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In this lesson:
What is inner purity? Gods versus man's commandments. Are the scribes and Pharisees' hypocrites? (15:1-21) Our good words (15:8) and actions (15:9) cannot save us. Memorable quote: "Honour thy father and mother." (15:4) |
The blind leading the blind into a ditch (15:14)
By the Flemish Renaissance artist and engraver Pieter the Elder Bruegel (1525-1569) |
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Matthew 15:1-20
Jesus is challenged 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. 10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. |
Margin notes:
"Scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem." (15:1) - As Jesus' fame spread, the Scribes and Pharisees saw Him as a threat. The worried religious leaders traveled ninety miles on foot from Jerusalem to Gennesaret to discredit the Messiah. Concerned Jewish Priests also questioned the now beheaded John the Baptist (John 1:19). "Transgress." (15:2) - Means "break or violate." "Tradition of the elders." (15:2) - The Pharisees' traditions were not part of God's Mosaic Law. They were man-made customs that the Pharisees raised to the level of holy law. As we see here, they even mandated a hand washing ritual. "They wash not their hands." (15:2) - The Pharisees called for the ceremonial washing of hands before eating. This is an example of the Pharisees twisting the Mosaic Law. Only a priest needed to ritually wash before eating, and even then, only before eating a holy meal (Leviticus 22:6-7). See question one below. "They eat bread" (15:2) - Food is called bread in Hebrew, so that to say "eat bread" is the same as saying "eat a meal." "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God." (15:3) - Jesus is asking the Scribes and Pharisees why they break God's commandments. "Honour thy father and mother." (15:4) - One of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12-17; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 19:19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Ephesians 6:2). "He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." (15:4) - Paraphrased from Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9. "Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift." (15:5) - Here, Jesus is referring to the "law of Corban." Corban is a Hebrew word meaning "gift to God." Pledging a corban gift to God was similar to willing money to the Temple, something the Pharisees enthusiastically encouraged. Once somebody promised money, property, or any object of value to the Temple, it couldn't be given to anyone else. Some pledged their wealth to the Temple so they could "legally" ignore their needy parents. Since the pledge to the Temple didn't have to be honored until the donor died, they could simply declare their fortunes as Corban, keep the money, and neglect their parents. Any money left when the donor died went to the Temple. In an era before Social Security or safety nets, aging parents were often left destitute. In essence, since the money couldn't be given to anyone else, the man-made law of Corban voided God's commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother." See also Mark 7:11-13. "It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me." (15:5) - "Whatever you would have gotten from me is pledged (to the Temple)." "He shall be free." (15:6) - According to the Pharisees, anyone who pledged their money to the Temple was free from the commandment to "honor thy father and mother." "Esaias prophesy." (15:7) - This prophesy can be found in Isaiah 29:13. "Nigh." (15:8) - Means "near." "That which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (15:11) - It is what is in our heart and what we say that defiles us, not the food we eat. See verses 15:18-19. Jesus repeats this message in James 3:6-8. "Let them alone." (15:14) - Means stay away from the Pharisees. "Both shall fall into the ditch." (15:14) - Jesus also used the metaphor of the blind leading the blind in Luke 6:39. "Declare unto us this parable." (15:15) - "Explain this parable to us." "Cast out into the draught." (15:17) - "Eliminated." "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart." (15:18) - See also Matthew 12:34. "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...." (15:19) - See Proverbs 6:14 and Jeremiah 17:9. "False witness." (15:19) - "Lies." "Blasphemies." (15:19) - To blasphemy is to slander, insult (through words, thoughts, or actions), or speak irreverently of God, His authority, or grandeur. The Old Testament called blasphemy one of the worst sins, punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). The New Testament calls blasphemy against God the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10). Unforgiveable because the sinner will not ask for forgiveness. Unforgivable blasphemy is not a one-time mistake made in a time of spiritual uncertainty; it is the unrelenting disavowal, insulting, and rejection of God. "These are the things which defile a man." (15:20) - it's what comes out of our mouth that defiles us. Not want we put in our mouth (Ephesians 4:29). |
Mark 7:1-23 gives more information on self-defilement.
New Living Translation
Matthew 15:1-20
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him,
2 "Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."
3 Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?
4 For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.'
5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.'
6 In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
8 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"
10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "Listen," he said, "and try to understand.
11 It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth."
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?"
13 Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,
14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain to us the parable that says people aren't defiled by what they eat."
16 "Don't you understand yet?" Jesus asked.
17 "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.
18 But the words you speak come from the heart-that's what defiles you.
19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you."
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him,
2 "Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."
3 Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?
4 For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.'
5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.'
6 In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
8 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"
10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "Listen," he said, "and try to understand.
11 It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth."
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?"
13 Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,
14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain to us the parable that says people aren't defiled by what they eat."
16 "Don't you understand yet?" Jesus asked.
17 "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.
18 But the words you speak come from the heart-that's what defiles you.
19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you."
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"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." (15:3-4)
"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." (15:8)
"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (15:11)
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (15:18-19)
"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." (15:8)
"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (15:11)
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (15:18-19)
Today's Questions:
1. Why was ritually washing before meals important to the Pharisees and not to Jesus? (15:2)
2. Do some people worship in "vain"? (15:9)
To learn more about the Scriptures, explore the Bible on your own.
1. Why was ritually washing before meals important to the Pharisees and not to Jesus? (15:2)
2. Do some people worship in "vain"? (15:9)
To learn more about the Scriptures, explore the Bible on your own.
Answers: (Do you agree?)
1. The ritual washing of hands is an excellent example of how the Pharisees put their customs above the law of God. Originally, ritual washing was done to remove any contamination after contact with "unclean" people or things. It came from the Old Testament teachings that prohibited such contact (Leviticus 5:2-3) and became part of the Jewish tradition of ceremonial purity. The Pharisees made washing such an over-the-top sign of their righteousness that they even washed after meals. Some washed during the meal between courses to show how righteous they were.
In time, the Pharisees wrote even stricter rules on washing. The washing pots had to be ceremonially cleaned before the hands were immersed. The Pharisees considered it a grave sin not to follow their customs. Jesus stood for true righteousness and spiritual freedom, not for the bondage of ceremonialism.
Jesus emphasized the heart rather than rituals. He taught that true defilement comes from within us. Evil thoughts lay in the human heart. Hypocrites frequently place great importance on the appearance of religion while ignoring true faith. Jesus highlighted the difference between outward religious practices and genuine faith.
2. Yes, some people do worship in vain. Meaningless ceremonies and religious rituals strip worship of its true meaning and are, therefore, in vain. Proper worship isn't what people think up, but what God prescribes. Worship is meaningless when it is based on human traditions rather than genuine faith and obedience to God's word.
Application thought for the day:
It's not enough to say we love God and then live contrary to His word (15:8). God knows our inner self and can't be fooled. Both our words and our actions must come from true faith.
Please help us reach more unbelievers.
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen, published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Atlas of the Bible" edited by Joseph L. Gardner, published by Readers Digest, Pleasantville, New York; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The New Testament" Recovery Version published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The New Scofield Reference Bible" published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2025 evolke
© 2025 evolke