Mark 7:1-23
Jesus speaking: You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. (v. 8) Yesterday the pope signed off on a Vatican decree stating that priests could not bless same-sex unions. One article that I read on this topic had this response from someone opposed to the pope’s position, that it is “hard for a lot of people to understand just how far removed the church is from human rights advances that are being made in the rest of society.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pope-same-sex-unions-licit/2021/03/15/8c51ee80-8581-11eb-be4a-24b89f616f2c_story.html) This statement seems to say exactly the same thing that Jesus was saying 2000 years ago! It’s the same argument, that “human rights advances that are being made in the rest of society” are supposed to overrule “traditional, historical Christian teaching”? Are we surprised? Maybe not: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
See also: May 28 / Mark 7:1-13; May 29 / Mark 7:14-23
Just to clarify… I’m pretty sure that what you said and what you meant are two different things. What you said is that the quoted statement against the church is exactly what Jesus said. I think that what you meant is that that statement reflects the position of the Pharisees — not Jesus — in that they favored “the traditions of men” over the commandment of God. Society at large has long since abandoned God’s Word and expects the church to follow suit. The Pope’s refusal to do so upsets such “modern sensibilities”. So the church’s position (i.e., “traditional, historical Christianity”) is sticking with God, while society’s “non-traditional” leanings toward homosexuality is more in line with “the traditions of men” that nullify God’s Word.
Good catch, John – I didn’t word it very well. What I meant to say had to do with Jesus laying out the Pharisees’ positions, essentially of society triumphing over God’s commandments.
Okay, I will wade in, and probably get in trouble. The pope definitely called homosexuality a sin with no church blessings of marriage. But first he said he was okay with civil unions and treating others with dignity and respect. As I read that, CIVIL rights are one thing, a clear separation of church and state, which is the law of the land here.
The other thing is that homosexuality is a sin, … among many. Look at the list Jesus gave in our reading at Mark 7:21-23, the things that defile us. Adultery and fornication are there, but so are avarice, pride, and folly, as well as the usual listing of theft, murder, envy/covetousness, slander/false witness. So how are we doing on the sin list? For me, ouch! Jesus tells me not to cast stones…
You’re not getting yourself “in trouble”, Debbie. I had thought of the same things. Like the pope, I distinguish between civil ceremonies and blessings, but I still believe that homosexual relationships are wrong, as are illicit heterosexual relationships. One of the key differences in today’s world is the extent to which homosexual behavior is justified as consistent with Scripture. We don’t see murder being justified, or theft, or slander. The Pharisees back then were justifying the children failing to support their parents; they were countering the Law and creating their own justification, not unlike today…