The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Matthew:15:1-20

kjv@Matthew:15:1 @ Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

kjv@Matthew:15:2 @ Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

kjv@Matthew:15:3 @ But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

kjv@Matthew:15:4 @ For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother : and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

kjv@Matthew:15:5 @ But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

kjv@Matthew:15:6 @ 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.

kjv@Matthew:15:7 @ Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

kjv@Matthew:15:8 @ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

kjv@Matthew:15:9 @ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

kjv@Matthew:15:10 @ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

kjv@Matthew:15:11 @ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

kjv@Matthew:15:12 @ Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

kjv@Matthew:15:13 @ But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

kjv@Matthew:15:14 @ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

kjv@Matthew:15:15 @ Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

kjv@Matthew:15:16 @ And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

kjv@Matthew:15:17 @ Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

kjv@Matthew:15:18 @ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

kjv@Matthew:15:19 @ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

kjv@Matthew:15:20 @ These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Today's notes: That Which Defiles a Man

Context:

Before - Walking on water
After - but to the lost sheep of Israel

What is man believing/doing?:

disciples not washing hands before eating
confusing the traditions of elders with the commandments of God
calling others on a transgression while not calling themselves
withholding obligations to care for older parents as temple gifts
being offended at reproof

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

teaching of the heart being defiled by what goes into mouth
oral traditions held as equal or superior to written commandment, truth thought of as onion with many layers needing to be interpreted
hypocrisy of valuing religious position and status over care and well being of elder family
being caught and exposed, embarrassment

Notes:

What is coming out of the mouth that would defile man? Context? Teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. What plants will be uprooted? Context? The same.

To the unpure of heart all things are defiled. It seeks to find fault in what is pure so that it itself can be put on the pedestal. The potential danger of tradition is when the unpure of heart are elevated to the point of being able to make such lofty interpretations as to be formulated into traditions and the devotee is unpure enough not to know the difference.

Jesus did not necessarily defend the disciples, He rather compared the two infractions by source and authority and motive and effect.

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

The heart is far from Jesus
From the same heart that spews all of these evils come the concepts and commandments spewed out by men. That is not to say that the doctrine is to murder etc... it is the same rudimentary source of our designs and motivations. They can and have led to murder etc... as well.

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Matthew:15:1-20
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:15:1-20 rwp@Matthew:15:1-20 mhcc@Matthew:15:1-20
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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