When is a Commandment Not a Commandment?
When is a commandment not a commandment? It's a question we struggle with. The scriptures require careful reading and Matthew's story of the Pharisees' criticism of Jesus's disciples eating without washing their hands provides an illustrative example. This story takes place in Galilee. Both Matthew and Mark write about it. Mark states that the Pharisees had come up from Jerusalem to see Jesus and they noticed that when the disciples ate they did wash their hands. The story below is related by the Gospel of Matthew. They had ... concerns. Matthew 15:1-14. Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 'Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!' Jesus replied, 'Any why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses their father or moth...
