Barriers to Truth

KEY VERSE: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” —Mark 7:8, New International Version

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Mark 7:1-13

IN THIS LESSON the Pharisees and scribes, confronted our Lord with accusations concerning the reason why he allowed his disciples to eat bread with unwashed hands. The Jewish religious leaders reasoned that they were more pure and clean than were Jesus and his followers. The formal ceremonial washing of hands was stressed as an important part of their religion, and those who did not conform to their teachings were considered unclean.

This became a barrier to the fundamental truths the Master preached because it emphasized the ritualistic aspects of the Law instead of the simple truths as outlined in the Word of God.

“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 7:5

Jesus never taught impurity nor carelessness of any kind, but answered his questioners by citing a passage of Scripture from the Prophet Isaiah who said: “This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.”—Isa. 29:13

The ‘tradition of the elders’ consisted of the theories and opinions that had been formulated by Israel’s Doctors of the Law, and passed down through successive generations. These practices were not based on the true principles of the Word of God. Jesus not only preached the Scriptures, but manifested the spirit of the truth in all his proclamations concerning God’s laws.

The Pharisees, however, were blinded by the customs of men while endeavoring to uphold the letter of their own Talmud. The letter of the Law became a snare to those who failed to see the spirit of the perfect Law of God.

They professed to keep the commandments of God carefully, while actually being followers of human rituals. There is a lesson for all Christian people to be on guard concerning the matter of keeping their hearts clean and pure. The food and drink that may be consumed will sustain the body for a short time, but the words and actions that arise from the body may do lasting injury. “That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”—Mark 7:20-23

The Apostle Paul brings this to our attention in his Epistle to the Romans. He said, “The kingdom of God does not consist in eating and drinking, but in uprightness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, and whoever in this way serves Christ, pleases God, and is approved by men.”—Rom. 14:17,18, Weymouth

The Jews set up ceremonial barriers to the purity of the truth, and were thus blinded by their own traditions. No matter how clean the hands of an individual are, there would be no effect upon an unclean heart from which much pollution may flow. Therefore, let us always be on guard against every form of hypocrisy.

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