Tradition of the Elders

22. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

We are making progress, We are in the 15^th chapter. 

Our text today is the following: 

Matthew 15:1 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!”  

Today, I want to discuss a phrase that is included in our text called the “tradition of the elders.”  As you read the New Testament, you will come across this term several times. 

The Pharisees had a list of unwritten codes, rituals, traditions, rules, etc that was known as the oral law which was not divinely inspired  but came from the reasoning of the Pharisees and thoughts of previous generations.    The Pharisees were passionate about keeping the purity of the law and in their efforts to obey God’s law they came up with a list of rules which became known as the “tradition of the elders.”  The idea was that the keeping of the oral tradition would prevent Jews from breaking God’s commands.   

Though the Pharisees had initially good intentions, Jesus called them hypocrites and criticized them for putting unnecessary yokes on the people that God never intended. 

 

Tomorrow, we will look at some of these “traditions of the elders” 

 

 

Stay encouraged!!!! 

All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.

 Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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