313: Lip Service or True Worship? Jesus vs Hypocritical Religion
Rohan Bell and Jeanie Schwarz dig into Jesus’ fiery exchange with the Pharisees—hand-washing rituals, “Corban” loopholes, and Isaiah’s warning—to show how traditions can either serve love or smother it. Jesus isn’t anti-law; He fulfils it and calls our hearts back to God.
👀 What you’ll discover in this episode...
✅ 🧼 Rituals vs reality: why ceremonial hand-washing wasn’t about hygiene—and how symbols can drift from heart to habit
✅ 🧱 Fences around fences: how well-meant guardrails turned into man-made commandments that burdened people
✅ 📜 “Corban” loophole: the pious workaround that dodged caring for parents while claiming holiness
✅ 🗣️ Isaiah’s verdict: “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” — what Jesus is really confronting
✅ 🧭 Tradition vs traditionalism: the “living faith of the dead” vs the “dead faith of the living,” and how to keep the main thing love and justice
✅ ✝️ Who Jesus is here: the fulfiller of the law who reads it more deeply than its strictest guardians
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Name mix-ups and setup: Jesus calls out hypocrisy
01:01 – Mark 7:1–13 in view: the ritual and why it mattered to the Pharisees
03:30 – From wise fences to weaponised rules: when add-ons become “God’s commands”
06:10 – Isaiah quoted: lips near, hearts far—Jesus’ core critique
08:40 – “Corban” explained: sidestepping “honour your parents” while looking holy
12:30 – Tradition vs traditionalism (and a tidy-house anecdote)
15:50 – So who is Jesus here? Fulfilment of the law, centred on love and justice
🙋♂️ Reflection and Application
Where might a preference or tradition have quietly become your “command from God”? This week, swap one rule-keeping reflex for a love-driven action—especially toward family, the vulnerable, or someone your “system” might overlook.
💬 Share your thoughts below or in the comments — we’d love to hear from you!
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