Controversy over Tradition & Defilement #1

In this part of the sermon: This section details the introductory statement of the Pharisees' arrival from Jerusalem, their observation of the disciples eating with 'defiled' hands, and Mark's explanatory…

Martin quotes an unnamed author's succinct description of the Pharisees as a Jewish sect focused on strict outward observance of the law and rabbinic tradition, cultivating hollow formalism and self-righteousness, which Jesus repeatedly exposed.

To the Christian faith And new to the teaching of the Bible Perhaps just a brief word Of explanation As to the identity Of these scribes and Pharisees Is in order One author has very succinctly Described their identity this way The Pharisees were that Jewish sect Or party Which laid utmost stress On the strictest outward observance Of the law Including the tradition of the rabbis And the regulations Which professed To build Formidable protecting hedge About the law Utterly self-righteous

11:50 - 12:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section details the introductory statement of the Pharisees' arrival from Jerusalem, their observation of the disciples eating with 'defiled' hands, and Mark's explanatory…

Martin quotes a commentator explaining the 'tradition of the elders' as the binding judgments and interpretations of past Jewish teachers, orally transmitted and later codified in the Mishnah, intended as a 'fence around the law' but making religious life grievous.

They were holding fast Well they were the old And the venerable rabbis Whose rules and regulations Had been passed on From generation to generation Listen again To one commentator Who has very accurately Summarized their identity In the tradition of the elders The Pharisees held firmly To these ceremonial washings As part of the tradition Of the elders An expression occurring Only here And in the parallel passage In Matthew Tradition designates The teaching that is passed on From teacher to pupil The elders does not

17:44 - 18:28 Read in full sermon

Driving home: For from within, out of the heart of men, Evil thoughts proceed, Fornications, Thefts, murders, adulteries, Covetings, wickedness, Deceit, lasciviousness, And evil eye, Railing, pride, foolishness, All these evil things …

Jesus uses the biological process of food digestion and elimination to illustrate that what goes into the body cannot defile the heart, thereby making all foods clean and refuting the Pharisees' concern over ritual handwashing.

Don't you perceive That whatever from without That is of food Goes into the man It can't defile him Why? Because the food Children when you eat your food Where does it go? Into your heart Or into your tummy It goes into your tummy Doesn't it? Your food goes down this pipe And into your tummy And in a marvelous way A way that causes amazement to us For we're fearfully and wonderfully made The stomach works on that food And breaks it down And all the juices in there work on it And then it makes its way down Through the intestines

38:42 - 39:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine what regulates your religious thinking and practice: man-made traditions or the authoritative Word of God.

Martin references the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof' and Tevye's explanation of tradition ('It's our tradition!') to illustrate the mentality of clinging to tradition without understanding its origin or purpose, reflecting the Pharisees' mindset.

Or the authoritative Word of God Notice five times In that opening section The word tradition Is found Verse three Holding to The tradition Of the elders Verse five Holding to The tradition Of the elders Verse five Of the elders Verse eight You hold fast The tradition Of men Verse nine You keep Your tradition Verse thirteen Making void The word of God By your tradition Now many of us Cannot hear the word tradition So frequently Without hearing Strains of fiddle Around the roof I'm sure

43:02 - 43:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow man's traditions to remove you from direct, loving, submissive, and comprehensive exposure to God's Word, which exposes and mortifies sin in the heart.

Martin uses the metaphor of a 'religious peacockery' to describe the strutting, self-righteous attitude of the Pharisee in the temple, contrasting it with the humble, heart-searching worship God desires.

And the moment a generation comes that says, we'll let man's traditions take us one step away from direct contact, from a loving, submissive, comprehensive exposure to this Word, we've started down the high road of empty, formal religion. And then there will be in these pews peoples whose hearts are a sink of all of these sins. Adultery, pride, railing, foolishness, thievery, self-centeredness, arrogance, and they'll be able to come,

50:46 - 51:30 Read in full sermon