Tradition versus God's Commandments - Matthew 15

Tony Pearce speaks on Matthew 15.1-20, Isaiah 29.9-14.
• Tradition versus God’s commandment – Jesus’ dispute with the Pharisees.
• The sealed book and the commandments of men – origin of Jewish Talmudic teaching.
• Jesus’ rejection of Pharisaic legalism. Freedom to worship God in spirit and truth
• Where does defilement come from? The sin issue – religion versus the Gospel.
• The Gospel as an offence, especially to religious people.

“Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father [a]or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
Matthew 15.3-9