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Matthew 15:1-9 – Jesus Was Narrow-Minded
Jesus was narrow-minded. If that doesn’t sound like the Jesus you have heard about, keep reading.
Jesus was narrow-minded about the Law. He believed it could be understood (and misunderstood – Matthew 22:29), that truth was accessible, and should be applied (Luke 10:26-27). Post-modernists don’t only exist in secular circles.
Jesus was narrow-minded against raising tradition equal to inspiration. While the Pharisees did this openly (Matthew 15:1-9); many in our day are more subtle or even self-deceived. Try doing something different and find out how important tradition is. I suggest it is under-rated the importance in training the conscience.
Both of these could also be found in the greatest sermon. That same sermon shows us Jesus was narrow-minded: HCSB Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”
Finally Jesus was narrow-minded about His role in our salvation: HCSB John 14:6: “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
It is appropriate to speak how broad God’s grace is in that it covers both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 15; Ephesians 1-2; Galatians 3:27) and any sin (Romans 1-3). It is equally right to remember how, in good and appropriate ways, Jesus was and is narrow-minded.
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