READ:

MATTHEW 15:1-20
15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’”

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

Discussion

1. What stands out to you from this passage?

2. What was the Pharisees goal in pointing out that the disciples did not wash their hands first?

3. What does Jesus response to the Pharisees reveal about their hypocrisy?

4. It’s clear that the Pharisees gave equal or greater authority to their tradition than to the word of God. Are there any customs, traditions, or practices that we take for granted that we feel are authoritative, either in the church or outside of it?

5. Jesus offends the pharisees by pointing out that their ways are contrary to God’s ways. How do you feel about the reality that sometimes Jesus’ words are offensive?

Reflecting on verses 17-20:

6. What external things do we tend to think define us good/ clean or bad/ defiled.

7. Do you find yourself more often do you reflect on the state of your heart or on your outward behaviour?

8. How does realising that our hearts are the problem help us treat others with humility?

Pray:

Share prayer points and pray.