Washy, washy…

 Washy, washy….

The ship from which I just returned had hand washing stations at the entrance of the main dining room…crewmen stood near the entrance reminding passengers to “washy, washy” our hands with soap and water, followed by hand sanitizer before entering the dining and food area…

As I was reading this portion in the book of Mark, I was reminded of the scene I had just come from…we were compelled to wash before gathering our food and eating…(a lab person we had met previously warned more of common flu bug, norovirus)…and the ship wants us all to have a pleasant time without becoming sick, so washing hands is a simple deterrent…there were hand sanitizer stations throughout the ship as well…

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, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. ) 

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. 

7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 

8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!

Mark 7:1-9 

Paul wrote about washing through the Word…

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-27

 Using then Word as our “washing” is such a great picture of true washing…we want the purification/cleansing that comes with a clean heart…not just outward cleaning of hands against a flu bug…the peace, a pure heart, a steadfast heart, the transformation…the salvation…thank YOU for your cleansing….

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:2-3,7,10

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:19-22