In an economy which has lost many people millions of dollars for people involved in Wall Street, the stock market, investing, and housing you would think people would learn where to place their trust, but not yet; I guess. Trusting politicians; whether they be President, Congressman or woman, Senator, or dog catcher we need to constantly keep in mind that all things on this earth, of this earth are temporal or temporary; and do not endure forever.
The people of the prophet’s day were believing that the temple of Jerusalem would endure forever. Had they forgotten that it was made of earthly materials just as their own homes were made or were they vainly trusting the promises of God (Understand I mean their trust is vain; not that God’s promises are vain). In the prophet’s day the people would vainly worship God on the Sabbath day; then forget Him the other six days of the week.
The people of Judah would live for themselves. They would do their business and take advantage of the poor, the widows and orphans; and anyone else there was to take advantage of. During times of tragedy the merchants would increase prices on needed goods; and think they were doing God a service. They cheated people with weights and measures, and chalked it up to and would say, “It’s just business”. Their hearts were far away from God, godliness, and thinking Biblically. They thought rather of “business”, and making more and more.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us:
“Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.” Jeremiah 7:4 (KJV)
The prophet called by God, the door of the Temple, proclaimed to the people to “Amend your ways…” because they were going about their personal and business affairs as though they could get by with their evil deeds because God had promised that their kingdom, and the temple would be forever. Afterall they were the recipients of the word of God, the law of God, the ordinances of God; they need not worry about devotion to God or anything like that.
Lies, lies, and more lies is what the “gainsayers” were saying. “Gainsayers” could be those who are all for profit at the expense of godliness, Biblical living, and righteousness. They are out to make a profit at the expense of the public they supposedly serve. These false prophets are in the business for a profit, and to make as much profit as they possibly can, and to take advantage during times of trouble.
The prophet is calling for Judah to repent of neglecting godliness, repent of their listening to the lying words of the prophets for profit who would tell the people something like, “O, the temple will stand forever. Don’t worry about godliness, righteousness. We are sure and secure in the temple.” Lies, lies and more lies, and the people were perishing, headed for a captivity that would last for 70 years, and destroy the city of Jerusalem, and the temple.
Professing Christians, and deceived-sidetracked Christians of 2009, especially here in the USA can be found trusting in what we call capitalism. Capitalism is about profit; and the businesses of our country are in business to make a profit. There is nothing wrong with making profit; except when it begins to hurt others. When a profit making business does not pass its profits to its employees through bonuses, raises in wages, etc; or when they begin to raise their prices to make it hard or impossible for the poor, widow, orphan or lower wage earner to have a needed product they have become ungodly, and even greedy. Greed is not good. It may be American, but I personally want no part of greed.
Greed is officially taking trust away from God, His Word, and His ordinances, and putting trust in the power [seeming power] of wealth. Just as the people of Jeremiah’s day were trusting in the temple, because of the promise of God, they had made His promises vain by neglecting the right and godly things; trusting in the lies of the lying prophets. They did not amend their ways and ended up in captivity.
If the USA, and especially Christians, fail to amend her ways we too shall fall. We have received warning. We have fallen in status of world leadership to a small extent; but that will become greater. We are in captivity of sorts. Many are in captivity to debt.
The proper place to put our trust is in the Lord our God, the one who died for our sins on the cross of calvary, was buried, and rose again from the grave. He is coming again. Put your trust in Him. “Whosoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”. He is your RIGHTFUL TRUST.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Mark 8:1-38
From J. C. Ryle, for verses 1 – 13, “Let us observe in this passage how great is the kindness and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Let us observe, in the second place, from this passage, that with Christ nothing is impossible.” “Let us observe, in the last place, how much sorrow unbelief occasions to our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.” Mark 8:1-9 (KJV)
There are some who want us to believe that the feeding of the “five thousand” and the feeding of the “four thousand” are actually the same feeding “Miracle”. If they were they would not be mentioned back to back with one another. Mark 6:34-43 contains the miracle of the feeding of the “five thousand”, and then Matthew 14:15-21 does as well. Then, we have the feeding of the “four thousand” here in chapter 8 of Mark with the feeding of the “four thousand” also mentioned in Matthew 15:32-38. The questions of the legitimacy of Scriptures only come from those who do not want to believe it. I am not talking of “honest” questions which are for information and not for placing doubt.
