In Matthew 9:9-17 we read how Jesus broke several religious traditions. He chose a seemingly inappropriate individual, Matthew the collaborator, to become one of his leading disciples. Jesus also ate with immoral and crooked people. Moreover, Jesus did not demand that his disciples practice the religious discipline of fasting while he was still on earth. Why did Jesus disregard such standards of conduct? The Bible reveals two kinds of traditions, good and bad, the good tradition of the elders and bad traditions which only serve to imprison us and detract from the message of Christ. Traditions which enhance the Gospel can be good. However, Jesus came to do away with narrow formal religion and careful ritual* which often does more harm than good. Christianity is about faith not ceremony, hope not rules of men, and love not religious exclusivism.
* Wenham, Motyer, Carson and France (1997). New Bible Commentary (916). IVP.
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