ISB ~ Mark 7 v6 - 7

A reference to Is 29:13.

• Isaiah reprimands Jerusalem for consulting its politicians while rejecting the prophets. Because their leaders routinely exclude the Lord from foreign policy decisions and rely instead on their own wisdom, their worship of the Lord has become empty and vain. No longer, says Isaiah, will Yahweh tolerate their lip service when their hearts are devoid of living faith. The Pharisees have fallen into the same trap of rejecting God’s wisdom in favor of their own (Mt 23:23; Col 2:20-23). As a result, their venerated traditions are empty and in dangerous competition with God’s will as revealed in the gospel.