We see that Jesus had “Compassion” on the people who were following. His heart was moved with sympathy and called for them to be fed. The question came up again, “How are we going to feed them?” “How many loaves have we?” was the question Jesus asked. Their answer was “seven”.
As I sit and study this passage I find myself wondering why these disciples were wondering how these people were going to be fed. Then, I stop to think about how many times I have seen the wonder of the power of God in Christ and I wonder no more at the “doubts” of the disciples. It is “hardness of heart”. Why is it we can witness the power of God and His intervention in our lives one day, and then, just a few days later we are in doubt again and wondering, “Where is God in all of this?”
We must note that in Matthew’s Gospel of this account he writes in verse 38, “Now those who ate were 4,000 men, besides women and children. Matt 15:38 (HCSB)”. Seeing how there were four thousand men it would be quite reasonalble to assume there could have been 12,000 – 15,000 or more there to eat of the bread and fish of the Creator. That would only be a wife and one child for every man who was present.
The compassion of Jesus is wonderful, and it is sure that nothing is impossible for Him.
“And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.” Mark 8:10-12 (KJV)
The unbelieving will not believe even though they see a sign. If they will not believe “Moses and the Prophets” they will not believe though one has risen from the dead. Jesus made a similar statement in Luke 16:31.
Jesus had done many mighty works and the Pharisees were witnesses to many of them. Their problem was jealousy. Jesus had a following and they did not. Jesus was doing mighty works, and they could not. Jesus lived a life without fault, and they did not. Jesus lived a life without sin, and they did not. Jesus was the Son of God, and they were the children of Satan.
In Matthew 12:38-40 Jesus said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matt 12:39-40 (KJV)”. When these religious leaders were not even believing the Scriptures (Moses and the Prophets), why would they believe even though they had the Son of God standing before them doing miracles. They “Could not see the forest for the trees”. As we saw in the last chapter (chapter 7) they added their tradition to their laws, thus, in effect cancelling out the Scriptures – at least for themselves. Because of that the Word of God had no effect on their lives, and it would not have any effect on others as they looked at the Pharisees. The sign of the prophet Jonah was that he had been three days and nights in the “Fish’s belly”, and Jesus would be three days and nights in the “Heart of the earth”.
Jesus rose from the grave after three days, and rather than believe it they tried to make it into a lie, by telling lies, and bribing officials to tell lies. They were blind, so they could not see. They were deaf, so they could not hear.
Seeing miracles does not give faith. They may assure it, but faith comes by hearing the word of the Lord (Rom. 10:17). Faith stands when there is no miracle. Faith grows without a miracle, and by the word of the Lord.
“And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?” Mark 8:13-21 (KJV)
(SEE Matthew 16:12).
As we saw in the last chapter the Pharisees made themselves “loopholes” in order to escape the clear teachings of the law. Only the religious leaders knew these “loopholes”, thus the people knew nothing of them.
The “Leaders” had a Sabbath law of a “Sabbath days journey”. By this they limited the distance a person could travel on the Sabbath. They exempted themselves by interpreting that law to mean from your property, so they could take a chair, stool, saddle, sandal, piece of clothing out a normal “Sabbath days journey”, then take another piece of personal property another “Sabbath days journey”, and place another item, and could go on and on. These actions were, thus, a form of “False doctrine” and “False living”. They were condemning themselves by their very lies and the lives they lived.
J. C. Ryle on verses 14-21, 1)
“Let us notice the solemn warning which our Lord gives to His disciples at the beginning of this passage.” 2) “Let us notice the dull understanding of the disciples, when our Lord gave the warning of this passage.”
