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Christ Foretells a Great Uprooting
This chapter is based on Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23.
The mission of the Twelve showed that Christ’s work was ex-
panding, and so it had reignited the jealousy of the leaders at
Jerusalem. The spies they had sent to Capernaum in the early part of
Christ’s ministry had been no match for Jesus, but now they sent an-
other delegation to watch His movements and find some accusation
against Him.
As before, the basis of their complaint was that He disregarded
the traditional rules supposedly designed to help people keep from
breaking the law. Among the rules they enforced most strenuously
was ceremonial purification. They claimed that neglecting the forms
to be observed before eating was a terrible sin.
Those who tried to observe the rabbis’ requirements found life
to be one long struggle against ceremonial defilement. While the
people were occupied with trivial observances, their attention was
turned away from the great principles of God’s law.
Christ and His disciples did not observe ceremonial washings.
The spies, however, did not make a direct attack on Christ, but came
to Him with criticism of His disciples: “Why do Your disciples
transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their
hands when they eat bread.”
Jesus made no attempt to defend Himself or His disciples. He
proceeded to show the spirit that drove these sticklers for human
ceremonies. He gave them an example of what they were repeatedly
doing: “All too well you reject the commandment of God,” He said,
“that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your
father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother,
let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father
or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is
Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God)”; and you no longer let him do
anything for his father or his mother.” An undutiful child only needed
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