Human Traditions Unprofitable

In his sermon on the mount, Jesus presented the manner of spirit and works that will be manifested by those who love God and who keep his commandments. His followers were to sustain to the world the relation brought to view in his words, «Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.» But the Pharisees thought that this new Teacher was dwelling altogether too lightly on the law and its requirements. They had expounded the requirements of the law in altogether a different way from that of the world’s Redeemer, and had made the law a body of rigorous exactions; for they were «teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.» Our Lord came to strip from the truth the external observances which had been supplied to take the place of true religion. He preached his sermon on the mount in order to clearly define the true principles of the law of God, which had been misapplied and misinterpreted, and which had been strained to mean that which God had never designed. The Lord Jesus cleared away the rubbish of «they say,» swept out the old traditions of former teachers, and brought to light the teachings of the prophets and of holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Christ himself had communicated the truth to these representative men, and in his lessons which he gave to the people he was clearing away the rubbish of man’s opinions by the truth which he himself had imparted to the writers of the Scriptures.

Jesus preached the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures with freshness and power, and elevated the word of God above the traditions and maxims of men. All that he said fell upon the ears of his hearers as a new revelation. He did not repeat the common-place traditional maxims after the manner of the rabbis, nor did he speak with hesitation and uncertainty as they did. He spoke with calm assurance and with marked independence. The religion that prevailed at the time of Christ’s public ministry was lifeless. Tho it was taught by men of education and talent, yet their instruction in a large degree consisted in senseless repetitions; but the words of Christ, spoken so earnestly and in such power, stirred the hearts of the people, and created an intense interest. They listened in vain for the senseless repetitions of the unchangeable exactions, and they were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught as one having authority and not as the scribes.

But when the Pharisees saw what a vast difference there was between the teaching of Christ and their own teaching, when they began to realize that the majesty, beauty, and purity of the truth which he taught was exerting a gentle but powerful influence, and was taking hold of the minds of men and working a reformation in their characters, they saw that their own instruction was made of no effect, and they reasoned that unless something was done to put a stop to the ministry of Christ, all the world would believe on him. They saw that his bearing of divine love and tenderness was drawing the hearts of all the unprejudiced to him. The frowning countenances of the priests and rulers, their sneers and vindictiveness, set off in favorable contrast Christ’s patience and forbearance; for he was calm under the most unjust criticism and hostility. It was evident that their enmity arose from the fact that Christ did not exalt them as teachers of piety and godliness. The teachings of Christ continually rebuked their ungodly practices. He presented truths of the most vital importance, and they did not harmonize with the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees; for these instructors had taught that which misrepresented the character of God. They had misinterpreted his commandments, and because Christ did not teach the commandments as the rabbis did, they decided that he was destroying the law. Upon their astonished ears fell the words: «Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.» Then, stretching his hands toward his disciples, he said, «For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.»

At another time he said to the people, «Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law?» Our heavenly Father requires that his people shall walk in the light that he gives them. His requirements are always reasonable and just, and he can not accept less than he claims, which is perfect obedience to his commandments. In the sermon on the mount the Lord revealed that it was failure to walk in the light that was separating the Jewish people from God, and as a sure result darkness was coming upon them in the same proportion as the light had been permitted to shine upon their pathway. Had the chosen people of God improved their God-given responsibility, and rendered obedience to the plainly revealed will of God as it had been made known to them through patriarch and prophet, they would have been prepared to have exhibited to the world character and works of an elevated order, in harmony with the light which had accumulated upon their pathway.

The traditions of men, to which they gave so much heed, were as chaff to the wheat. Christ cleared away the rubbish of men’s opinions, the multiplied exactions with which men had surrounded the commandments of God, so that the true character of the law was revealed. Jesus had given the law, and he was the one who could expound its true principles. It was essential that this should be done in order that the character of God might be vindicated before the inhabitants of a fallen world, and before the inhabitants of worlds unfallen. Jesus showed the contrast that there was between error and truth, between the words of finite men and the word of God. The word of God was plain, but men’s words had made it mysterious and unintelligible. But the instruction which Christ gave was unmistakable. His disciples were to obey the precepts of the law, and to represent the character of God to the world. He said, «Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.» —