Matthew 15:4

2 ^a“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, ^a‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ^b‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, ^a“Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—

6 then he need not honor his father¹ or mother.’ Thus you have made the² commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

7 ^aHypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These^a people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.

9 And in vain they worship Me,
^aTeaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 ^aWhen He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:

11 ^aNot what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
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What Does Matthew 15:4 Mean?

Matthew 15:3-6

Behind these Scriptures is a practice whereby people excused themselves from providing for their parents on the grounds of giving offerings (not tithes) to the Temple. On the surface this may seem like an honorable practice, but Jesus condemned them as hypocrites! God wants mercy to people in need, not the "sacrifice" of an offering to God that we think might put us in better standing with Him. That "sacrifice" should have been spent relieving the parent's need!

Jesus quotes Exodus 21:17 as His authority. "Curses" implies afflicting, bringing evil upon, or causing harm or misfortune to. The person who curses a parent, even under the New Covenant, breaks the fifth commandment and is worthy of death. These are sobering words regarding a serious obligation.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Fifth Commandment (1997)

Matthew 15:3-6

Notice what Jesus says happened here: The Pharisees had pushed the law of God aside! In the same way, the book of Galatians is not talking about the law of God but about Judaism. The two are not the same thing!

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Four)

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Matthew 15:4:

Mark 7:14-23

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What Does Matthew 15:4 Mean?

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