As a kid did you ever try to come to the table with dirty hands? If you mom was like mine, you had to leave the table, go and wash and come back to eat.
Scripture tells us the Pharisees criticized the disciples saying, “Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread (Mathew 15:1). If you look closely you will see they referred to the tradition of the elders. They were not talking about merely washing the dirt off your hands but a ritual ceremony to make themselves spiritually ready to eat.
Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy. “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 radiation.” (Mathew 15:3-6).
It is easy to get caught up in traditional spirituality not realizing we are actually following our traditions, things that are not in scripture. It is important that we do not judge our brothers and sisters in Christ who worship and serve God in a way we don’t understand.
