Matthew 15:1- 2 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Many would think the washing of hands before meals was about hygiene, yet we see Jesus and His disciples refused it. It is only when we study Jewish rituals/traditions that we understand it. The Lord asked them to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tabernacle. Over time, they elaborated the washing with special mugs and a process.
To understand it better, we can look at the same ritual, with changes, that Muslims perform before prayer, which they call Wudu. In this ritual, they almost have a bath, leaving the torso; they almost wash the remainder of the body. But the intent is not cleanliness but about following a process, and it needs to be done in that specific order and way.
In the Bible, we see that the Lord is against traditions. The statutes that the Word of God tells us to do are different from traditions. One is not compelled to follow statutes eternally. Statutes, once fully understood, one is not obliged to keep them. Feasts were eternal for the Children of Israel. That does not mean the generations of Israel. The term Israel symbolises Sons of God, and children of Israel means those not yet mature spiritually. Thus, a person mature in spirit is not called to celebrate any feast unless he or she is doing so with those spiritually growing.
Today I was taken aback when a brother in Christ who is a senior Apologist texted me Deepawali wishes, calling it a festival of light!
Let us, as Christians, discern everything, and even if we like Jesus and His disciples, refrain from educating people who will not understand; let us not be a party to it. When people in person wish me for Deepawali I respond with ‘Shubh Labh’ which means ‘good fortune and profit’; that does not offend them and more important involve in their feast. They celebrate the festival citing mythological reasons, but their purpose is prosperity/business. Christians have done the same with so-called ‘Christian’ festivals. It is sad when Christians accept other festivals since their reason is also the same.
[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are Almighty God. You are Truth, and You are Light. There is no falsehood nor darkness in You. Lord, You have called us Your Sons and commanded us to be like You. Lord, we pray that we who have Your Spirit discern everything and do not give in to darkness for any carnal reason. We pray You give us wisdom on how to handle, as You did as man…
We make this prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
[Reference Scriptures]
Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Exodus 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
Leviticus 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, The set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.
Leviticus 23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the set feasts of Jehovah.