“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.” Mark 8:22-26 (KJV)
J. C. Ryle gives us four thoughts concerning these verses,
1) “it is well to remember, in reading passages of this kind, that the Lord is not tied to the use of any one means.”; 2) “One thing in the passage demands our special observation. That thing is the gradual nature of the cure which our Lord performed on this blind man. He did not deliver him from his blindness at once, but by degrees.”; 3) “Let us see then in this gradual restoration to sight, a vivid illustration of the manner in which the Spirit frequently works in the conversion of souls. We are all naturally blind and ignorant in the matters which concern our souls. Conversion is an illumination, a change from darkness to light, from blindness to seeing the kingdom of God.”; 4) “Finally, let us see in the gradual cure of this blind man, a striking picture of the present position of Christ’s believing people in the world, compared with that which is to come. We see in part and know in part in the present dispensation. We are like those that travel by night. We know not the meaning of much that is passing around us.”
“And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” Mark 8:27-33 (KJV)
Things J. C. Ryle writes that we as Christians need to observe,
1) “Let us observe the variety of opinions about Christ, which prevailed among the Jews. Some said that He was John the Baptist–some Elijah–and others one of the prophets. In short every kind of opinion appears to have been current, excepting that one which was true.”; 2) “Let us observe the good confession of faith which the apostle Peter witnessed.”; 3) “Let us observe the full declaration which our Lord makes of His own coming death and resurrection. We read that “He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”; 4) “Finally, let us observe in this passage the strange mixture of grace and infirmity which may be found in the heart of a true Christian. We see that very Peter who had just witnessed so noble a confession, presuming to rebuke his Master because He spoke of suffering and dying.”
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38 (KJV)
J. C. Ryle’s commentary on these verses,
1) “We learn, for one thing, from these verses, the absolute necessity of self-denial, if we would be Christ’s disciples, and be saved. What says our Lord? “Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”; 2) “Let us often ask ourselves whether our Christianity costs us anything? Does it entail any sacrifice? Has it the true stamp of heaven? Does it carry with it any cross? If not, we may well tremble and be afraid. We have everything to learn. A religion which costs nothing, is worth nothing. It will do us no good in the life that now is. It will lead to no salvation in the life to come.”; 3) “We learn, for another thing, from these verses, the unspeakable value of the soul. What says our Lord? “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” These words were meant to stir us up to exertion and self-denial. They ought to ring in our ears like a trumpet, every morning when we rise from our beds, and every night when we lie down. May they be deeply engraved in our memories, and never effaced by the devil and the world!”; 4) “We learn, in the last place, from these verses, the great danger of being ashamed of Christ. What says our Lord? “Whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’”
-Tim A. Blankenship quoting much from J.C. Ryle
On Saturday November 14 Cassville’s Football team played Rogersville team and defeated them 21 – 20. Rogersville was a great team to play, and put up a good fight as you can tell by the score.
Now Cassville goes on the the simi finals, and then God willing to State championships in St. Louis.
I am thrilled to see the Cassville Wildcats doing so well.
Go Wildcats. All the way to State Championship for 2009.
-Tim A. Blankenship
With a movie out called 2012, and other movies which have been made proclaiming the possibilities of the “end of the world” (Armegeddon, The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, etc) it seems there are children who are thinking the earth and all the people on it are in danger of total destruction.
The movies I have seen on this issue remind me of a cartoon. Wiley Coyote, and the Roadrunner; where Wiley chases the Coyote, falls over a cliff with an anvil, to the bottom of a very deep canyon, with the anvil nailing him on his head, and he goes on to chase the Roadrunner in one more episode. Laughable, entertaining, helping you forget; or put aside for a short time; some real life situations.
Something we should take note of is that many who espouse the “Global warming” idea, and that if we don’t do something about it will mean “the end of the world”. What I think we should notice is that some of these same “Scientist”, speculators; whatever they are; are also evolutionists who say by that theory that “The world is getting better and better”, and that “mankind is evolving toward becoming a better species”, and yet they warn us of destroying the earth. Isn’t that a contradiction of thought and terms. Just how could things be getting better and better, yet at the same time destroying the earth.
