Matthew 15:1-9: a reflection

1Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 2“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,” 6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”

When the Pharisees criticize Jesus' disciples for not keeping a ceremonial tradition, Jesus turns the charge back on them: they have used their traditions to actually nullify God's clear commands, finding clever ways to avoid honoring their parents while appearing pious. And he quotes Isaiah to expose the deeper problem: These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Their religion was all mouth and no heart.

Notice the two things Jesus exposes. First, the way religious tradition can be used to evade God's actual commands, keeping up an appearance of devotion while sidestepping what God really requires, like honoring one's parents. And second, and deeper, the disconnect between lips and heart: honoring God with the mouth, the right words, the outward forms, while the heart is far from him. God is not fooled by lip-service; he sees the heart, and worship that is all words and no heart he calls vain, empty.

That is a searching word for our own religion. It is possible to say all the right things, keep the outward forms, honor God with our lips, while our hearts are actually far from him, and to use religious respectability to sidestep what God really asks of us. God looks past the lips to the heart. He is not impressed by words and forms when the heart is distant. Ask honestly whether your worship is lips only, or heart. Draw near to God not just with your mouth but with your heart, for that is the worship he seeks, and lip-service, however correct, he calls vain.

Lord, you warned of those who honor you with their lips while their heart is far from you, whose worship is vain. Search my own religion. Keep me from a faith that is all words and outward forms while my heart stays distant, and from using religious respectability to sidestep what you really ask of me. You look past the lips to the heart. Draw near me, and draw my heart near to you, that my worship may be not mere lip-service but the devotion of a heart truly turned toward you.