23rd September 2024, Horsham
For me, my relationship with Christ is deeply personal. It’s like having a one to one relationship with him. Being a ‘follower of Jesus’ is much more important to me than denominational affiliation, membership of a particular Church group, or a focus on narrow doctrinal differences. It’s not enough to casually wander behind others who speak loudly and confidently about their own views of Jesus, conforming to their views and attitudes. The requirement is to get close yourself. Follow closely.
I often mention in this series the importance of context when quoting Scripture, and therefore I rarely write about a single verse. Here’s an exception. For me, this verse seems profoundly relevant and powerful the world we live in today .
Of course, I’m not about to ignore the context. Jesus is in confrontation with some of the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law who have been critical of the behaviour of his disciples for their failure to adhere to the teachings of the Mishna (the Rabbinical interpretation of the Jewish Law). You can read my post about it here and you can read the full story at Mark 7:1-13. Calling them hypocrites (Mark 7:6), Jesus turns the criticism back on to the Jewish leaders for putting a higher value on their interpretation than on the Law itself.
Part way through this argument we come to this verse.
‘You have let go the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.’ (Mark 7:9)
There’s something profound in this for me about being a Christian in our times. I’m constantly bombarded by the views of Christian friends, preachers and writers, many of whom think they have deep insight and the right to criticise others who hold alternative views.
This verse holds a warning for leaders who are able to dictate the view of the Church on doctrinal issues and worship style. I’m not saying that strong leaders are always wrong, but we need to guard against the risk of elevating the traditions and views of those around us, or even our own interpretations of Scripture, to a higher level of importance than the teaching of Jesus.
History is littered with appalling, shameful actions taken in the name of Jesus, often justifies by reference to verses of Scripture torn from their intended context and invested with erroneous meaning. We live in a time when the Word of God is more accessible than it has ever been before, giving us the privilege of reading and learning for ourselves. Jesus warned that to hear his words and not put them in to practice is like building your house on the sand. To take individual verses out of context and interpret them to meet our personal or political views or ambitions is to build your house on quicksand.
To be a follower of Jesus, we need to build on the rock. As best we can, we need to put His words into practice. We need to be very cautious about accepting the views and traditions of others around us, attractive though they might seem to be, without first testing them against Scripture, always looking for the context within which it was written.
You have let go of human traditions, and hold on to the commands of God.
Avoid legalism. Recognise traditions for what they are. Avoid misunderstandings.
Follow closely. Listen to the words of Jesus. Reflect on them. Put them into practice.