.
Are you a seeker of the approval of man? Or are you a seeker of God?
Matthew 15:7-9 You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying; “This people draws near unto me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Notice that the error was not in teaching the commandments of men, but in having hearts far from God, which resulted in teaching these commandments of men as if they were doctrines from God! This rather forceful expression by Jesus to a group of scribes and Pharisees (we’ll see the context a little later in this study) refers to a passage in the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men;
The word “precept“ is defined in the New World Dictionary of the American language as 1. a commandment or direction meant as a rule of action or conduct. 2. a rule of moral conduct.
Notice that in both passages cited above, people were worshipping God, the fear of God was being taught! But the worship, the teaching, the moral rules of conduct were coming from man and not God. True Godliness always originates with God. (See studies What was The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? and Who put the Tree in the Garden?)
Let’s return to the beginning of Matthew 15, to see the context of Jesus’ statement.
Matthew 15:1, 2 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread?
The scribes were the writers of the law, of the codes, of the precepts of Israel. They knew what was written, because they spent their lives writing, copying, it. The Pharisees were the interpreters of the law and precepts of Israel. So this was a heady bunch who came to Jesus to instruct him.
Matthew 15:3-6 But he answered and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother; and , He that curses father or mother, let him die the death. But you say, Whosoever shall say to father or mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me; and honors not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
Jesus did not deny that he and his disciples were breaking the tradition of the elders. Whenever you walk in the power of the holy spirit of God, Satan will eventually come along and give you thoughts like these. “But you’re not doing what everyone else is doing.” “But you’ve offended someone.” “But the pastor said such and such, and you need to be a good example to the rest of the congregation.” “What will people say?” “But you don’t have the right people’s okay.”
Jesus called them hypocrites. The word for “hypocrite” means one who puts on a mask, as in theater. A hypocrite is not being his true self, he is going through the motions, to look like something other than what he truly is. When he’s with his college buddies, he drinks and jokes and slaps backs, in order to fit in. When he’s at work, he’s dutifully submissive and obedient, but thinks evil of his bosses and co-workers. When he’s with his family, he’s impatient and irritable. When he’s with his girlfriend…..well, it depends on whether he’s alone with her, or in the presence of his buddies, or at a gathering at work. When he’s alone, he does what he can’t do when he’s around people, whatever that is. When he’s at church, then God is the greatest thing, isn’t He?
If dancing’s a sin, he doesn’t dance, at least around those from church. If saying a 4 letter word is a sin, then he doesn’t say them, at church anyway. If smoking’s a sin, he only smokes with his buddies from school. If going to church on Sunday is required, he does it. If singing at church is expected, he fulfills others’ expectations. When smiling and Bible talk are going on, he’s involved. Whatever the expectations and/or commandments of the moment, he will seldom be found to not fit in. He will be found wearing the right mask at the right time.
Matthew 15:7, 8 You mask-wearers! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws hear unto me with their mouth, and they honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Isaiah 29:15, 21 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us? That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing that is nothing.
Remember, these mask-wearers were moral men and women…..when they needed to be seen as such. They were deeply religious, and they taught others the things of God, and they were quick to judge others for their behaviors. The knew the Word of God, and they prided themselves in that knowledge. And they reproved Jesus the Anointed One of God for his behavior. And they never believed on him, in his Godly-anointed task, in his sonship of God.
II Peter 1:3, 4 According as He, by His divine power has given unto us all things that lead us unto life and godliness, through the knowledge (epignosis – intimate, thorough experiential knowing) of Him Who has called us to glory and virtue; Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers (full sharers) of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Godliness is a vital, living relationship with God. Godliness always always originates with God, being provided by God’s grace. Godliness is always a result of the humble acceptance of God-given authority, power and wisdom. Godliness can never be earned, or purchased or deserved. Godliness always causes the man to become more like God.
Matthew 15:10, 11, 17-20 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. Don’t you understand that whatsoever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and is cast out when your bowels empty themselves? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; These are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.
If you dress up a turd in nice clothes and spray perfume on it, it’s still a turd, and it can only be hidden for so long before it will evidence its turd-ness.
There is no Godliness outside of God’s working. And God’s working is Christ. Rather than seeking to behave properly, man needs to seek Christ, and then seek to allow God’s working to flow through his life. Anything outside of this is hypocrisy and vanity. (See study Vanity of the Mind)
Matthew 15:12, 13 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Did you know that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this (your) saying? But he responded and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up.
The religious people were offended by Jesus. Well, I hope so! He had just called them hypocrites, and had pronounced that a very strongly worded judgmental prophecy of Isaiah’s had been directed against the likes of them! He denounced the actions and words that came from their dark, evil hearts. He stripped away their masks in front of the people, exposing them for what they were……mask-wearers!
If it didn’t come from God, it won’t last! You want eternal life? Walk in it now. Anything that comes from God will last forever…..and that includes you, if you want it.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Morality or Godliness. Your choice. Seek Christ and obtain true Godliness and walk in the power and wisdom and authority of the spirit of God. Or get real good at wearing the right mask at the right time, always trying to look good to those whose judgments and acceptance you prize. Who can give you nothing of lasting value.
___________________________________________
..
The book, Give Me Christ … Revelations of the Glorified Christ is now available on Amazon.
You can subscribe at the upper right of this page by supplying your name and e-mail. You’ll be notified by e-mail whenever a new study is posted, every couple of weeks or so. Your e-mail is not shared with anyone else. After you subscribe, add our address to your contact list, so that the notifications are not sent to your junk folder.
See other studies:
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
The Need To Be Right.
Vanity of the Mind
PS. Every man, even those who walk in Godliness, have sin in their life. But a Godly man recognizes the difference, and does not promote one as the other. Hardness of heart, self-righteous anger, lust, depression, etc. is never Godliness.
