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Voiding

Mark 7:11-13 English Standard Version

11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

In these passages is a specific issue. It is centered around a false interpretation of God’s word in which those doing the teaching might obtain something which should have gone towards honoring God’s word.

This section ends with an accusation that many other things are done in the same way without giving any specifics. Those things are left as an open accusation. Without some specific detail how do we know what is being done that is wrong?

This is a perfect example of the Word of God avoiding specifics in order that each person can examine their own motivations in what they do and believe. We can find a hint of where Jesus was going in these verses by the passages that followed.

14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

“Here me, all of you!”

There is no exclusion here when He declares “all”, meaning everyone who reads His Word.

Now comes the narrow path to understanding.

17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.

Rather than theorizing, a disciple will turn to Jesus for answers.

Then Jesus revealed the heart of the matter at hand.

19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?”

Seeking Agreement

Psalm 49:13 English Standard Version (ESV) This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts.[a] Selah

Footnote [a]  Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts

2 Corinthians 3:3-5 English Standard Version

3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

Those with foolish confidence will always seek out those who will agree with them. They will leave together and break fellowship when insisting they are right.

Those who have confidence in God do well to remember that the message is more important than the messenger. In verse 3 above we should remember we are a letter from Christ who is the author and how we present ourselves in that delivery represents Christ not ourselves.

1 Peter 1:22 English Standard Version (ESV) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

Ephesians 4:15 English Standard Version (ESV) Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Maturity comes by obeying the truth and our love becomes more effective as we grow in Christ in every way, not in knowledge and the desire to be right.

Christ will not only give us a word in due season, He will show us how to deliver it in wisdom so that others will not be offended in the offering. The truth is delivered by the Spirit and received by the Spirit to work in each of us as God wills us to receive it with the spiritual eyes and ears He has given us.

Deliver the truth, don’t try to explain it.