1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 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.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:1-9 KJV)
Traditions and Commandments
Evil practices, we say, bring about good laws. The excessive zeal of the Jewish teachers in maintaining their hierarchy led to many excellent teachings from our Savior to establish the truth, as seen here.
The scribes and Pharisees criticized Christ’s disciples for eating with unwashed hands. These were prominent figures in the Jewish church, using religion for personal gain and opposing the gospel of Christ under the guise of upholding the law of Moses, when in fact, they aimed to maintain their control over people’s consciences. These scribes and Pharisees were from Jerusalem, the holy city and seat of judgment, and so should have been exemplary—but they were worse than others.
So what was the accusation? What were they charging Christ’s disciples with? Simply this: they were not conforming to the traditions of the elders (Matthew 15:2): “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?” They emphasized one instance: “They don’t wash their hands before they eat.” A very serious offense, indeed! This shows how blameless Christ’s disciples were when this was the worst thing they could accuse them of.
The tradition of the elders was that people should often wash their hands, especially before meals. They attached great religious significance to this, believing that food touched with unwashed hands would defile them. The Pharisees followed this strictly and pressured others to do the same—not through civil penalties, but by treating it as a moral and spiritual obligation. Rabbi Joses claimed, “To eat with unwashed hands is as bad as adultery.”
Rabbi Akiba, when imprisoned and given water both to drink and to wash, used it all to wash his hands rather than drink, saying he would rather die than break the elders’ tradition. They wouldn’t even eat with someone who hadn’t washed before a meal. Such zeal over a minor issue would be baffling if we didn’t still see church-oppressors today who not only cherish their own inventions but aggressively enforce them on others.
The disciples broke this tradition by not washing their hands before eating. This was particularly offensive to the Pharisees. The custom of washing was civilly appropriate, and we read of purifying water at the wedding in Cana (John 2:6), though Christ repurposed it. But it was not a religious requirement; hence, the disciples did not care to break it even under the watchful eyes of the scribes and the Pharisees.
The scribes and Pharisees brought their complaint to Christ, assuming he approved of the disciples’ behavior. “Why do your disciples break church tradition? And why do you let them do it?” It was good the complaint was directed at Christ, for the disciples might not have been able to explain it clearly. Christ responded to this accusation by defending his disciples. While we stand firm in the freedom Christ has given us, he will support us.
Christ answered in two ways: First, he turned the accusation back on them (Matthew 15:3-6). While they were nitpicking the disciples, he revealed a much greater fault in them – a counter-accusation. He said, “You break God’s commandment for the sake of your tradition.” They emphasized the age and authority of their traditions, much like the Roman Church appeals to church fathers and councils, but Christ called it “your tradition.”
Illegal rules are blamed not only on those who created them but also on those who maintain and enforce them (Micah 6:16). Those who are most zealous for their own rules are often the most negligent of God’s commands. Christ’s disciples were justified in rejecting the tradition of washing before meals because the Pharisees violated more significant commandments elsewhere.
To prove his point, Christ referenced the fifth commandment. God’s commandment (Matthew 15:4) is: “Honor your father and mother.” Respect for parents reflects honor to God, who gave them to us. This includes caring for parents in their need and supporting their comfort. “Honor widows” means to support them (1 Timothy 5:3).
While the command includes a promise of long life, Christ focused instead on its penalty: “He who curses father or mother shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:17). This shows how serious the duty is. Disrespecting, mocking, or neglecting parents is equivalent to cursing them. Respectful words are meaningless if not backed by actions—it’s like the son who said, “I go, sir,” but never went (Matthew 21:30).
The tradition of the elders contradicted this command, not directly, but in effect. Their tradition gave loopholes that let people ignore this obligation (Matthew 15:5–6). “You’ve heard what God says, but you say otherwise.” Even if great and learned men say something, it must be tested by God’s word. If it contradicts God, it must be rejected (Acts 4:19).
They taught that it was better to dedicate one’s possessions to the temple than to use them to help parents. Once something was devoted to the temple, a person was released from all other responsibilities, even to their parents. This came partly from superstition and partly from greed—for what was given to the temple enriched the priests. They taught that if a child told their parents, “What you might have received from me is a gift to the temple,” then the parents should expect nothing. They even suggested that the spiritual benefit of the donation would somehow reach the parents. This was considered a good and lawful act. Some even claimed such a child fulfilled the fifth commandment and would be blessed for it.
Religion was being used to justify neglecting parents. But true religion is meant to support, not destroy, natural duty. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” They had turned religious rituals into excuses for ignoring moral obligations. This nullified God’s command. Anything that promotes disobedience undermines the command. While breaking the law is wrong, teaching others to do so is even worse (Matthew 5:19).
What value does a command have if it isn’t followed? If it doesn’t guide our actions, it serves no purpose. As the psalmist states, “It’s time for you to act, Lord, for they have made void your law” (Psalm 119:126). Fortunately, God’s command remains powerful despite human traditions.
Secondly, Christ also rebuked them for their hypocrisy: “You hypocrites” (Matthew 15:7). Only Christ, who knows the heart, can rightly identify hypocrisy. Humans can spot open sin, but only Christ sees hypocrisy (Luke 16:15), and he hates it most of all.
He quoted Isaiah 29:13: “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you.” Though Isaiah addressed his own generation, Christ applied it to the scribes and Pharisees. Scripture’s warnings are meant for all generations. Sinners in later times are included (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3). If we commit the same sins, the warnings apply to us. Isaiah’s words are still true for all hypocrites today.
Isaiah’s prophecy accurately describes hypocrites: (Mt 15:8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
First, hypocrites appear religious. The Pharisee prayed in the temple. They look like worshippers and keep up appearances. But their hearts were full of impurity. Second, they stop at words. Their religion is only on the surface. They speak with affection, but it’s all talk. They speak God’s name, but their hearts are elsewhere.
Third, their hearts are far from God. They have no sincere thoughts of him, no love for him, no concern for eternity. God is on their lips but far from their hearts (Jeremiah 12:2; Ezekiel 33:31). The heart is distracted, like a bird with no direction (Hosea 7:11). A hypocrite says one thing and thinks another. God demands the heart (Proverbs 23:26); without it, the service is foolish (Ecclesiastes 5:1).
Isaiah’s prophecy continues, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Mt 15:9).”
Hypocrites treat human rules as if they were divine commands. The Jews treated oral tradition with the same reverence as Scripture—just like the Roman Church does. When man-made ideas are added to God’s commandments and imposed on others, it’s hypocrisy. God accepts only what he himself has appointed.
This is the fate of hypocrites: “In vain do they worship me.” Their worship fails to achieve its purpose. It doesn’t please God or benefit them. If worship isn’t done in spirit, it isn’t in truth—and it is worthless. Those who seem religious but aren’t have a useless religion (James 1:26), and if our religion is worthless, how great that loss is! How sad is it to live in an age of prayers, sermons, and worship services and yet to perish in vain through them all!
Hypocrites deceive others with their empty show, but they cannot deceive God. He sees through the facade and rejects the worship that is not sincere. The closer it seems to be to Him, the more offensive it becomes when the heart is far from Him.