Matthew 15:5

Matthew 15:5

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.’ ”

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Matthew 15:6 >>

But ye say (umeiv de legete). In sharp contrast to the command of God. Jesus had quoted the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12, Exodus 20:16) with the penalty "die the death" (qanatw teleutatw), "go on to his end by death," in imitation of the Hebrew idiom. They dodged this command of God about the penalty for dishonouring one's father or mother by the use "Corban" (korban) as Mark calls it (Mark 7:11). All one had to do to evade one's duty to father or mother was to say "Corban" or "Gift" (Dwron) with the idea of using the money for God. By an angry oath of refusal to help one's parents, the oath or vow was binding. By this magic word one set himself free (ou mh timhsei, he shall not honour) from obedience to the fifth commandment. Sometimes unfilial sons paid graft to the rabbinical legalists for such dodges. Were some of these very faultfinders guilty?

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 15:5:**

Mark 7:11
2 Peter 3:16

<< Matthew 15:4

Matthew 15:6 >>

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