The Spirit, Not The Letter

Jesus had just condemned the scribes and Pharisees for substituting their own traditions and principles in place of God’s commands.  As he said, they made a big show of worshipping God, but it was meaningless, often encouraging people to ignore what God had said.  Their focus was on the wrong things.  He made the same point to the entire crowd, in Matthew 15:10.  “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.”  The focus of the law was on the attitude toward others, trying to protect them, rather than on the ritual of washing one’s hands.  Failing to wash one’s hands would not make one a wicked person.

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

This was the opposite of what the Pharisees were teaching, and they resented being contradicted.  The disciples were concerned about what the Pharisees might do since they were viewed as the epitome of religious practice, and had a great deal of political pull, similar to the Pope and bishops among Catholics, the Prophet and Apostles to Mormons, or the Imams among Moslems.  They often begin to think of themselves as infallible.   

“But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:13-14)

Jesus reminded the disciples that God would separate out those who are not of God, and they should just let them alone, or as Paul says, avoid them.  I Timothy 1:5-7 points out that the Law was not simply about fulfilling certain rituals or keeping certain rules.  “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”  The law was about developing a proper attitude of love and concern for others. 

Mt 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.” (Matthew 15:15)  Peter asked Jesus what he meant when he said, “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.”  After all, that was what they had always been taught. 

“And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” (Matthew 15:16-20)

Even the disciples were confused, because they had always been taught that serving God was about keeping the rules.   As Jesus pointed out, what person ate would not make him wicked, because it would simply be digested and any bad stuff eliminated.  The problems are with the heart attitudes and thought patterns that lead to evil behavior, such as murder, adultery, or theft.  Not washing one’s hands does not cause people to do these kinds of things.  They are the result of what a person thinks about. 

John 4:24 tells us, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”   Worshipping God is spiritual thing, and will not be accomplished by mechanically following a set of rules.  It requires a different attitude or spirit that is sincere about doing what is right.  Those who think they can please God by keeping a set of rules simply don’t understand who God is.    A godly person doesn’t do what is right because it is required, but because he wants to do right.  As a result, he only needs a set of guidelines as to what God expects, not a detailed list of what is allowed or forbidden.