Blind leaders of the blind

In this passage, the Lord finds Himself being criticized by the scribes and Pharisees, because His disciples were eating bread without first washing their hands. This had not to do with personal hygiene, but the man-made traditions of the Pharisees demanded a ceremonial washing before one ate. The Lord rebuked them, showing that whilst they criticized the disciples for the violation of their traditions, they seemed to have no problem with violating the commandments of God in relation to things much more serious -honouring father and mother. The Lord used very strong language, calling them ‘hypocrites’, v. 7, and ‘blind leaders of the blind’, v. 14.

The Lord then identified the real source of defilement. He showed that it is not what enters a man that defiles, but what proceeds from him, and He describes the terrible things that emanate from the unregenerate heart as being the real source of defilement, v. 19.

The Lord is teaching that to be content with external compliance, yet to neglect the more serious issues of the inner condition, is nothing short of hypocrisy. On this same note, the Lord later described the Pharisees as ‘whitened sepulchres . . . full of dead men’s bones’, Matt. 23. 27. They looked so pure and holy externally, but were full of rottenness and corruption within. This is a sobering thing for the Christian to contemplate; be warned against ever becoming like the Pharisees.

The chapter closes with the story of a Gentile woman who came to the Lord asking Him to heal her son. At first the Lord seems to rebuff her, reminding her that He had not been sent ‘but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel’, and that as a Gentile ‘dog’ she had no right or claim to His ministrations. At this point the woman showed remarkable humility, accepting the place of the ‘dog’, but reminding Him that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. The Lord commended her for her great faith and healed her son. In this the Lord shows that humility of spirit combined with faith in Him, apart from merit, worth, or claim, will bring blessing. What a message for sinners!