Appearances

2007 Jan 21, 2006

Appearances

Kathleen Maples

Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Down to Mark 7:11:

Mar 7:11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. The word "Corban" means this: a votive offering, a consecrated present to the Temple fund, or Treasury itself, in the room where the contribution boxes stood. The Pharisees, Jesus is saying here, teach that children don't have to financially support their parents if they give the money that would have helped their parents who were in need, to the Temple treasury. That then they were freed from further obligation to help their parents? What a heinous practice. And what about defiling the man, as Jesus lists in verses 20-21 what defiles.

Mar 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Jeremiah said the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, and who can know it? (Jer_17:9) To defile is to make profane, or common, pollute, make unclean. To render unhallowed, or count something as unclean. Render foul or dirty, impure; to soil or sully, tarnish. Violate, taint, or corrupt something. Render impure with sin. What comes out of a man (or woman) defiles them if it's unclean. What is within, in our hearts, and minds, will come out. From the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. Looking at some of those words, the meaning of them, he's talking about those who are senseless, reckless, egotistic, haughty, arrogant, speaking evil of God, or his word, or his people's desire to serve him, filthy or wanton behavior, trickery, guile, CRAFT, (for those who partake of witchcraft, one of the definitions of deceit, is CRAFT.), depravity, iniquity, greed, avarice, stealing, idolatry, evil imaginings, or thoughts, debate.

Mar 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. Tyre means strength; rock; sharp. Sidon means a place of hunting; fishing; venison and Galilee a wheel; revolution.

Am I reaching here to think this illustrates us leaving a place of strength, to be about God's business of seeking the lost, dependent only on HIM, bringing those in need to the Master for help and deliverance? The Pharisees were concerned with appearances, not results. Not helping people.

Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. This Canaanite woman came out of the same coasts, and she cried unto the Lord for mercy, and told him her daughter was grievously vexed with a devil. When he didn't answer her, she kept on crying. She didn't accept his silence. When he gave her an answer that should have discouraged her, and most certainly humbled her, she responded with meek sincerity, and perseverance, and faith. She still worshipped, Matthew says. She said, Lord, help me. Again, he puts her off. She responds meekly, in agreement. Still, willing to settle for whatever help he will give, unwilling to go away empty handed. The Pharisees were blind to the truth of what the Word of God was saying. They could read it but not understand Its intent. As a result, their worship of the Lord was in vain, it was insincere, and unacceptable to God. They were hypocrites, playing by their own rules, not God's Word. They taught their own conceptions and ideas as God's law, violating His law in the process. (Didn't he say in Deu_4:2 not to add to his Word?) Here, Jesus told the disciples not to bother those who were offended at his saying. He knew the Pharisees were bent on their own ways, and would reject the truth. I don't want to be more concerned about appearances. I don't want to read God's word but not comprehend the great spiritual truths, and understand. I don't want a form of godliness, ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth, and with no power. May God help us as his people be unwilling to accept this, as well.