A/N I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or the Bible. This chapter is inspired by Matt. 15:1-20 and Mark 7:1-23. Possible triggers toward the end of the chapter.

Hope's stomach growled. She suspected it was lunchtime.

Jesus dried His tears and led the apostles outside with Hope hobbling behind. They went through the marketplace and sat down in a shaded area. The apostles brought along the basket of scraps, which they dug into.

Oh great. More barley.

"Here they come!" someone shouted.

Hope looked toward the marketplace where the shout came from. The vendors and customers alike stood straighter. Some vendors became more generous in their measurements. Others had fallen silent.

Then they came. They came in recently laundered robes. They came with scrolls tucked under their arms. Though their faces carried no proud look, the manner of the townspeople gave them pride.

Even Hope decided to hobble behind Jesus and His disciples. These looked similar to the man who called her out for her clothes a few days ago. (Was it really just a few days ago?)

The only person who seemed unfazed by their presence was Jesus. He seemed to be ignoring the newcomers in favor of eating His lunch. A few of the disciples glanced at Jesus and followed His lead.

Finally, the men who caused this shift in atmosphere reached Jesus' group.

One of them let their jaw drop. Another tsked.

"Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

Hope stopped abruptly and looked down at her hands. They're right! I didn't wash my hands!

Hope pulled up herself with her walking stick with the intention of wandering the market for some soap or hand sanitizer. Wait, no, they wouldn't have hand sanitizer in this time period. What would they have? Lye? Just water?

Jesus shook His head sorrowfully. "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

'This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

And in vain do they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'

The people in the marketplace stopped pretending to go about their business in favor of listening to the rebuttal. Even Hope stopped her pursuit of something to wash with to listen.

Jesus answered and said to them, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men — the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other things you do."
Jaws dropped. The woman in the stall closest to Hope whispered to her customer, "What is wrong with washing hands and cups? People are less likely to be sick this way."

The customer concurred, "He probably doesn't like the Pharisees and will say whatever He can against them."

Another customer butted in, "The Pharisees started it!"

Jesus continued with another example, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said 'Honor your father and your mother', and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban (a gift to God)"' then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

Hope and the other onlookers stared at the Pharisees.

Jesus called all the listeners to him and sighed, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"

The Pharisees glared. Some huffed. One by one, they pushed through the crowd and continued through town. The last one to leave looked downcast, mumbling, "I thought we were doing right…," before being called by his friends to leave.

Some of the crowd followed the Pharisees while the rest went back to their business of buying, selling, and getting cheated out of goods now that the Pharisees were gone.

Judas tapped Jesus on the shoulder. "May we talk to you privately?"

Jesus looked up at him with His mouth full and nodded. After swallowing the bite of bread, Jesus had everyone follow Him (with the basket) to an empty house. Hope hobbled behind.

In the house, the disciples set the basket down in a corner. Hope snuck over to grab a piece of barley bread (it's better than nothing to eat) and slid down the wall to sit and watch.

Judas started, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"

But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

Hope kept grabbing bread out of the basket like it was popcorn, the taste mostly ignored.

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

Jesus turned and looked at all the questioning looks on His disciples' faces, a little heartbroken, it seemed to Hope. Jesus said, "Are you also without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

Hope stopped munching and looked at her hands. She never did get them washed. She sighed. I guess it doesn't matter right now.

Some of the disciples nodded with understanding. A few recovered from their blank faces and shrugged.

Hope and Jesus shared the same thought: They will all understand eventually.

A/N Thank you for your patience! Your follows and reviews really encouraged me to get back to it. That and the constant power flickering I've been having here has encouraged me to use a program that doesn't require internet, namely Notes where I've been typing this story. I'm posting while the power/Wifi is on (obviously).

I figured there might be some triggers in here about some things Jesus said. If you have complaints about that, take it up with Him. I am just quoting what He said. If you have comments/complaints about how I tell this story, feel free to review and/or PM me.

Review Responses:

MyladyNancy: You're welcome! Easter is a great time to read through stories such as these! The Bible is for everyday reading, though. I hope you are!