Dear Explorer,
Read Matthew 15:1-2
So, what's the problem?
Now notice that they did not say that the disciples were breaking God's law. What were they breaking?
Read Mark 7:1-5
Mark also emphasized that this “rule” that they were breaking was not God's Law. So where did it come from? It came from the Pharisees book of rules called the Talmud. They took the 600 Laws that God had given to Moses and expanded them to include many, many other rules.
So, what was God's Law concerning washing the hands?
There's not one – except for the priests who are about to give a sacrifice to God. There was a very beautiful process where the priests were told to cleanse their hearts and then their hands in order to come into God's presence. But there was no rule for washing before eating.
The Pharisees had “added” to that, saying that everyone should ceremonially wash before every meal.
Jesus didn't live by their rules – He lived according to God's Laws.
So, we have a yet another difference between the Pharisees and Jesus.
Read Matthew 15:3-9
And
Read Mark 7:6-13
The Jewish leaders accusingly asked Jesus why He didn't teach His disciples to ceremonially wash before eating. Did Jesus answer their question?
No, He asked them a question! What was it?
When someone set apart something for God's use, the Jewish word for this is corban or korban. So, if I say that I'm going to give to God the 3rd calf born to this cow, then that calf is corban. It cannot be used for any other use. It can't be used for food or sold for money. It is corban – dedicated to God. When it is old enough, it will be given to God as a sacrifice. So, the word means dedicated for God's use.
God's Law teaches that we are to honor our parents. This was especially critical in that time because when a person became too old to work – there was no food and no government help. So, children were needed to provide food and clothing and shelter for their parents.
The Pharisees had decided that they would simply designate their entire income, their home, their resources to God – declare it to be corban – then they would not have anything to give to their parents. “I'm so sorry, but I don't have any money or food to help you – it all belongs to God.” Got the picture? Do you think Jesus was pleased with this?
Absolutely not. But apparently it was a common practice among the Pharisees.
Tomorrow we'll look at Jesus' teachings about this.
In His service, dale
Next study