Mark 7:1-13 “Hypocritical Faith”

Mark 7:1-13 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• The Stand – Hillsong United
• We Are Free – Planetshakers
• Yes I Will – Vertical Worship
• When We Walk with the Lord (Korean w/ ENG SUB)

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• The teaching of the ancestors (Mark 7:1-13) – Bible Story for Kids
• Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah | HLA Wilderness Escape VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Good in Every Way | Roar VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Sing Hosanna – Jesus In The Morning | Bible Songs for Kids – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The religious leaders in Jerusalem concluded that they could no longer leave Jesus alone, so they dispatched an investigative team to find an official charge against him (v.1). Closely observing Jesus and his disciples, they noticed that the disciples ate without washing their hands (v.2). At that time, the teachers of the Law had established numerous detailed regulations to prevent violations of the purity laws in Leviticus. These were known as the “tradition of the elders” (v.3). The “elders” referred to past generations of teachers of the Law (rabbis) who had developed these traditions. They had instituted various rules to ensure that people would not become ceremonially unclean when eating (vv.3-4). However, Jesus boldly disregarded these traditions, which led the investigative team to question him about it (v.5).

Then Jesus quoted the words of Isaiah (vv. 6-7), contrasting “God’s command” with “human tradition” (v. 8). People had originally created traditions with the intention of faithfully keeping God’s commandments, but those very traditions had instead been misused as tools that led them to violate God’s commands (v. 9). In other words, the Pharisees and the scribes were now practicing the hypocrisy and wickedness of Isaiah’s time.

Jesus pointed to the “Corban” tradition as an example of how the tradition of the elders was being used to evade God’s will. Honoring one’s parents was so important to God that he included it in the Ten Commandments (v.10). However, there were people who were so poor that the only offering they could give to God was what they had for their parents. To accommodate such cases, the elders established a rule that allowed a person to declare, “What I was going to give to my parents is Corban (dedicated to God),” which exempted them from their responsibility to care for their parents (v.11). Over time, wealthy individuals began to misuse this Corban tradition to avoid their duty of honoring their parents (v.12). In this way, the elders’ traditions, which were originally created with the intent of helping people obey God’s will, ended up becoming a tool that led them to disobey it (v.13).

Meditation:

Why does Jesus’ teaching on the Corban tradition make us feel as if he is exposing our hearts? Perhaps it is because we, too, often look for excuses to avoid following God’s will. Our hearts are deceitful and can always find a justification, no matter the situation. If we are determined to evade God’s will, we don’t even need traditions like those of the elders—we will always find a way to excuse ourselves.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) comes to mind. When the priest and the Levite saw the man who had been beaten and left for dead, they likely heard God’s voice in their hearts saying, “Go and help him.” However, they quickly found reasons not to. They might have thought, “If he is already dead, I will become ceremonially unclean and unable to serve at the temple.” Or perhaps, “If I stop to help, I will be late for the temple service. Serving many people through worship is more important than helping just one person.” With these excuses, they walked away, avoiding their responsibility.

One of the most common excuses we use to avoid God’s will is, “I don’t know what God’s will is.” But the truth is, in most cases, God’s will is very clear. The real issue is not that we don’t know His will, but that we are unwilling to obey it. Obeying God’s will often requires discomfort, sacrifice, and even persecution.

The words God spoke through Isaiah long ago were true in Jesus’ time, and they are just as true for us today. When will we ever be completely free from this failing?

Prayer:

Lord, though we say we believe in you, we have been lazy in seeking your will. Though we claim to live according to your will, we hesitate and avoid it far too often. Faith seems to be on our lips, yet unbelief rules our hearts. We desire to be whole—fully aligned in both our inner and outer lives. May the words of our lips and the actions of our hands and feet be in harmony. Pour out your Spirit upon us so that we may be freed from our shortcomings. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God’s will is often clear, but we sometimes find excuses to avoid following it. Jesus warns us not to let traditions, personal comfort, or excuses keep us from truly obeying God. Instead of just saying we believe, our faith should be shown through our actions.

• For Preschool-Lower Elementary
  • Have you ever made an excuse to not do something you knew was right? What happened?
  • Have you ever known the right thing to do but still hesitated? What stopped you?
• For Upper Elementary-Middle School
  • Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees used religious rules as an excuse to avoid God’s true command. What are some modern-day examples where people might use rules or traditions to avoid doing what is right?
  • How can we challenge ourselves to recognize and overcome excuses when we feel hesitant to follow God?
• For High School
  • Have you ever struggled with knowing God’s will but not wanting to act on it? How did you handle it?
  • Jesus asks us to align our hearts and actions. What is one practical step you can take this week to live out your faith more genuinely?