Edition 2 of the First Principals

Sunday, October 23rd

Edition 2 of the First Principals

Mark 7:1-13
1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

6 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

9 And he said to them: "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 your mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his 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."

Tradition (noun):

1. The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication.


2. A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage.


3. A set of such customs and usages viewed as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present.


4. A body of unwritten religious precepts.


5. A time-honored practice or set of such practices.

Corban (noun):

1. A sacrifice made to God by the ancient Hebrews at the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Pharisees of the day walked around thinking they were all that, changing the rules that Moses had set down and basically saying, instead of taking care of the homeless, taking care the elderly, that the people should give that money to the church instead. The Pharisees even threw the label of Corban on it to make it seem all that much more Holy to do that deed. Do I follow blindly what people tell me? If someone comes to me and explains something to me that it would “make me a super Christian,” do I check it out? Or do I let it become a tradition in my life to neglect others? Is it a tradition for me to drive past someone who is broken down? Is it a tradition to stub my nose at the homeless at the street corners? Is it a tradition to chant in church for the forgiveness of my sins instead of opening up to a friend and making it personal?

1 Timothy 4:16
16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

I like the conjunction words. The word “and” is used twice in this scripture: “life AND doctrine,” yourself AND your hearers. It is also told to persevere in the BOTH, with the word “if” indicating that should I not, I will save no one, including myself. Should I persevere in both of them, I will save myself and others.

Acts 17:11-12
11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Eagerness (noun):

1. A positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something.

Examine (verb):

1. To observe carefully or critically; inspect.


2. To study or analyze.

How have I been approaching the scripture? Am I eager? Would others say that I am not only eager, but I am greatly eager to get in the word? The Bereans showed great eagerness. They showed it EVERY DAY. They inspected and analyzed the scriptures every day. And they had a chump like Paul to teach them, and they didn’t take even Paul’s word for things. They said to themselves, “Hey, this guy may not be right, let’s see for ourselves…” So, when I go to church, do I study things out afterward?

John 12:47-48
47 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.

The thing then is this: If I don’t take the Berean challenge, if I don’t examine the scriptures, if I let leaders create new rules, new traditions, and then I follow them blindly, it will be that is judged in the end. Will I let someone’s judgment and pride in turn be my demise? Who’s words will I stand by in the end: the preacher or the bible? How are my quiet times? Am I growing closer or fading away?