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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadSpurgeon Verse Expositions - Matthew 15:1 - 15:12
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Mat_15:1-2. Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
A very wonderful omission certainly, but it seems to have struck them as a very great crime. “They wash not their hands when they eat bread” — as if the commands of God were not enough, men must overload us. with their own commands, and sometimes the very people who would see us break God’s commands without being at all distressed are dreadfully shocked if we do not keep theirs, showing clearly that they have a higher estimate of themselves than they have of God.
Mat_15:3-6. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say. Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
The cant said, “I cannot give you any help: I have vowed to give it as a subscription to the synagogue, or to the temple; therefore, I cannot give it to you,” and if he could plead that he had given it as a gift in the form of a religious offering, he was exempted from assisting his own parents. “Well,” said Christ, “ye do by this make the commandment of God of none effect.” “Ye hypocrites “ — -our Saviour is the, most gentle of men, but how plainly does he talk, and how honestly does he denounce everything like hypocrisy.
Mat_15:7-9. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Now, may God save us from these two faults. The first is that of being content with the outside worship of God. Unless our very hearts worship, there is nothing whatever in the outward performance of religious rites or religious worship; indeed, it is hypocrisy to draw near to God with the lip and knee when the heart is not there. The next evil to be dreaded is teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Whatever is not plainly taught in Scripture is of no binding force upon any conscience, and it is evil to invent rites and ceremonies which are not taught in Holy Scripture. We must mind what we are at. If we have not the plain warrant of Christ’s command for our teachings and our doings, we shall rather vex the spirit of God than honour him. Whatever our intention may be, we have not any right to worship God, otherwise than according to his own mind. If we do, it will not be worship, and not acceptable with him.
Mat_15:10-11. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
“And he called the multitude and said unto them: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man “ — not that which he eats and drinks, “but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man “ — what he says —there is the point.
Mat_15:12. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Some very kind friends are very jealous of the preacher, lest he should offend anybody, and they will come in all tenderness of spirit and say, “Knowest thou, that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?”