A Heart that is Far Away

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)—then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Mark 7:1–13
+
A Heart that is Far Away
The human heart always wants to make a name for itself. It would prefer to go at it alone and receive all the honor for its own work. It comes up with the things it can handle to be impressive before men. However, the Law of God is unbearable. The Law crushes, accuses, and condemns. We must be rescued from it. The Law can't just be taken away. It must be fulfilled and completed. Jesus does this for you. He keeps every Law. He never sins. He takes your punishment for you. Wow! That is honoring his Father. He loves you and take all the burden. He dies and takes the punishment you deserve. He rises again to life and lives with you. Thanks be to God.