The religious authorities were upset because Jesus’ disciples didn’t wash their hands before eating. Seriously, that made it into the Bible? Mind you, this “handwashing” wasn’t as we do today; rather, it was a ritual of pouring water a certain number of times over each hand, in a certain order.
No doubt the practice started when the authorities, long before, made a ruling to quell a dispute and the tradition became as a law.
Note that they didn’t ask, “Why don’t your disciples follow this tradition that our elders created?” No, the question was more broad — in a sense, “Your folks don’t follow our tradition. Why?”
“[…] Theologians and Professors of Scripture asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your students live according to the traditions of our elders […]'” [Matthew 15:2, Mark 7:5]
One could argue that the question *is* about this one issue, until one reads further for Jesus’ response. What Jesus says is evidence that it was about the authority of traditions over believers. It was at the heart of the conflict between Jesus’ teaching and the religion that had developed over generations of tradition.
“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.
And he said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition…“
Modern Christianity and Judaism have followed the path of those who opposed Jesus’ way. Like the elders of old, they have developed traditions that are like laws that sometimes contradict what God set in order — The Law. These are the laws that Jesus promised to uphold until “heaven and earth pass away.” His disciples did likewise, and still do.
Most seminaries, pastors, Bible study and Sunday School teachers today follow the traditions of their elders rather than
The Way Jesus taught. So goes those who believe in them.
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Just my opinion... 