Warm up in pairs: The concept of tradition comes up in today’s lesson. Name one of your favorite traditions, whether it be personal, family or church related.
Matthew 15:1-6
- What was the “tradition of the elders” the Pharisees and scribes were referring to? The countless man-made rules and regulations that were passed down in oral law through the Jewish teachers.
- Was the washing of hands just a sanitary thing? Certainly, that was a bonus but it was a ritual thing.
- How did Jesus answer their question? He answered with a question. He asked them why they broke God’s commandment for the sake of their tradition.
- In Mark’s account of this incident, he used the word Corban in 7:11. In explaining how they were misusing that practice, what two Old Testament verses did Jesus quote? Exodus 20:12 and 21:7. Jesus’ point was that the scribes and Pharisees were breaking one of God’s commandments while Jesus’ disciples were only breaking one of their man-made rituals.
- How serious was speaking evil of one’s parents? They could be put to death.
- By misusing the Corban practice, what did Jesus say the scribes and Pharisees were doing? They were nullifying the word of God for their man-made tradition.
- Is tradition a good or bad thing? The word “tradition” literally means to pass something done. It’s not intrinsically bad or good. It just depends on what it is. Anything that contradicts God’s Word is obviously a bad tradition, but there are many wonderful traditions that should be preserved. Certain traditions are important to people from a psychological point of view as they provide stability in life.
Matthew 15:7-11
- What is the meaning of hypocrite? It literally means one who wears a mask. It came to mean people who pretended to be something they were not.
- How did this term apply to the scribes and Pharisees? On the outside they appeared to be pious, but on the inside they were not.
- On a scale from 1-10, how difficult is it to for a person to honor God with his lips but have a heart that is far from him? Apparently, it is not that difficult because people do it all the time. Ask class members for their thoughts.
- What does it mean to worship God in vain? It means just going through the motions and has no meaning to the person worshipping. Is that easy to do and if so, how can we avoid it? Very easy. To avoid, we must be sure our hearts are not far from God.
- The Jewish leaders claimed to be teaching divine doctrines when in fact they were their own ideas. Has this happened throughout church history and and does it still happen today? Yes, and yes. The Reformation of the 1600’s was a result of the Roman Catholic Church teaching such things. The teachings of the pope were considered to have the same authority as the Bible. Cults today do the same thing teaching their own doctrines as the doctrines of God.
- In Mark’s account of this incident, what does he include that Matthew did not mention? See Mark 7:19. He declared all food clean.
Matthew 15:16-20
- What is the source of what comes out of our mouth? Our heart. If it’s in the heart, it will be expressed by our mouth.
- Jesus listed seven different things that come out of the heart. Was that an extensive list?
- According to Jesus, does eating with unwashed hands or things that are in our heart that defile a person? The evil things in our hearts.
- Can a person observe all kinds of religious rituals and still have a dirty heart?
- In that day, what did heart refer to? It was the center of one’s personality and being. It was the true self.
- How can a person get a clean heart? Invite Jesus into his “heart” and he will clean it up.