Something we need to think about is this: The world will not end in 2012, or anytime in the near future. I believe this because of the promises of a grand ole book. He has told us in that book that He will not allow the destruction of the earth. He is going to come, make all things new, changing the world as we know it, and He Himself will rule in this world and all evil will be put away.
That is the promises of the Word of God – the Bible. The world is not coming to and end, but your life could end before the next beat of your heart, or your next breath. The only assurances we have are found in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. Call on His name and live.
-Tim A. Blankenship
I have had the privilege of attending two home games of our High School football team this football season. The first home game was against Branson, and we lost. I don’t even remember the score.
The second game I watched was against Monett, and to the best of my remembrance we won by quite a margin, again I don’t remember the score. Many of Cassville’s scores have been runaways.
The team has had a 8 – 1 season with the only lost game to Branson. Our team are the District champs and they played hard to get it.
The last two games have been play off games. The first against Aurora High School and the score was something like 56 – 14. Last night our team played Seneca High School and won 17 – 7.
It looks as though they are on their way to State Championship once again. That would truly be a first for Cassville Schools in the Southwest corner of the State of Missouri.
GO CASSVILLE WILDCATS. GO! BACK TO THE DOME.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The woman at the well had met Jesus for the first time. He had asked her for a drink of water from the well to which she had came. Jesus had offered her water that would give her everlasting life with peace and joy in the presence of God.
While Jesus was speaking with her, He told her all about her life. She had had four failed marriages, and the man with whom she was presently living was not her husband. She believed Jesus, trusted Him with her life. Her first response was to go into the city and tell as many as she could and many of them believed, because of her personal testimony, and then, we have them saying,
“Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” John 4:42 (KJV).
They had believed her enough to go and meet the Man she told them about. When they meet Jesus they put their whole faith in Him.
Faith is not something you gain by the words of others. It is what you gain by meeting Jesus personally. There are many who believe they are “Christian” because their parents, or grandparents were. There are even some who believe they are “Christian”, because they were born in the United States of America, and because of that “Of course they are Christian”. That is not true. None of these cases makes one “Christian”.
If you were born in a garage would that make you a car? To become “Christ-like” which is the meaning of the word “Christian” requires receiving personal faith in Jesus Christ, and that is a gift He alone gives. Someone once told me, “God has no grandchildren”, and is that ever a true statement. Trust Christ for yourself. You will not know Him, nor will He know you if you are resting on the coattails of someone else.
-Tim A. Blankenship
In the world of 2009 there are many who desire “New Thought”, or I believe some are called “New Progressives” who desire new thought concerning life, life issues, religion, government, politics, news, family, law, or whatever. However, it appears to me that there is nothing that is new under the sun. I know of a man who told us that, and wrote about thousands of years ago. He is known as the wisest of men who ever walked on earth. His name was Solomon. His words were, “There is nothing new under the sun”.
As I read the prophet Jeremiah, and the other prophets I see nothing new in today’s world. People are still people; desiring their own way, turning from God’s way, and yet there are those who profess to be God’s people, even Christian, who will tell us we have to change to get people’s attention. How do we change? What do we change? Are we to change the message of God’s Word. God remains the same. His message remains the same. If we change it we become liars, and liars have no part with God, nor His kingdom.
Hear the prophet -
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV)
The “Old paths” of which Jeremiah speaks of of walking with God. Walking with God means being in agreement with God. The people of the prophet’s day were attempting to worship YaHWeH on the Sabbath day, and worship their way of life, or other gods the other six days of the week. They had abandoned the “old paths” by doing so, and the prophet was trying to call the people back to God; to repentance.
At first the attempt was to call them to repentance to prevent their captivity; however when the captivity became inevitable then, for repentance, that they might learn to live for God in captivity and be a witness to the foreign government to which they were going. The people needed rest for their souls due to their torment.
People in the United States of America are living tormented lives due to failing health, failing finances, unemployment, or threats of unemployment; and many family issues. People of the world need rest for their souls. Many are seeking rest through yoga, meditations, even prayer, yet rest doesn’t come. The “old paths” or “the good way” is not found in these things. The “old paths” are found only in following the dictates of God’s law. The “good way” is only in God’s way.
