Matthew 15:1

Defilement Comes from Within

1 Then ^athe scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,

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.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, ^a“Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
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What Does Matthew 15:1 Mean?

The scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem confronted Jesus about His disciples transgressing the tradition of the elders, not the law of God. Their accusation cannot be supported by any command found in God's law. This connects to Galatians 1:14, where Paul describes his zeal for the traditions of his fathers, referring to the national religion of Judaism.

Matthew 15:1-2

This ties in with Galatians 1:14, where Paul writes about being "zealous for the traditions of my fathers"—his description of the national religion of Judaism. Jesus' disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders, not the law of God. One cannot find a command concerning what they are accused of in God's law.

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

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Matthew 15:1:**

Matthew 23:23
Mark 7:14-23
Luke 11:42

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