We
all have certain core traditions and beliefs that are important to us. They
make us who we are, they define our own behaviours and the way we think other
people should behave. That is what lies behind the Gospel passage from Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.
The
Pharisees were not the only people who get upset when traditions are not
followed. We get upset when people do not follow our “traditions”. We sometimes
have to part with our traditions, and that is not always easy for us to accept.
That is one reason why in recent years some congregations have left the
Anglican Church of Canada. They were not able to accept changes such as the
introduction of the Book of Alternative Services or the blessing of same-sex
unions. To them, the status quo is the only way to go.
I
know how hard it can be to depart from tradition or the old way of doing
things. For example, many of you know that I work part-time as the bookkeeper
for the local Roman Catholic Church. That church has recently received a new
priest, and with him has come a new and different way of doing things, just
like it was for our own parish when our rector arrived in 2008 with his way of
doing things.
Another
example is the tradition that people who go to church have to wear their very
best clothes. I can tell you that it is BUNK! Just look around at the people
sitting next to you. Some are dressed up, but some are wearing casual, everyday
clothes. Some also believe that ministers have to wear clerical suits and
collars all of the time, even under their robes on Sunday morning. Well folks,
I hate to disappoint you, but I know a lot of ministers who don’t even wear a
suit and tie, let alone a clerical suit and collar. Even I don’t wear my
“Sunday Best’ clothes under my robes all of the time, especially during the
warm summer weather.
We
must not think that the Pharisees are completely bad. They were dedicated to
obeying and pleasing God, and that desire led to distinctive practices such as
kosher food and circumcision. These practices helped them to keep their
identity as God’s chosen people in a pagan world. Their traditions grew out of
a need to keep their identity.
Even
though the Jewish law was quite detailed, it left room for interpretation in
many cases. The Pharisees used their desire to obey God to create rules to
clarify the law in these situations. Over time these rules became so hard and
fast that they became a surrogate law that the Jewish leaders regarded as being
equal to Scripture. They lost sight of the difference between God’s law and
their opinion. Jesus said that this was their sin. Jesus did not condemn all
tradition. He only condemned those traditions that were elevated to sacred
status. The church is responsible for preserving tradition, but it must make a
clear distinction between essential scriptural teachings and non-essential
traditions.
When
he responded to the Pharisees’ question, Jesus went right to the heart of the
issue. The Pharisees wanted to hold on to human tradition at all costs when
they should have been more concerned with teaching God’s deeper requirements of
love, compassion and justice. God is more concerned with a spiritual cleansing
and purifying. If our hearts have been purified, our prayer and behaviour will
be in line with what God wants. If we act out of good hearts we will know how
to behave even if we don’t know the exact rule for a particular situation.
While
a sense of tradition is desirable and necessary at times, a problem occurs when
tradition is substituted for true worship or true faith. When the actions
associated with our traditions become more important than the meaning of the
traditions, we can get sidetracked. The Pharisees were more concerned with
strict observance of Jewish laws than they were about true faith in God. The Pharisees
were concerned about keeping God’s people distinct and keeping them from
becoming assimilated with the larger culture. This effort to be distinct
included rigid observance of rules, but the observance of rules covered up
their lack of inward love and devotion. They were concerned about not letting
germs and pollution go into their bodies, but Jesus said that they and we
should be more concerned about the filth that comes out of our mouths-lying,
cheating, etc. The Pharisees were concerned about the letter of the law
including their rules and regulations, but Jesus emphasized the spirit of the
law. We must beware of Christian leaders who appear to be very religious by
their actions, but who are really glorifying themselves instead of glorifying
God. We should never honour anyone above God. Only he is truly worthy of our
praise.
Each
and every one of us has a heart problem, and not just a physical one. The heart
is a fountain out of which much that affects our lives flows. If the heart is
affected by sin, it becomes deceitful and wicked. Therefore, the heart is a
source of most of the evil that defiles man. The world is enticing, but for its
pull to work, we have to want what it is offering. We do the stupid stuff that
we do because it is our human nature. We have to be aware of our sinful nature.
