Washing Hands – September 6, 2024

Read: Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing. So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
Mark 7: 1-23 (selected verses)

Washing Hands

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Wash your hands” is a common phrase to hear before you eat. We wash our hands to stay healthy and clean, especially before we eat. But, after a little research, you can find people who do not wash their hands or shower for very long times. There is one man who made it 60 years without a shower. This is not recommended for your health. It is wise to keep clean. There are people who wash several times a day and people who avoid washing for a long time. So, who is right?

If your parents tell you to wash your hands, you should listen to them. It would be wrong not to. But what about when no one tells you? Again, it is wise to wash your hands for your health and the health of other people.

So, why does Jesus defend his disciples when they don’t wash their hands? The Pharisees, who cared about God’s laws, accused the disciples of doing wrong when they did not wash their hands because this was against their customs. The Pharisees were saying that the disciples were wrong in front of God.

This is where Jesus, God’s Son, steps in. Even though it’s a good idea to wash your hands, what the Pharisees were claiming was wrong. Jesus could see that it was their heart that was wrong. The Pharisees claimed that they cared about God, but their words proved that their hearts were in the wrong place. They trusted in their ability to follow God’s laws, and they failed to see that Jesus was their Savior.

We can’t tell a person’s heart by washing hands or not, but we do have each other’s words. Those who confess Jesus as their Savior and not the works of the law have their heart in the right place. The disciples followed Jesus, but the Pharisees did not. That was the problem, not washing hands. Believe in Jesus and not in your ability to keep the law.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for teaching us about your salvation. We cannot get to heaven by following our own rules. We can only be saved by you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• How often do you wash your hands?
• Which is more important, your heart or your actions?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why is it good to wash your hands?
• Why did Jesus defend his disciples when they did not wash their hands?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• In your own words, explain why your heart is important to God.
• In what ways do we sometimes trust in our own ideas and not in Jesus?