AR 7{In this chapter the Lord exposes the foolishness of man's heart in putting religious forms and washings before the Word of God, and that men's traditions oppose and make of none effect the Word of God, then He tells what comes out of the hearts of men, and in His miracles we see His own love and goodness unfolded.
Verses 1-5. The Pharisees and Scribes from Jerusalem came together unto Him, and when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they found fault. The tradition of the elders had added this. It seemed right, and were they not wise men that came to the conclusion that it should be done? So they ask Him, "Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?”
Verses 6-13. He answered and said unto them, "Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites (He could read their hearts through and through), as it is written, This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and man other such like things ye do." Then He gives them a sample of how they set the Word of God aside: He said unto them, "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother, making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." Such were the Pharisees and the Scribes, and we must not think they are all dead yet, though some of them would be grievously offended if one said they were Pharisees. A Pharisee trusts in himself to work out his own righteousness, and thinks himself far better than a poor sinner, like the publicans. (Luke 18:9.) The Lord calls them hypocrites. What they do religiously seems very nice, but on examination it proves to be dead works, and sets aside the finished work of Christ and the Word of God. Man's religion consists of outward observances. It does not necessarily take a Jewish from or character; it may be thought to be Christianity, but it puts forms and outward show instead of Christ. It is generally called church work; they may be duly baptized members, and take the communion, belong to Christian Endeavors, be Sunday School teachers, or leaders in class meetings, and mingle with those who are truly washed from their sins in the blood of Christ, and yet be only Pharisees, hypocrites, imitation of Christians; and all they do is displeasing to God, for they do not know the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior. They never realized that they were guilty, lost sinners, needing a Savior. A true Christian is one who has found out that he was a guilty sinner in the sight of God, and who came to Jesus as the One who died on the Cross for his sins. Have you, dear reader, come to Christ yet? Each one of us must begin there.
What greater sin can be committed than to set aside the Word of God and the work of atonement. Hearken to the Word, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Rom. 4:5.) Let not Isa. 29:13 be true of you.
Verse 14-16. He called all the people unto Him, and said, "Hearken unto Me, every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." Man looks at the outward appearance; the Lord looks on the heart. The tradition of the elders let a man off from supporting his parents, if he gave the money to the priests, or for the temple. God held them guilty of setting aside His Word. We cannot improve the World; we must take it, let it judge our ways, and let it lead us in His way. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink (nor outward ordinances), but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Rom. 14:17.) God always begins inside.
Verses 17-23. The disciples did not understand what He taught in verses 14 and 15, so asked Him concerning the parable. He gently rebuked their lack of spiritual understanding and explained to them not only the natural course of food, but what was more important and serious-the moral degradation of man: of each one of us by nature. How humbling it is to know that Verses 21, 22 is the state of my heart and your heart by nature. (Prov. 27:19.) Where is my righteousness to come from, since that is my picture? If I compare it with Rom. 3:9-20 I see I can produce none. Blessed be the name of the Lord. He can and has done it. He is my righteousness. (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 15:21.) And here in Rom. 3 we are told this righteousness is unto all (everybody), and upon all that believe. (Rom. 3:21, 22.) And now that we are the Lord's, and cleansed by His blood, we need to remember that that which is born of the flesh is flesh still; it will never improve. And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Thank God, the Holy Spirit also dwells in us, giving us Christ as our object and power to keep the flesh from working; it is not our master now. Our old man is crucified with Christ, and now we are to reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 6:6, 11.) We need to watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The Lord can and will keep us if we remain in dependence on Him. How readily Peter cursed and swore. (Mark 14:71.)
The Galatian saints were warned of the danger of allowing the flesh to work. (Gal. 5:15-26.) See also what is said to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:7, 20, 21.) Paul, the apostle, needed a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure. Thank God, our eternal salvation He secures for us. ( John 5:24; 10: 28, 29; Phil. 1:6.)
It was because He loved us that He told us of the evil that was in us, and made us feel our need of Him.
Verses 24-31. The Lord went to the borders of Tire and Sidon, that part of Israel's land where Gentiles still lived, and entered into a house, and would have no man know it. He was rejected and felt it. He was a true servant hiding Himself, but He could not be hid, for a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him, and came and fell at his feet. She believed He had the power; she believed in His goodness also, and though she was one of Israel's enemies, a Cannanite, "She besought Him that He would cast forth the demon out of her daughter." She must take her true place first; she must own she is only a Gentile dog, an outcast from God. "Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." She owns it is all grace, she has no claim, but the sense of His goodness that delights to meet the needy one. "And she answered and said unto Him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." She is now under the table, and down come the crumbs to her in abundance. "And He said unto her, For this saying, go thy way: the demon is gone out of thy daughter." And when she was come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. Faith always finds its answer in the heart of God, as untiring in His goodness where need puts in its claim. Hidden from the Jews, the children spoken of here, He is full of grace to the sinner who owns his unworthiness.
Verses 31-37. He goes back to Decapolis again. They bring a man unto Him who cannot hear right, and cannot speak right, and they beseech Him to put His hands on him. He took him aside from the multitude and then looking up to heaven He sighed. The Lord felt the unbelief of Israel, and sighed over their condition, as deaf to hear the voice of their God, and incapable of praising Him. And now the deaf ears are opened, and the string of his tongue is loosed to speak plain. He charged them that they should tell no man; but the more Ile charged them, so much more a great deal they published it; and were beyond measure astonished, saying” He hath done all things well lie maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak." He separates Himself from the multitude; this expresses their unbelief. He sighed and looked up to heaven; this tells of His sorrow in sympathy with heaven, while His power in goodness restores the remnant.
And above all the rest this note shall swell, Cur Savior has done all things well.”