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In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 14, the awe-inspiring power of Jesus Christ is in full swing. He miraculously fed over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Later that night, the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee in their boat when Jesus, defying the laws of nature, simply walked across the top of the water to join them. He didn't need a boat. They were filled with a mix of terror and wonder, thinking He was a ghost. Then Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water with Jesus. That was an amazing day of miracles, but their adventure continues:

(Matthew 14:34–36 NKJV) When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Think about that: The people there sent and gathered everyone in the area who was sick, brought them to Jesus, and when they touched the hem of His garment, they were not just healed but made completely well. They went home in perfect health. Amazing.

As thousands of people experienced powerful miracles like that, the word about Jesus began to spread. Scribes and Pharisees traveled over 75 miles from Jerusalem to meet Jesus. These were the top echelon of Judaism, the religious elite, and they came from Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religion, where the lavish Temple of Herod stood. This was some top-level official business, and they were coming to a small fishing village to meet Jesus.

It would take them at least three days to make the journey, and their minds must have been churning with questions. Perhaps they discussed them along the way: "There has never been a prophet like this. Is this the Christ? Has He come to deliver Israel from the Romans? What can we do to help? Will He come back with us?" There are so many questions they could ask. What would be the first? Let's take a look:

(Matthew 15:1–2 NKJV) Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

What? What kind of question is that? Have you ever been telling someone about the Lord, and they blurt out something entirely irrelevant, like, did we come from monkeys? It's as if they just don't get it. That is spiritual blindness. Then and now, they always ask the wrong questions. Instead of being teachable, they wanted to teach Him. They thought they knew a lot but actually knew little. I've been there.

Jesus knew the Scriptures, and under the written law (Exodus 30, Leviticus 22), the priests were to wash before their temple service, but the Pharisees had applied ceremonial washing to everyone before every meal. They had created an elaborate tradition that described how to wash, when to wash, how high the water pitcher should be, and how often. The Pharisees considered bumping shoulders in a crowd to be an abomination because the other people may be ceremonially unclean. Jesus said it best:

(Matthew 15:7–9 NKJV) Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "

I find it amazing that this group wanted to correct God for not living up to their religious traditions. In fact, Jesus must have blown their minds. He was a Rabbi who touched lepers and dead bodies, ate with tax collectors and gentile sinners, and broke bread for thousands of people in public without mentioning the washing of hands. I mean, where would the 5,000 people wash their hands when eating in a "desolate place" anyway?

Jesus loved people and was so compassionate. Sometimes, He would try to get alone to pray, but the people would follow Him. Instead of getting upset, He would stop and heal them.

(Matthew 14:13–14 NKJV) ...He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

However, when He encountered the spiritually blind guides, He treated those differently. He offended them, for they valued their traditions more than the word of God. He told the disciples to "Let them alone," basically, "Don't waste time on those." Jesus opened the eyes of the physically blind but skipped this group of Pharisees:

(Matthew 15:10–14 NKJV) When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

Ignorant and unfaithful spiritual leaders can cause profound harm and lead their followers astray, making them one of the greatest challenges a community can face. The Word of God is our anchor, our protection, and nothing overrides it. No revelation, no dream, no prophecy can override the written word in the Bible, though I have had all of those things make me see it in a new way.

The Lord will never tell you anything that does not line up with scripture, but He will gleefully correct our understanding of it. Love God, and be like the Christians at Berea:

(Acts 17:10–11 NKJV) Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me understand Your word and protect me from deception. Please don't "Let me alone." Speak to me, Lord, in a way that I understand and guide me. Help me make the right decisions and see the world through Your eyes. Help me ask the right questions. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!