“You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.” (Mark 7:8)

Moses set down hygienic laws so that the Israelites can maintain a healthy standard of life.  However, the Pharisees and Scribes appended many stipulations to the law, and as a result the general public had the impression that God’s law was violated even if only a minor fault was committed.  Jesus once allowed his disciples to eat without washing their hands.  He was using this as an example to demonstrate to the Pharisees and Scribes that it is not a defiled exterior; but the lack of moral virtues that truly makes one unclean.

Today, in many developed areas of the world, the living conditions are good enough that they do not pose a threat to mankind, but the distance between one man and another seems to grow. 

Jesus put emphasis on the salvation of the soul.  He once said, “What do you gain if you win the world but lose your soul?”

Jesus is not turning his back on tradition.  He is carrying on tradition as a descendent of Abraham, by bringing mankind closer to becoming God’s citizen, so that they may praise God incessantly generation after generation.