Proper 15 / Pentecost 13 / OT 20
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
... Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.
-- Matthew 15:10-11
Jesus was contrasting the religious tradition and practices that were intended to shape a person's character with the character itself as evidenced by what a person says. His emphasis was on the purpose behind the tradition -- to build God-like character -- rather than the tradition itself. Many of the common people, because of the nature of their life and their regular contact with foreigners, could not possibly keep all of the cleanliness laws. In Psalm 80:8 and Isaiah 5:7, the people of Israel were referred to as God's planting. The religious leaders were to be the guides or stewards of God's plantings, but they had become blinded to their responsibility for the people by their commitment to protecting the tradition. In a humorous reference to their leadership ability, Jesus suggested that if one blind person led another, they both would fall into the pit. The Pharisees recognized his challenge to the framework of religion and, therefore, took offense. Lest the church become self-righteous in thinking that Jesus was only referring to Israel and not also the church, Matthew recorded that Peter (the rock on which the church was built) was also misunderstood. Jesus emphasized the difference between what passes through people and what became an expression of their character. Evil thoughts such as murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, and slander came out of one's heart or character. Except for slander, this list followed the order of that part of the Ten Commandments that spoke of our obligations to other people. God's law was intended to cultivate God's plantings so that they might produce good fruit. When tradition becomes insensitive to the realities of people's lives, then the structure of religion becomes oppressive rather than liberating. The story of the Canaanite woman that follows illustrated that even the disciples could be tempted to use the law to excuse their lack of compassion for another human being. The story stands as a caution for the entire church.
-- Matthew 15:10-11
Jesus was contrasting the religious tradition and practices that were intended to shape a person's character with the character itself as evidenced by what a person says. His emphasis was on the purpose behind the tradition -- to build God-like character -- rather than the tradition itself. Many of the common people, because of the nature of their life and their regular contact with foreigners, could not possibly keep all of the cleanliness laws. In Psalm 80:8 and Isaiah 5:7, the people of Israel were referred to as God's planting. The religious leaders were to be the guides or stewards of God's plantings, but they had become blinded to their responsibility for the people by their commitment to protecting the tradition. In a humorous reference to their leadership ability, Jesus suggested that if one blind person led another, they both would fall into the pit. The Pharisees recognized his challenge to the framework of religion and, therefore, took offense. Lest the church become self-righteous in thinking that Jesus was only referring to Israel and not also the church, Matthew recorded that Peter (the rock on which the church was built) was also misunderstood. Jesus emphasized the difference between what passes through people and what became an expression of their character. Evil thoughts such as murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, and slander came out of one's heart or character. Except for slander, this list followed the order of that part of the Ten Commandments that spoke of our obligations to other people. God's law was intended to cultivate God's plantings so that they might produce good fruit. When tradition becomes insensitive to the realities of people's lives, then the structure of religion becomes oppressive rather than liberating. The story of the Canaanite woman that follows illustrated that even the disciples could be tempted to use the law to excuse their lack of compassion for another human being. The story stands as a caution for the entire church.
