King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Chapters: Matthew 15, Mark 7
Message: Matthew/Mark: Tradition Over Truth
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of the Gospels we learn that ones disposition and how they become who they are is not proven by their appearance, but rather what they do when they are not seen in the public eye, [2 Corinthians 10:7,11-12 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.]
Reading these chapters has me thinking of a word that has been going around and that is, narcissist, which is defined as a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves and often vain and selfish. According to Google, narcissists, often have an inflated view of their own achievements, feel entitled to special treatment, and exploit others for personal gain. They may also be hypersensitive to criticism, feel jealous, and struggle to maintain healthy relationships due to a disregard for other people’s feelings and needs. I have been accused of being a narcissist, which tells me that people really have no idea what that word means and just love to throw words around when they feel threatened and reminds me of a Bible passage.
[1 Peter 3:15-17 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.]
I bring this up because Jesus dealt with true narcissists every day throughout His ministry, if it was not the priests and elders, it was the scribes and Pharisees constantly attempting to find some fault in Him. Matthew and Mark, both give their account of the Pharisees attempting to challenge Jesus by asking Him why the disciples do not wash up before they eat.
[Mark 7:1-5 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?]
First, of all, if you are looking for fault you can be pretty sure that you will find fault, after all, we are all sinners. However, the fault my not be what God sees a fault anyway, which was the case here. At any point in His walk on earth, would Jesus have led the disciples to do anything that would cause them to sin? Of course not! From the water that He turned into wine to the man that He saved hanging there next to Him on his own cross, Jesus will never tempt nor lead anyone wit evil, [James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.]
I remember growing up that it was a rule to wash you hands before you eat, but these guys were ridiculous, they literally had basins of water at the door of their homes and businesses, and would wash their hands and feet before going into the building. The Pharisees were proud of their outward appearance of claiming to follow the precepts of both the Law and tradition of the elders, believing that this was the true service of God. Notice that even the Pharisees admitted that they were following tradition and not the Law. Now, Jesus, was well aware of the Law, but by the time He came here in the flesh, the Jews had made up their own religion, headed up by the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus, calls them out over their traditions rather than actually following the Law.
[Matthew 15:3-9 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.]
The Law of Moses, states that if their parent’s are poor, then it was their duty to provide for them. However, the Pharisees, found a loophole around the Law by claiming that they were dedicating what they had to the services of temple and could not help them. The transgression was that they were not actually doing that so they were lying to their parents, making the Law of no effect. Jesus, is trying to explain to them that you cannot point one thing as sin and omit another. The Law did not work that way back then and still does not work that way today. We cannot pick and choose what sin to omit, otherwise, we would be guilty of breaking them all.
[James 2:8-11 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.]
Notice that Jesus flat out tells them that He is God, those who worship God in vain can sing the songs, give the praises, and the tithes and offerings, but none of it can save them from hell. They can even say the elaborate prayers, even if it were possible, follow every one of the six hundred and thirteen commandments, but it is all worthless because they are making a mockery out of the Church. Jesus, will call us out on that too if we are worshiping Him in vain, just like He did as He overlooks the multitude of other watching what was going on.
[Matthew 15:11-15 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.]
Let me tell you, the worst offenders will be the first to tell you how offended they are when you point out their error. So many people love to cry out, “Don’t judge me!” only because they know what they are doing is wrong. You do not even need to quote Scripture, but they sure love to point it out, but only what they believe applies to them. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!]
As much as Jesus wants all to come to Him to be saved from hell, He will not bow, force, respect, or accept anyone who attempts to go around the truth. The disciples were always so worried about offending the fools who challenged Jesus every step of the way that they could not even understand that their traditions were causing an offense themselves. If they want to follow each other, then it will be to their own peril, and what He said was no parable, which is why Jesus upbraids the disciples.
[Mark 7:18-23 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.]
Pride, deceit, envy, covetousness, lust, hate, bitterness, greed, these are things that come from within the heart that makes a person unclean, which actually describe the very characteristics of a true narcissist. Oh, an evil eye, have you not seen people with an evil eye? Perhaps you have had one also a time or two? While we all have a little bit of evil in us, this is someone who lives like the heathens and justifies their sin through their salvation and they will be called out, [Romans 6:15-16 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?]
It is the Law that teaches us how God wants us to live after we are saved, it is the grace that keeps us looking to Jesus, every time we need a reminder that we are to be different than the world. And speaking of heathens, the Jews, boasted of being the children of God and anyone who was not a Jew was called a heathen, and not accepted by God, whom they labeled as dogs. To prove to them that God will save anyone who comes to Him through His Son, Jesus speaks with a Canaanite woman, seeking His help (in Mark she is known as Greek woman) for her daughter.
[Mark 7:26-30 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.]
I never understood why Jesus said that until I understood how the Jews referred to anyone who is not a Jew. Jesus, was not denying her help, He was trying to show them that He came here to save all who believe in Him, not just the believing Jews. The woman’s faith was so strong that she, recognizing herself as a heathen, unworthy of His help, was willing to take whatever help He could give her daughter, and that is the great faith that Jesus looks for in all of us. Matthew, records it like this.
[Matthew 15:25-29 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. 29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.]
Regardless of what family we come from or religion, Jesus will never deny anyone who comes to Him, [Romans 10:11-13 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.]
Just because people believed that Jesus can heal them, and that He is the Son of God, that does not mean they believe Him to be God in the flesh. Proving this also, a man was brought to Jesus who was deaf and stuttered when he spoke. Through this rather odd illustration, Jesus heals the man as the people watch Him.
[Mark 7:32-37 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.]
I laugh every time I read this, it reminds me of what Jesus asked what exactly they expected to see from the Son of God, [Matthew 11:8-9 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.]
Can you just imagine what the people were thinking when they saw Jesus put his fingers in the mans ears and touched his tongue and spit too? It is no wonder why He sighed, looking up to heaven. They wanted to see Jesus do these weird things as if He could not just speak and it be done. I imagine that He was shaking His head too as He looked up to the Father probably, thinking, “What is with these people!” Jesus, spoke the word, “Ephphatha,”, which simply means, [Be opened!] and he immediately could see and speak normally. While Matthew does not record this man, he does make mention of how the people reacted.
[Matthew 15:30-31 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.]
As much as they glorified God they still had no clue who Jesus is, Jesus, is telling them and us to open your eyes and ears, pay attention to what is going on, live by faith, not by sight, [John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for Your mercies and grace, and for the knowledge You have given us to be able to fellowship with You one on one. We are not only a saved soul when we come to You through Your Son, we are one of Your children, and that is just amazing. Lord, lead us and guide us, teach us, and prepare us so that nothing in this world enters our heart and draws us away from You. Let us not get caught up in tradition, rather in Your Word that we may be able to withstand the evils of the day. And let us humble ourselves in that while Your strength in us does enable us to go above and beyond what is expected, we do not get boastful about it. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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