Tradition or Transformation By Ed McDowell

The Transition from Tradition to Transformation

Jesus responds to concerns about dishonoring long-standing traditions by focusing on transformation.

“Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

Matthew 15:1-2, NLT

Reflection

Of all the things the teachers of religious law could have focused on with Jesus, they chose ceremonial handwashing before a meal. There does not seem to be much interest in all the miracles of healing, the miraculous feeding of thousands with little provision, and the powerful teaching.

Yet, as often happens in religion (the church of today included), we focus on an insignificant tradition as the issue to focus on with Christ.

The question of ceremonial handwashing before meals concerns authority and tradition: Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? They say, “Who gave you the authority or right to encourage people to disobey our traditions?!”

Jesus responds by saying they have developed traditions that contradict God’s commandments. Here is how Matthew records it: 

“Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?

For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’

But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.”

Matthew 15:3-6, NLT

The religious leaders of the day taught that if one dedicated something to God, it was unavailable for personal use or for the help of others, such as one’s parents. This tradition was known as a “Corban Vow”. This is not what God taught. It is not his way, yet the religious leaders communicated it as such.

To make his point truly clear, Jesus pulls from the words of the prophet Isaiah these words: 

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.”

 Matthew 15:8-9, NLT

Jesus turns this conversation from the question about tradition to the transformation of the heart. He is saying we are focus on the wrong thing. A tradition of ceremonial hand washing before a meal will not address a defiled heart.

The real issue of focus is the transformation of our hearts. Listen to Jesus as he invites the crowd into this conversation with the religious leaders: 

“Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

“Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Matthew 15:10-11, 17-20, NLT

Encouragement

Jesus is inviting us to focus on the transformation of our hearts.

He also cautions us against teaching our forged religious traditions as if they are commandments of God.

Another way of saying this is that things done in the name of God by religious leaders that are not the will of God have detrimental impacts on those around us. Jesus had clear words for the disciples regarding this: 

“Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

Matthew 15:12-14, NLT

The question on the table is “How can our hearts be transformed?”

The answer is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ, supported by the presence of the Holy Spirit. It begins with repentance and is followed by a life of surrender, submission, and obedience to God through Christ.

Jesus or ceremonial hand washing, which has the potential to transform our hearts?

Jesus offers transformation of the heart.

Prayer

Father God,

We confess that our religion has used your church to create some traditions that have become more important to us than the life-changing work of Christ transforming our hearts.

In our sin, we have a knack for focusing on the trivial while calling us to the profound through your son, Jesus Christ.

Forgive us when we have declared and pursued things with your name attached to it, that are not of you, nor do they stand for you and your ways.

Thank you for Jesus focusing us on what is more important.

Thank you for being forgiven by Christ.

Thank you for the opportunity to follow you and obey your ways through Christ with the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for your Word.

Thank you for the body of Christ—Brothers and sisters in Christ, seeking to follow you.

Seeking you is what leads to a transformed heart. Thank you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray,

Amen

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Ed McDowell is the CEO of Warm Beach Camp Ministries. He also coaches and consults in board leadership and development to bring fresh perspectives to perplexing situations. Ed authorizes a devotional series titled A Well-Planted Faith in an Uprooted Culture. His writing and speaking aim to challenge people to have God’s Word inform how they live. Ed and his wife, Bev, live on Camano Island, Washington, where they live out their mission statement: “to give our lives away for the cause of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible.”

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