How can Matthew 15:2 guide us in evaluating church practices today? Setting the Scene: The Conflict Over Tradition • Matthew 15:2: “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.” • Pharisees elevate a man-made rule (ritual hand-washing) to the level of divine command. • Jesus responds by contrasting human tradition with God’s explicit Word (see v.3-9). Matthew 15:2 — The Core Issue • Question: Who has ultimate authority—God’s written Word or long-standing religious customs? • Jesus’ implicit answer: Scripture outranks tradition. Whenever the two collide, tradition must yield (Matthew 15:6). • This sets a timeless principle: every practice in God’s household must submit to what is “written” (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:6). Principles for Evaluating Church Practices • Measure everything by Scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is “profitable… so that the man of God may be complete.” – Isaiah 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light.” • Distinguish commands from customs – Acts 15:10-11 shows the danger of placing a “yoke” God never required. • Guard against empty tradition – Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to human tradition.” • Preserve biblical traditions rightly defined – 2 Thessalonians 2:15 affirms apostolic traditions grounded in revelation, not mere habit. Practical Steps for Today 1. Identify the practice • Choir robes? Seasonal fasts? Certain leadership structures? 2. Trace its origin • Is it commanded, commended, or merely mentioned in Scripture? 3. Compare with clear biblical teaching • Does it align with gospel freedom (Galatians 5:1) and love (1 Corinthians 13)? 4. Evaluate the fruit • Does it promote holiness and edification (Ephesians 4:29), or burden consciences (Matthew 23:4)? 5. Decide humbly • Keep, adapt, or discard in submission to Christ the Head (Ephesians 1:22-23). Encouragement for Personal Application • Hold cherished customs with open hands, gripping Scripture with both hands. • Celebrate traditions that illuminate Christ; release those that eclipse Him. • In every generation, let God’s eternal Word remain the final umpire of faith and practice. |
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