The Commandments of Men - Mark 7:7

Mark shared how the Pharisees and certain of the scribes asked Jesus, “Why walk not your disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? He answered and said unto them, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”, and in chapter seven and verse seven of his book, Mark wrote how Jesus continued His words by saying the Pharisees and certain of the scribes teach, “the commandments of men” where we read:

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The verse reads, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, ...” Mark began with Jesus' words from Isaiah, “Howbeit” which means “moreover and” “in vain” which means “fruitlessly, of no purpose and unsuccessfully” “do they worship me” which means “the people revere, adore and give homage to God”. Mark shared how Jesus continued to share from Isaiah's prophesy which declared how people “honored and worshiped” God in a “fruitless and unsuccessful” way.

The verse continues, “... teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Mark added the words, “teaching for doctrines” which means “instructing and giving didactic discourses for doctrine” “the commandments” or “the injunctions and religious precepts ” “of men” or “belonging to human beings whether male or female”. Mark shared how the “religious leaders” instructed others with their “man-made” precepts and rules.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Isaiah predicted how these “religious leaders” would be. Though outwardly they appeared to be worshipers of God, inwardly their hearts were far from Him. This caused them to teach people their “own rules” and not just those of God. God saw when people did not keep His law in the Garden of Eden, and His plan of “salvation” immediately followed. He sent His Son Jesus to the world to pay the price for the “sins” of people, and when they submit their lives to Him to be their personal “Savior and Lord”, they shall inherit everlasting life with Him and not give priority to “man-made” rules.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus tells the Pharisees and scribes, “laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".