He (Jesus) answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—
then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
Matthew 15:3-9
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Jesus and His disciples were watched by the religious leaders very closely to see if they would obey “the law.” Jesus was often tested by them on this subject. But “the law” of the Scribes and Pharisees was at odds with God’s law in a profound way as Jesus points out in the verses above.
Their law was their own interpretation of the unchangeable law of the Creator. Their law contained additions without any blessing, direction, or endorsement from the Creator and Giver of the law.
As pointed out in the condemnation by Jesus to those mutilators of God’s law in Matthew 15, they had attempted to create a loop-hole in God’s 5th commandment to make it a little less harsh and easier to “keep.” God’s law clearly and simply states:
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
Exodus 20:12
But, the leaders said this law could be voided through the offer of a gift as a substitute for giving honor and respect to those who bore and raised them. It was like they were paying their way out of an obligation that was not to their liking. So they changed it! There is not scriptural authority for doing so.
Jesus didn’t like their addition and proclaimed their man-made tradition would make God’s “commandment of no effect.” Jesus desired them to obey this commandment from the heart, but because they didn’t and tried to come up with ways to make their changes legal, Jesus viewed this as legalism and worthless . As a result of their changes and their traditions their worship was “in vain.” It disclosed their hypocrisy of lip service vs heart service.
A couple of other things to notice about this commandment and Jesus’ response:
1.) God does not put a condition on whether to honor your mother and father or not. It doesn’t say to honor them if they are worthy of the honor and respect or if they were perfect parents. Most parents, including myself, are no where near perfect, but we do have a God-given love for our offspring that most children do not understand. Many times we fail, but that does not make a loop-hole for the breaking of this commandment.
2.) Jesus doesn’t do away with this commandment or indicate obedience to this commandment would be legalistic. As we discussed in a previous article, the new covenant is based on the laws written on the heart.
3.) Jesus does not give them a list or tell them how to honor their parents. Lists encourage tasks or works. While the ten commandments could be considered a list, they are 10 principles. disclosing God’s character and will. We see in these commandments a God that desires love and respect for both himself and our neighbors. They are not a list to “work on” to deserve salvation or love from God.
The law of God is not minimized or changed by the new covenant. Even the giver of the law (Jesus) will not change even the smallest part to accommodate mankind. Some are surprised to discover that Jesus, before He came to the world as an infant, gave the 10 Commandments to Moses. That is a different study for a different time.
Those who have been born again and have a new heart will obey from a love basis rather than a basis to be saved (legalism). The new covenant people obey the Lord because they ARE saved, not in order to BE saved.
These born-again followers will understand that to honor their mother or father is the will of God Himself and it will be a natural response from a heart transformed by the power of God to love and respect them. To try and circumvent, excuse, rationalize, or change it is hypocrisy and attempting to put our own thoughts and reasoning above God’s.
This commandment, like the others, should be read carefully and simply. Nothing should be added nor taken away, not even one letter or stroke of the pen. How can anything that is perfect be changed anyway? It is a transcript of how God wants us to live, not a checklist for finding favor or salvation from the Lord. Those who will endeavor to obey for the right reasons will be blessed.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 21:14
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Jesus made it clear to the Scribes and Pharisees that he did not come to change the law and that anyone who taught others to break even the smallest detail was outside of God’s will. Any attempt to modify the law affected the truthfulness of the worship experience. This is a pretty serious situation. Listen to his exact words:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:17
It is here where some will say, “since Jesus fulfilled the law (10 Commandments) it is no longer viable.” The next verse clears that up.
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Matthew 5:18
We still have a heaven and an earth, so the law remains. Also, it has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus fulfilled it, and he still wants us to teach that the law should not be broken. It is so immovable that Jesus makes reference to “jot” and “tittle” (smallest letter or stroke of the pen) will not be modified or eliminated.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be the one who teaches that even one thing can be changed in God’s “perfect law of liberty” James 1:25. How about you?
Jesus perfect obedience to this law (fulfillment) is the basis for His perfect sacrifice (No sin found in Him) and for the forgiveness for our breaking the law which is sin.
Sin is the transgression of the law
1 John 3:4
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23.
But sin is much more. We are born sinners with a nature to sin. Anything not of faith is sin. There are a 1,000 ways we can sin, but in the end, all can be summarized by the 10 commandments.
When we are born again, we are given a heart of flesh with God’s law written upon it (New Covenant) and we obey out of sense of love and respect rather than a method of salvation (legalism). Our very nature is changed. The thief stops stealing,;the liar stops lying; the adulterer stops sleeping with women who are not his wife…..
If you love me, keep my commandments
John 14:15
Of course they are not perfect. When we do sin, we have an advocate:
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 John 2:1
Oh! The mercy and forgiveness of our great God!
How can we claim to be followers if we disobey or re-write the law to suit us as did the religious leaders of Jesus’ time?
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In Luke, Jesus confirmed as He did in Matthew 5 that the law would never change. Further, He used the passing of heaven and earth to drive home the point:
“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.”
Luke 16:17
Other writers agree with Jesus on the eternal existence of the law and His word:
“All His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever”
Psalm 111:8
“The sum of your word is truth;
and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.”
Psalm 119:160
“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:8
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Jesus was tested another time on a different commandment. But, the same principles apply.
“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12: 1-8
The Scribes and Pharisees were particularly zealous for this law. They added their own rules that is in the thousands. However, like the 5th commandment, the law is presented by the Lawgiver in a simple manner. However, the religious leaders made it very legalistic and burdensome. In the process, this law intended to bless man became another checklist of things to do or not to do.
