22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]
August 29, 2021
Mark 7:1-23

The Pharisees came to scrutinize Jesus, and these were not just ordinary Galilean Pharisees who often debated with Jesus. They were the leading Jewish authority, and they came to pass judgment on Jesus: whether Jesus is an orthodox Jew or a false prophet. Yet, we may ask, who are these Pharisees who often collided with Jesus and His disciples? The pharisaic movement was one of the Jewish religious movements in first-century Palestine. Though not always in a good relationship, they were contemporaries with other groups like the Sadducees, Zealots, and Essenes. However, Pharisees were the most popular because many of their members were Jewish laypeople compared to other groups.

What is unique to the Pharisees? We need to understand first about the ceremonial purity in the Old Testament. The Law of Moses commanded those men and women who were entering the sacred place like the Temple to be ceremonially clean. If they were in contact with dead bodies, they became unclean and could not enter the holy ground. Thus, they were required to do ceremonial washing to clean this impurity. The purpose of this ceremonial purity is not about morality [what is right or wrong] but to train the Israelites to see and honor the sacred places as God’s dwellings.

The Pharisees were zealous for the Law, and they were responsible for bringing this ceremonial purity to the context of the Israelite household. They wanted to be ceremonially clean, not only in the Temple but also when they entered their houses, when they ate and drank, and even when they went to bed. The thing was that Moses never gave laws about this pharisaic thing. Thus, as a solution, the teachers or the rabbi came up with their set of rules and regulations. Eventually, these became the (pharisaic) traditions of the elders.

Going back to Jesus, we note that what the Pharisees from Jerusalem discovered was Jesus did not observe those traditions. They did not find any shred of evidence that Jesus violated the Law of Moses. Indeed, Jesus was fulfilling the Law. Jesus then criticized the Pharisees for being over-zealous on traditions to the expense of the Word of God. Jesus reminded the true essence of the Law, which is the formation of the heart. The laws and the traditions are good if they bring us closer to God. They become twisted when they chain us and keep us far from God. It would be useless if we are ceremonially clean, but our hearts are impure and sinful.

Jesus’ reminder to the Pharisees is always timely and proper to us. Do we keep our religion as mere collections of traditions, rituals, and customs that keep us from the Lord? Do we read the Word of God to help us understanding and loving the Lord better or simply to put up a show? Do we gather images, statues, and other religious articles just for collections, or do these help us honor God who perfects His creatures? Do we get involved in various services and ministries to feel good about it or serve our brothers and sisters in need?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP