17th.: Inquiring into Biblical Doctrines
The religious sect, the Pharisees, did not want to violate God's law.
They wanted to show themselves very devout to God.
They wanted to show themselves very devout to God.
For example, they had added a law to wash their hands often, to minimize uncleanness.
The religious group, the Pharisees, had tough questions for Jesus.
The religious group, the Pharisees, had tough questions for Jesus.
They therefore added stricter laws than what God gave Moses.
They also wanted to test Jesus' devoutness with tough questions,
‘Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders,
but eat bread with unwashed hands?’
Jesus answered and said unto them, “Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. … Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” (Mark 7:6-7, 13).
These Pharisees were therefore asking Jesus why he did not obey the ‘super-religious’ rules of the Pharisees.
Jesus counter-urged the Pharisees to get back to God’s biblically pure doctrines,
and not the superimposed doctrines.
Pure biblical doctrine is a Bible verse. Any other doctrine is an inference, or a conclusion.
Any inferred doctrine is subject to error. It does not mean the inferred doctrine is automatically wrong.
But there is potential that it is wrong.
Therefore, when asking God theological questions, ask Him “to guide you into all truth”.
“Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17b)