Matthew 15:3-6..Working

Matthew 15:3-6..Working

15:3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake (benefit, interest) of your tradition (religious rules, observances, etc.) 4 For God said, ‘Honour (love, respect, support, care for) your father and mother’-{5^th Commandment.-(Ex. 20:12} and ‘Anyone who curses (neglects, abandons) his father or mother must be put to death.’-{Ex. 21:17} 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help (support) you might otherwise have received from me (i.e. In the way of assisting and caring for aged parents.) is a gift devoted to God,’ (Corban.-{Mark 7:11b}) 6 he is not to ‘honour his father’ with it. Thus, you nullify (undercut, sidestep, override, circumvent, invalidate) the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Continued From Book

“Teaches how it’s easier to follow rules than have to do the harder thing in loving God and loving others.” ⇒ A law based religion is easier, it’s black and white, everyone knows what needs to be done.  Just check off the boxes and your good to go. And as a result it becomes a self derived sense of peace, and a self derived sense of satisfaction, separate from God. It avoids any need for a personal relationship with God. They want the peace and blessings while bypassing God.

“Even today, many will use religious loopholes to get out of obeying God’s word. Some will use confessional to sin like crazy during the week and repent to a priest come Sunday morning. Others will use the “do unto others” as an excuse that if someone treats you bad, you can treat them the same way.” ⇒ Some will use the Old Testament as an excuse for not tithing. Arguing how since the Old Covenant is done away with were no longer obligated to tithe.” Some people use loopholes as a way to get as close to sin, without actually sinning. Other people use loopholes when they run into something they don’t want to do, they’ll say; “I don’t believe Jesus actually said that or I don’t believe Paul actually wrote that”. Or they’ll say “I don’t think that applies today, God only meant that for people in the Old Testament, whereas were under a New Covenant.” Or that was a cultural thing we don’t live that way anymore. How often do we defend our words of slander against others by saying we are only pointing out God’s commands? Or we hide our fear of showing love and compassion to strangers behind the “many other things” that God needs us to do? Or we withhold love or forgiveness in relationships, in order to help God work repentance in that person’s heart?

More Notes & Applications

Teaches instead of looking for loopholes and workarounds to get away with what we want, have a heart that is staying true to God.

Teaches how it’s easier to embrace external rules and rituals than to do the harder things in having to love the unlovely, help the needy, and care for the poor at the cost of their own time, money, and pleasures.

Warns against using our service to God to supersede our responsibility of helping those around us. (Two wrongs do not make a right!)

Warns against disposing our moral obligations by pretending to meet a greater religious obligations

Warns against allowing worthy causes to void the word of God, or used as an excuse to evade the clear teachings of scripture.

Warns if not careful religious devotions and traditions can start to undermine scripture and biblical principles!