When we give in to temptation, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
What
we eat and drink can’t hurt and defile us. Only what comes out of us-ungodly
words and actions-can defile us. Jesus wants us and his disciples to see that
the core issue always comes down to what is in the heart. Ritual external
purity is not necessarily the same as genuine interior piety. We are being
hypocrites if we vainly honour God with our lips while our hearts are estranged
from him. The source of defilement is more internal than external. It is more
about who we are than foods or filth we avoid. Jesus defined true piety as a
commitment from the heart totally dedicated to loving service of God and for
others. Listening and doing are two different things.
Some
people who attend church are like that. They carry their Bibles, they bring
their offering, they sing every hymn and they listen to every word the preacher
says, but it doesn’t change anything in their hearts. They look good on the
outside, but their goodness is only skin deep. Their worship is for appearance
only and is not from the heart.
That
does mean that we cannot be hurt by what comes into our bodies. The obvious
sources are smoke, pollution and poor diet, but we can also be defiled from the
outside by the environment that we live in. I’m reminded of the example our
former Rector gave in one of his sermons a few years ago. He was talking about
a discussion he had with his sons one day about how the choices they make can
affect their lives. He said, “You are who you associate with” and that is true.
For example, if you live in an area with a high rate of crime, chances are that
you will either be seen as criminal or become a criminal if you are not
careful.
When
God looks at us, the first thing he sees is the state of our heart. God doesn’t
care about what we look like on the outside. He’s more concerned about what’s
on the inside. He has more sympathy and compassion for a poor beggar in rags
who has true faith than he does for rich rulers who wear fine clothes but have
rotten hearts and souls. If we don’t take time to have our hearts purified by
God once in awhile, we won’t be able to receive his blessings.
Jesus
argued that the observance of purity was not needed because the kingdom of God
is for everyone-Jews, Gentiles, those who would observe the purity laws and
those who could not keep them. Everyone is equal before God.
Those
who are ‘holier than thou’ often have the belief that they can judge others.
When that attitude is observed from afar, it is not pretty. It reeks of a
superficial, survivalistic and hateful attitude. These people are often the
same people who on the surface observe sacred rituals. They have no inward
disposition towards God-hence Jesus’ reference to the filth that comes from the
inside.
Jesus
sets us free to look at ourselves and see our internal, sinful nature. We are
free to accept the grace to choose God’s mercy, but we can’t admit that we need
outside help. We need outside help to take in goodness and bear good fruit. If
our hearts belong to God, nothing else matters.
When
people equate tradition with the Law, problems come up. The Pharisees have made
the Law more important than God’s rules, just like many of us have made our
traditions more important than true faith in God. The Protestant reformation
was fuelled in part by the desire to break free from corrupt Roman Catholic
traditions and rules and get back to true worship of God. Jesus argued that not
all of the Pharisees’ rules had to be obeyed. All we have to do is love God
with our hearts, not our heads.
We
have to ask ourselves what are the interests of God, and what does God think
about the way we live our lives. Does the way we live our lives reflect a way
of life that is in sync with God and his plan for our lives? While our
Christianity should shape our behaviour, it runs deeper than our behaviour. It
has implications for how we live our lives, but it is also mysticism before it
is morality, faith before it is action, the seed of a new life before it is the
fruit of that new life.
Those
who would serve the interests of God can do so by giving expression to joy in
their lives. Those who feel God’s love have much to offer the hurting and
disconnected in our world.
Bibliography
1. Stanley, C.F, The
Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas
Nelson Inc; 2009)
7. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 22nd
Sunday (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
8. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible
Software package.
9. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume
25:Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
12. Matt Skinner, “Commentary on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,
21-23”. Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching_print.aspx?commentary_id=1381
13. The Rev. Beth Quick, “Lectionary Notes-Thirteenth
Sunday After Pentecost” Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/pentecost13bnotes.htm
15. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season
after Pentecost, Proper 17 Ordinary 22. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod,org/archives/year-b-season-after-pentecost-proper-17-ordinary-22.html
16. Daniel B. Clendenin, PhD, “Religious Faith” Worthless
or Faultless?” Retrieved from http://www.journeywithjesus.net/index.shtml?view=print
No comments:
Post a Comment