The prophet’s call is “Stand in the ways and see…” The “good way” is in the “old paths”, and this is found only in the Living Word of God; that is the person of His Son. Rather than accepting God’s way, the “old paths” and living “the good way” people still seek the “New thought” of helping themselves, following the paths of false religion found in yoga, meditations, and even in prayers. Understand me when I mention meditations and prayer. Meditating upon God’s Word, hearing God speak through His Word is good; and that is good meditation; anything else is devilish thought. Genuine heart prayer, seeking God’s will, understanding of His word, gaining wisdom from God, and seeking His direction and glory is expected of us. The prayer I refer to is the reading of prayer, rosary, planned recitations, which are filled with religious and pious thought, but no connection to heaven.
The sort of meditation and prayer which allows you to consort with godlessness while supposedly maintaining a relationship with God is fruitless for God and His glory. That is what the world, Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day was doing. That is what many of today’s world is doing as well. While wanting something new they follow the paths of the old rebels, rather than the “old paths” which we should follow in Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God.
The answer of the people to the prophet in that day was; “We will not walk therein”. If we choose to walk with the world, and take on their garments, we destroy our witness, our testimony of newness of life through Jesus Christ. We must put off the old man of flesh and sin; and put on the new man of life eternal (Ephesians 4:20-25); and also put away lying. The lying is done by confessing faith in Christ while also maintaining a life which is no different from the condemned and dying in sin.
I ask again, “Is anything really new?”
-Tim A. Blankenship
The pressures of the world are rushing ever near you. You feel like you should not have made that good move that you did. Things have changed, and right now it just does not seem like it was the right move to make. Hold on. Be strong. Be strong in the Lord; or as Moses said, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…”
“And Moses said unto the people, ‘Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will show you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14 (KJV).
The LORD had done many mighty, and marvelous things to bring the children of Israel to the edge of the Red Sea. There had been a complete destruction of the economy of Egypt, and their demon gods put to destruction as well. God the LORD had been exalted. Now they were in a tight situation. The Sea was before them, the rocks at their backs and the Egyptian army, with chariots and mighty warriors were coming with great speed, and they would be arriving soon.
When you have followed God’s plan, and you have reached the edge of decision, and it seems as though there is no place to go. That is the time to believe and trust the LORD God. It is not a time to complain, or wonder why did I leave where I was, thinking everything was fine, comfortable, and certainly did not have this problem coming at me.
It is time to see the salvation of the LORD. If He has led you out, then He will lead you through that barrier that is ahead of you. Trust Him. Believe, and you will see the salvation of the LORD.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Mark 7:1-37
“1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?” Mark 7:1-5 (KJV)
If there is fault to find the fault would be with those who seek to find fault with that which is perfect. The disciples, or followers of Jesus are not perfect, but they do follow a perfect Lord and Savior. The “Nay-sayers” and “fault finders” are simply without any evidence of truth, and so object to any one who is living out the truth; which is the life of Jesus.
In the day we live in there are good health reasons for washing of hands. To wash hands after using the restroom is certainly a means of preventing disease, illness, or sickness. Washing one’s hands after using a handrail or shaking hands with people is a good idea, to prevent colds, the Swine flu [h1n1] threat of the day, or other sickness. There is much sickness that is passed from one person to another just by the hands, so washing them often is a good idea, but let’s not be obnoxious about it.
There are a lot of people who believe the saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is in the Bible. It is not. I think the religious leaders of Jesus’ day must have thought that it was. They had developed a tradition of “Handwashing” which they had elevated over Scriptures. Not only had they done that, but they had neglected to practice the practical teachings of Scripture concerning caring for parents (vv. 10-11).
Verse 3 - “except they wash”
G3538
νίπτω
niptō
nip’-to
To cleanse (especially the hands or the feet or the face); ceremonially to perform ablution: – wash. Compare G3068.
v. 4 – “except they wash”
G907
βαπτίζω
baptizō
bap-tid’-zo
From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed (that is, fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: – baptist, baptize, wash.
