Honoring Truth

Honoring Truth

Matthew 15:3-9, NLT

Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

Setting the Scene

Instead of directly answering the question of these religious leaders, Jesus asked them a question, pointing out their hypocrisy. They had so honored their traditions that they had elevated their authority above the direct commands of God. In effect, they had broken God’s law for the sake of their tradition. So zealous for the traditions, they lost their perspective and had missed the point of God’s law entirely. Authority was the issue: their traditions versus what “God says.”

Jesus first quoted Moses because the “teachers of religious law” (Mark 7:1, NLT) traced the oral law back to him, and Jesus highlighted one of the Ten Commandments, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16, NIV). The commandment applied to anyone whose parents were living, not just to young children. “Honor” includes speaking respectfully and showing care and consideration. Then Jesus showed how they were dishonoring God’s Word and their parents by following their traditions. These religious leaders knew Moses’ words, but as Jesus pointed out, they were actually breaking them. In fact, some of the Pharisees had found a way to sidestep God’s command completely in their handling of money and property. Unscrupulous people would use this vow to keep from paying debts. Others, as Jesus noted, used it to circumvent their responsibility to their parents. Their devotion to God had stripped them of their compassion for people.

Jesus blasted these self-righteous leaders, calling them “hypocrites,” or “actors.” The Pharisees were pretending to be holy and close to God, but what they pretended on the outside was not true on the inside.

Getting Personal

What strong religious traditions do you observe or are in your background? How have you responded when those traditions seemed to conflict with what God is telling you in his Word?

What steps can you take to better know and honor God’s truth?

In their devotion to the law and tradition, the religious leaders’ rules and rituals obscured the true intent of God’s Word. We must beware of the same error and constantly evaluate our own traditions. God’s truth always trumps traditions, no matter how old and revered.

Talking to God

Ask the Lord to help you be sensitive to any religious practice or “spiritual” activity that may actually be less than the best way to obey and worship him. Ask him to give you a love for his Word that will help you pursue its truth.