • Government Officials: Gov. Wes Moore (MD), Gov. Kay Ivey (AL) • Country: Dominican Republic (10,349,741) Caribbean • Major Language: Spanish • Religious Freedom • 95% Roman Catholic: 5% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Ask for boldness in telling others about the Lord (Ps. 119:46).