Seeing Jesus

Seeing Jesus

Mark 7:1-5, NLT

One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. 4Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

Setting the Scene

Mark simply states that these religious leaders came “to see Jesus.” Matthew wrote the same thing (Matthew 15:1). Then verse 2 says, “they noticed.” “Seeing Jesus” and “noticing” what he did sound innocent enough. In fact, John wrote that one time some Greeks came to Jerusalem and asked Philip if they could see Jesus (John 12:20-22). The expression is used to describe one person about to meet another or the actions of a curious person. Many were coming to “see” Jesus because they thought he might be the promised Messiah; these honest seekers truly wanted to know him. Others weren’t quite as involved, but they came with good motives, too, wanting to see the one who was teaching, healing, and changing lives.

Yet these Jewish religious leaders were neither seeking information nor merely satisfying their curiosity. When they came “to see Jesus,” they came to scrutinize him as they tried to find fault in order to judge and silence him. Unable to discover anything wrong with Jesus’ actions, they turned to his followers and “noticed that some of his disciples” hadn’t washed their hands before eating. In an aside, Mark explains the Jewish tradition to his Gentile readers.

After seeing the nontraditional actions, the religious leaders asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition?” At least they were honest about the fact that this was their tradition, not a divine command, although they often gave their traditions and interpretations of Scripture almost the same authority as God’s Word.

During the centuries since the Jews’ return from Babylonian captivity, Jewish religious leaders had added hundreds of religious traditions to God’s laws, regulating every part of Jewish life. The Pharisees and scribes considered these traditions to be as binding as God’s law itself. They were wrong, of course, as Jesus pointed out.

Since the common people did not follow all of the extra restrictions and rituals of the Pharisees, the religious leaders considered them ignorant. The fact that Jesus’ disciples did not follow all of the laws of the Pharisees’ oral tradition led this Jerusalem delegation to resent Jesus’ teaching and try to discredit him. According to the Pharisees, if Jesus were truly a rabbi, he and his disciples would follow all of the traditions. The Pharisees had religious blinders on their eyes, seeing only their own rituals and traditions.

Getting Personal

What drew you to Jesus? How did you first come “to see” him?

Today, people still come “to see Jesus” with a variety of motives. Some sincerely seek the Savior. Many look with curiosity. But we still have cynics and critics who try to pick apart Jesus and his followers, looking for problems and negative evidence. When have you felt that certain people were looking at your behavior with a critical eye? How did you respond?

What opinion of Jesus do you think people might form just by watching you?

Although the religious leaders’ attitudes and actions toward Jesus and the disciples were wrong, we know that people often form their opinions about Jesus by watching his followers. As those called “Christians” (“Christ-ones”), we bear his name and enhance or detract from his reputation. Some Christians act carelessly; others go to the Pharisee extreme and give their personal rules, policies, and applications of Scripture the same authority as God’s Word (and judge others who differ). Instead, we need to humbly follow our Leader and treat others with love.

Talking to God

Ask the Lord to help you approach others with love and not with a hidden objective of criticizing or judging. Thank him for the way he fully accepted you, even while you were still a sinner.