(1) Overview
The Pharisees and the experts in the law tried to teach Jesus how to teach His disciples about ritual washing v.1-5. They thought the ritual washing would made them clean before God (see below). Jesus called them hypocrites because they worshipped God with man's commandment not God's commandment v.6-7. Actually, they put the commandments of men as more important than God's commandment v.8-13. Not only they were hypocrites, Jesus also called people like that foolish and not understanding v.14-23.
(2) What is ritual washing? Are they the same as what we are doing now to prevent the Covid or other germs from spreading? Does it mean that Jesus oppose us to prevent disease?
- * (IVP) Washing the hands removed partial ceremonial impurity picked up in the marketplace; hands were apparently immersed up to the wrist or purified by having water poured over them from a pure vessel. The Pharisees also had rules about immersing vessels to remove impurity.
- * 7:15 There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him.” In other words, the Pharisees and experts in the law think that the unwashed hands would defile them. Jesus told them what actually made us unclean is our heart v.20-21.
(3) What shall we actually watch out and not fall on the same category of sin as the Pharisees'?
- Do not worship God with any other way other than God's way
- Do not nullify God's commands by our own way
- Note: 7:11 But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’ (that is, a gift for God), 7:12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother.
- The Pharisees did not even allow the Jews to follow God's command.
- Do not be a fool who fool ourselves and telling other to follow us
(4) Reflection: Hebrews 10:24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,10:25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
Is online worship a man-made way to worship God? Do we nullify God's commandment for meetings? Do we allow people to still meet physically when we ourselves do online worship? Are we fooling ourselves if we teach people it is a God's way of worship? Let us pray and ask God about these.
Audrey
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