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The Beauty of the Gospel Matthew chapter 13, verses one through twenty-three. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them, but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answ...

The Bible and the Tradition of Men  1. Introduction: In Matthew 15:10-20, Jesus challenges the religious leaders of his time to reconsider their understanding of the law and their interpretation of it. The passage speaks to both the religious and secular community, as it addresses fundamental issues of morality and ethics. 2. The Importance of Tradition: Jesus begins by pointing out the importance of tradition in Jewish culture. However, he also warns against the dangers of blindly following tradition, as it can lead to hypocrisy and a neglect of more important matters. 3. The Heart of the Matter: Jesus then explains that it is not what enters a person's mouth that defiles them, but what comes out of their hearts. This challenges the idea that external actions alone can make a person holy, and emphasizes the importance of inner purity. 4. The Hypocrisy of the Religious Leaders: Jesus then confronts the religious leaders, accusing them of neglecting the weightier matters of the law ...