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15 Then the scribes and the Pharisees came to him from Jerusalem, and said, [Then scribes and Pharisees came nigh to him from Jerusalem, saying,]

Why break thy disciples the traditions of elder men [Why thy disciples break the traditions, either the teachings, of elder men]? for they wash not their hands, when they eat bread.

He answered, and said to them, Why [also] break ye the commandment of God for your tradition?

For God said, Honour thy father and thy mother [Honour thy father and mother], and he that curseth father or mother, die he by death.

But ye say, Whoever saith to father or mother [But ye say, Whoever shall say to the father or mother], Whatever gift is of me, it shall profit to thee;

and he hath not worshipped his father or his mother [and he shall not honour his father either mother]; and ye have made the commandment of God void for your tradition.

Hypocrites, Esaias, the prophet, prophesied well of you, and said [saying],

This people honoureth me with lips, but their heart is far from me;

and they worship me without cause [truly they worship me without cause], teaching the doctrines and the commandments of men.

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Christ defends his disciples, and rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for transgressing God’s commandments through their own precepts. What goes into the mouth does not defile a man. He delivers the Canaanite woman’s daughter, heals the multitude, and with seven loaves and a few little fishes feeds 4,000 men, as well as women and children.

15 Then scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the precepts of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, And why do you transgress the commandment of God through your precepts? For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and mother, and, He who curses father or mother shall suffer death. But you say every man should tell his father or mother, That which you desire of me, to help you with, is given for God – and so he should not honour his father or mother. And thus you have made the commandment of God to be without effect, through your precepts. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near to me with their mouths, and honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching doctrines which are nothing but men’s precepts. 

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15 3 The commandments and traditions of men. 12 Offences. 13 The plant which is rooted up. 14 Blind leading the blind. 18 The heart. 22 The woman of Canaan. 26 The children’s bread: whelps. 28 Faith. 32 4,000 men fed. 36 Thanksgiving.

Then [a]came to Jesus the Scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

(A) Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders? for they [b]wash not their hands when they eat bread.

[c]But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

(B)For God hath commanded, saying, [d]Honor thy father and mother: (C)and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

But ye say, [e]Whosoever shall say to father or mother, By the gift that is offered by me, thou mayest have profit,

Though he honor not his father, or his mother, shall be free: thus have ye made the commandment of God of no [f]authority by your tradition.

[g]O hypocrites, Isaiah prophesied well of you, saying,

(D)This people draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with the lips, but their heart is far off from me.

But in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines, men’s precepts.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:1 None commonly are more bold contemners of God, than they whom God appointeth keepers of his law.
  2. Matthew 15:2 Which they received of their ancestors from hand to hand, or their elders allowed, which were the governors of the Church.
  3. Matthew 15:3 Their wicked boldness, in corrupting the commandments of God, and that upon the pretence of godliness, and usurping authority to make laws, is here reproved.
  4. Matthew 15:4 By honor is meant all kinds of duties which children owe to their parents.
  5. Matthew 15:5 The meaning is this: whatsoever I bestow upon the Temple, is to thy profit, for it is as good as if I gave it thee, for (as the Pharisees of our time say) it shall be meritorious for thee: for under this color of religion, they raked all to themselves, as though that he that had given anything to the Temple, had done the duty of a child.
  6. Matthew 15:6 You made it of no power and authority as much as lay in you: for otherwise the commandments of God stand fast in the Church of God, in despite of the world and Satan.
  7. Matthew 15:7 The same men are condemned for hypocrisy and superstition, because they made the kingdom of God to stand in outward things.

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

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