In this incident, Jesus and his disciples were hungry and began to shuck corn in a field and eat it as they walked along. This violated one of the Sabbath “rules” created by the very legalistic religious leaders, but Jesus said they were “guiltless.” Here is an important question: Is there anywhere in scripture where God forbid such action by the disciples? No! It is another example of man’s tradition or adding to the law that makes the law a burden and makes their worship vain.
To make his point (That He and the disciples had not broken the 4th commandment), He asks the supposed scriptural authorities the question: “Have you not read….” This question (referring to 1 Samuel 21: 1-6) puts them back on their heels. They obviously had read it, but they had missed the application from their reading about the priority of man’s needs above a ritual of the law. Jesus begins to connect the hunger of David’s men and the hunger of Jesus and His disciples. Very simply, the value of men and their hunger needs outweigh any man-made religious ceremony (i.e., Hot warm bread used in the sanctuary service and the need to eat on the Sabbath when nothing else is available). Again, there is no law written or intended by the Lawgiver for anyone having to subscribe to such a strict interpretation of a simple law and go hungry on a day the Lord has blessed and made holy. Further, Jesus clearly states the priority of mercy over sacrifice and ceremonial religious laws.
The 4th Commandment is very simple and plain in its delivery by the Creator, much like the 5th commandment. The Great Lawgiver and Creator states the commandment simply and provides the reason as to why a professed follower should obey it. (Not to be saved, but because they are saved)
The command:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
The Reason:
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exodus 20: 8-11
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As with the 5th Commandment, Jesus made it clear that His Law should not be modified or added to in any way. The same observations for the 5th Commandment can be made for the 4th Commandment:
1.) God does not put a condition on whether to honor the Sabbath or not or that He had plans to modify or change it. He says, “Remember” and to “Keep it Holy” since the reason for the commandment has to do with the fact that he is the Creator (and Redeemer-See Deuteronomy’s version-Chapter 5: 12-15)
2.) Jesus doesn’t do away with this commandment or indicate obedience to this commandment would be legalistic. As we discussed in a previous article, the new covenant is based on the laws written on the heart.
3.) Jesus does not give them a list or tell them how to keep the Sabbath holy, other than refraining from work on that day. The reason? We are to respect our Creator and “rest” as He did. It is not only a physical rest, but a rest of relationship with the Creator and His Creation. It is about relationships and not a religious list of things to trip us up so that we sin.
When the Lord stopped working after His work of Creation, it was not that He was tired, but that He wanted the time to be immortalized as proof of his Creatorship. Further, Adam and Eve began their first full day with the Lord on the Sabbath. This must have been a very special Sabbath as they began to see and understand life and a relationship with the Creator.
Have you ever wondered about the heavenly bodies that tell us about time? Even scientist will admit we measure time by the sun and the moon. Our year is based on the orbit of the earth around the sun. Our month is based on the orbit or phases of the moon around the earth. But there is nothing in nature to base our 7 day weekly cycle.
A 7 day weekly cycle exists only because it was instituted by our Creator (Jesus) in the beginning. Why not a 6 day cycle or a 5 day cycle? The 7 day cycle and the Sabbath screams: God created us!
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Jesus Conclusion:
The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.
Mark 2: 27, 28
Jesus told the religious leaders that He made the Sabbath to be a blessing for man not a list of do’s and don’t’s so that man is made a slave to the Sabbath. Notice it is made for “man” or mankind not just the Jews. The commandment was given long before there was a nation of Jews. That reasoning would also indicate that all the other commandments are only for the Jews and not for us.
The Scribes and Pharisees had effectively made the Sabbath a burden and God’s original intention was lost through their adding and modifying a simple commandment meant to be a lasting memorial to our Creator and an opportunity to “come unto (Jesus) and rest.”
Jesus knew how it should be remembered because He is Lord of the Sabbath! This is the real Lord’s day! It was created by God and it belongs to Him
“But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.”
Exodus, 20:10
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In conclusion:
We can learn from these two incidents regarding honoring parents and honoring the day God blessed. It tells us that the law of God is immutable and has a relationship/heart purpose. They are not part of a list of do’s and don’ts to follow so one can be saved. God forbid! it is a law of liberty (James 2:12). It can not be modified to meet our own convenience, thinking, or tradition.
Jesus gave the Law and He knows better than anyone how to follow the spirit of the law which does not negate the letter.
I am sure your spouse would want you to keep the letter of the law regarding adultery, but even more the spirit (i.e., you are faithful because you love her/him.)
The same goes for your neighbor. You don’t steal, lie, cheat, or covet his wife, or kick his cat (the letter of the law). Not because you have to, but because you respect him as a child of God and because of the born-again heart given you by the Lord (Spirit of the Law).
Have you asked yourself how can you “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy?” The key word here is holy (a.k.a sanctified). How do you make it about a love relationship with God and His creation rather than a list of do’s and don’t’s? How do you make it a delight or a blessing and not a burden?
The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him by calling his mind from secular labor to contemplate the goodness and glory of God
Of all the commandments, the 4th one is the most misunderstood and the one where legalism can quickly smother the spiritual blessing God has prepared for us each week. It is not just about when should church attendance be conducted. This is no doubt a “holy” activity for the Sabbath. It was Jesus’ and Paul’s custom to go to meet with God’s people each Sabbath. I would say they are good examples to follow. Wouldn’t you?
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In our next study, we will see how the enemy has attacked the law of God and the family unit (the 4th and 5th commandments) to serve his purpose of confusing and leading people away from a knowledge of the Lord which is salvation.
He has a special anger towards those who teach and obey the will of God and testify of Jesus Christ:
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17