In verses three and four we have the word “wash” used in two different ways. The one in verse three has to do with the washing of hands before eating their meal in a ceremonial fashion.
“The ceremony involved someone pouring water out of a jar onto another’s hands; whose fingers must be pointing up. As long as the water dripped off at the wrist, the person could proceed to the next step. He then had water poured over both hands with the fingers pointing down. Then each hand was to be rubbed with the fist of the other hand.” FROM MACARTHUR STUDY BIBLE pg. 1473.
Verse four is our word for “Baptism”, and it leaves us with the idea that after these men had been to the market, around a lot of people, they were required to take a ceremonial bath [it could be only the immersing of their hands in water] before they could even eat a meal. That seems like a whole lot of trouble to eat a meal.
The disciples were eating without the ceremonial cleansing of their hands. The question was brought up by the Pharisees as to why this was so. Nit pickers is the word I would use concerning them. Eating without washing the hands defiles no one.
The Pharisees were actually accusing Jesus of teaching the disciples against the “traditions of the elders”.
For verses 1 – 13 J. C. Ryle wrote, 1)
“The first thing which demands our attention in these verses, is the low and degraded condition of Jewish religion, when our Lord was upon earth.”; 2) “The second thing, that demands our attention, is the uselessness of mere lip-service in the worship of God.”; 3) “The last thing that demands our attention in these verses, is the tendency of man’s inventions in religion to supplant God’s word.”
“6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:6-23 (KJV)
When the traditions of men become as important or in the case of the Pharisees more important than the clear teachings of God’s Word, then hypocrisy had crept in and the Word of God has no affect on the heart. These were, in effect, honoring God with their lips, but their heart was unclean and far from God – “Wherefore the Lord said, ‘Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men…” (Isaiah 29:13).
The Pharisees were teaching the traditions of men as though they were “doctrine” with the same authority and inspiration of Scriptures. They were wrong. Are there ways by which we can put “traditions” above Scripture? How about some rules concerning our buildings, area of worship, music in worship, giving of offerings in worship, our dress, physical appearance, etc.? Can a born again/Christian be a hypocrite? NO! Can we be hypocritical? YES!
G5273
ὑποκριτής
hupokritēs
hoop-ok-ree-tace’
From G5271; an actor under an assumed character (stage player), that is, (figuratively) a dissembler (“hypocrite”): – hypocrite.
A “Hypocrite” is, “an actor under an assumed character”. Basically someone pretending to be something they are not. They can boast long and loud of their faith and character, but there is no fruit, proof, or evidence of it. Jesus called these men “You hypocrites…”. They were “Hypocrites” not just hypocritical. They put on a good religious front, but had nothing of the heart.
They had even taken the commandment of God which says, “Honor your father and mother” and put a tradition with it which allowed them to withhold support from their elderly parents if they had designated the support need as “a gift”. “Corban” was the phrase they used to exonerate themselves from supporting their parents. That is one of their traditions which had taken the place of Scripture. They had in affect made of “None effect” by their traditions.
The heart of man is desperately wicked. It is from the heart that man is defiled and made unclean. Nothing from without us can make us unclean. It is due to an unclean heart that we stand condemned by God, to a Christless eternity. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)”. Can we hear the words of Jesus as He tells us that He is more concerned with the depraved heart of man than He is with “sacrifice”; “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)”. Although this is Old Testament it certainly portrays the depraved heart, in thinking that an act of “sacrifice” is greater than the written Word of God.
J. C. Ryle writes for verses 14 – 23, 1)
“We see in the beginning of this passage, how slow of understanding men are in spiritual things.”; 2) “We see, in the second place, from this passage, that the heart is the chief source of defilement and impurity in God’s sight.”; 3) “We see, in the last place, from this passage, what a black catalogue of evils the human heart contains.”
