9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[d] and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[e] 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
(Jerome Nadal- Evangelical Historie)Thoughts: Jesus was not for abolishing the gist of the commandment. He rebuked the Pharisees for not honoring their father and mother, but finding a way to excuse their disobedience. Jesus was in favor of elevating scripture as authoritative over human traditions- the experts (of the law- or of science- or of experience). The experts in the law were great at finding a way around the law. Jesus encouraged the people to reform according to the Word of God, not according to their expertise.
Prayer: Help me, like Christ, to always hold onto your word more than human traditions.
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