Matthew 15:1-9 - Human Traditions And God's Commandments

¹ Then the Scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, came to him and said, ² why do your disciples violate the tradition of our ancestors, in not washing their hands when they eat bread?

³ but he answered them, why do you violate the law of God to follow your tradition? ⁴ for this is a commandment of God, "honour thy father and mother; and, he that curses father or mother, let him be punish'd with death."

⁵ but your doctrine is this, if any man declares to his father or mother, that whatever he has to give for their relief is dedicated to the temple; he is not oblig'd to regard his father or his mother. ⁶ thus have ye disannull'd the commandment of God by your tradition. ⁷ the prophecy of Esaias exactly suits such hypocrites as you;

⁸ "this people, says he, draw nigh to me, they honour me with their lips: while their hearts are far from me. ⁹ but in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men."

¹ The Pharisees, and certain Scribes from Jerusalem, came in a body to Jesus; ² when observing that some of his disciples were eating with profane hands, that is, without having wash'd them, they found fault. ³ for the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, in pursuance of their antient traditions, never eat till they have wash'd their hands up to their elbows. ⁴ nay, when they have been at any publick place, they never eat till they have washed. they observe besides several traditions, such as the washing of cups, pots, brass vessels, and beds. ⁵ the Pharisees, and Scribes therefore ask'd Jesus, why don't your disciples observe the tradition of the antients? why do they take their meals without washing their hands?

⁶ Jesus answered, to such hypocrites as you may well be applied those words of the prophet Esaias, "this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men."

⁸ for laying aside what is of divine appointment, you stick to their human traditions, about the washing of pots, and cups, and many other the like practices. ⁹ You are in the right, said he, to abolish the laws of God, to make way for such traditions. ¹⁰ Moses said, "honour thy father and thy mother;" and, if any one speak contemptibly of his father, or his mother, let him be put to death.

¹¹ but your doctrine is this, if any one shall tell his father or his mother, that what he could bestow for their relief, is corban, that is, to be given to the temple; ¹² you discharge him from the obligation of doing any thing for his father or his mother. ¹³ by such traditions, and such a number of practices, as you have settled, the word of God is stript of all its authority.