“24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.” Mark 7:24-30 (KJV)
The “dogs” to which Jesus refers is not a derogatory term of meaning “mean, vicious, or mangy”, but most likely a family pet. Jesus ministry was to be to the household of Israel, and this woman was a Gentile, “And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” Matthew 15:22 (NASB)”, and He viewed this woman and her child as part of the household, but not a prominent part of it. The “dogs” were under the table.
This was a test of the woman’s faith. How would she respond? Would she leave disappointed or would she keep on believing, and trust the Savior to do His work in her and her daughter? She would believe. The woman’s daughter was another one who was demon possessed. It does not go into any details to tell us the situation of the daughter – how this demon effected her life – it just simply tells us she “had an unclean spirit”.
Just by His Word Jesus delivers the daughter, and the mother leaves believing the saying to be true. That is a wonderful faith. Concoction of rules does not a righteous person make. Believing the Word of God and obeying is the path of righteousness.
J. C. Ryle on verses 24 – 30,
1) “In the first place, this passage is meant to encourage us to pray for others.”; 2) “In the second place, this passage is meant to teach us to persevere in praying for others.”
“31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” Mark 7:31-37 (KJV)
Someone has said, “We have two ears and one mouth, so that means we are to do twice as much listening as we do speaking”. That is really good advice. It is with that that it seems Jesus may have thought the same thing, because He opened up his hearing first. Part of that would be because most people who do not hear cannot speak, or cannot speak well also.
It is important that we listen; especially to the Word of the Lord; so that we might faithfully and powerfully proclaim it to a world that is lost and condemned by sin. Hear the Word of God then proclaim it. Jesus said above, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (v.16). All that Jesus said and taught is worth our hearing and doing.
The Lord opened the ears so me might hear the Gospel of Christ and be saved, and He gave us speech so that we might praise Him, and sound forth the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you have redeemed ears, and a redeemed mouth? If you are in Jesus Christ you have.
Ryle wrote,
1)”The first thing that demands our notice in these verses, is the mighty miracle that is here recorded.”; 2) “The second thing which demands our notice in these verses, is the peculiar manner in which our Lord thought good to work the miracle here recorded.”; 3) “But there is one simple lesson to be learned from our Lord’s conduct on this occasion. That lesson is, that Christ was not tied to the use of any one means in doing His works among men.”; 4) “We see the same thing going on still in the Church of Christ. We see continual proof that the Lord is not tied to the use of any one means exclusively in conveying grace to the soul.”; 5) “The last thing which demands our notice in these verses, is the remarkable testimony which was borne by those who saw the miracle here recorded.”
If we do not do what we hear we are hypocrites and do not glorify the Lord of life. The miracle of your changed life is what others will see.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Most Christians have heard of a day called, “the day of the LORD”, and know that it is a day of reckoning for those who are out of His will, rebelling against Him, and just living a life of debauchery. There was a time in the Nation of Judah, that a prophet by the name of Joel warned the people of the “day of the LORD”. He has asked them the question, “…Who can abide it?” Joel 2:11 (KJV)
There are days we hear of as followers of Jesus which we long for. One of those days is the day of the rapture of the Church. It will not be a good day for those who remain behind; it will in fact be a day of chaos. We as Christians need to be sure that our lives are right with Him, and not put on false pretenses of repentance, and sorrow over sin.
Hear the Word of the LORD:
“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil.” Joel 2:12-13 (KJV).
False repentance is just as bad, if not worse than no repentance. False repentance is just what is seen in the above verses. The religious Jew sometimes to show sorrow, grief, and/or a repentant attitude tore a portion of their outer garment. This they did for show in these days. As followers of Jesus, and just as then, God knows our hearts, our attitude of mind. We cannot fool God, the One who knows all things. False repentance is an act to show others how religious, and how badly we seem to feel concerning sin.
There is a word for that which Jesus used for many of the religious leaders of His day. That word is “Hypocrite”. That is ‘A pretender’, an actor. Another term for that could be, “a wolf in sheeps clothing”. Why is it that too many times Christians are sheep in wolves clothing? Let’s be true, and show forth a true repentance.
-Tim A. Blankenship
