Matthew 15:14
Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss is Jesus' directness, calling out the Pharisees as "blind leaders." He’s not just offering a polite suggestion; he's issuing a stark warning that these false spiritual guides will lead their followers to destruction, and we have a responsibility to discern this for ourselves.
Jesus has just declared that true spiritual impurity comes from the heart, not from what one eats, directly challenging the Pharisees' meticulous traditions about ritual cleanness. When his disciples point out that the Pharisees are offended by his words, Jesus dismisses them, stating that only what his Father has planted will endure, and then utters this proverb. This verse sets up Jesus' subsequent explanation to his disciples about the true source of defilement, which comes from within, from wicked thoughts and actions originating in the heart.
Jesus tells his disciples to 'let them alone.' What does this really mean? Is it a call to ignore harmful leaders, or something deeper?
When Jesus tells his disciples to 'let them alone' (Gk. aphete autous), he's not giving a blanket endorsement for ignoring false teaching. Instead, he's directing his followers not to be troubled by the offense these leaders take.
Jesus uses a stark image: a blind man leading another blind man. What does this proverb reveal about spiritual leadership and discipleship?
The image of 'blind leaders of the blind' is a powerful metaphor for spiritual danger.
Understand the original words
typhlos hodēgos · Greek Adjective/Noun
A metaphor for a person who presumes to instruct others in spiritual matters while lacking spiritual insight, discernment, or true revelation from God.
bothynos · Greek Noun
A metaphor for destruction, judgment, or ruin; it represents the inevitable consequence for those who follow false teaching and reject God's guidance.
This proverb, 'Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind,' spoken by Jesus, carries immense weight when viewed against the backdrop of intensifying conflict between Jesus and the religious elite. It wasn't just a theological disagreement; it was a life-or-death struggle for the soul of Israel, leading directly to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, teaching and healing, attracting large crowds and challenging the religious establishment.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry in Judea
Jesus moves his ministry towards Judea, increasing confrontations with the Pharisees and scribes over issues of purity laws and tradition.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus confronts the Pharisees
Jesus directly challenges the Pharisees' interpretation of the Law, particularly concerning ritual purity and traditions, stating that true defilement comes from within, not from external sources.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' teaching on inner purity
Jesus teaches the crowds and his disciples that true spiritual corruption originates in the heart (thoughts, desires, intentions) rather than in physical actions like eating with unwashed hands.
This passage directly quotes Jesus using the same proverb, 'Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will not both fall into a ditch?' highlighting the consistent warning against unqualified spiritual leadership.
Matthew 23:16Jesus reiterates the 'blind guide' theme, specifically calling out the Pharisees' hypocrisy and their teaching that leads people astray, reinforcing the consequence of their flawed spiritual direction.
Isaiah 9:16This Old Testament prophecy speaks of leaders who cause a people to err, leading them down a path of destruction, which echoes the dire outcome Jesus predicts for blind guides and their followers.
Proverbs 14:12This proverb states, 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death,' underscoring the danger of following paths that appear good but ultimately lead to ruin, a consequence mirrored in Matthew 15:14.
John 9:41Jesus tells the Pharisees, 'If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, “We see,” your guilt remains,' directly addressing their self-deception and inability to recognize their spiritual blindness, which is the root cause of their leading others astray.
calvinMatthew 15:10-20: "And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:"
- And having called the multitudes to him, he said to them, Hear and understand. 11. What entereth into the mouth polluteth not the man, but what goes out of the mouth polluteth the man. 12. Then his disciples approaching said to him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard that saying? 13. But he answering, said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be roote…
bensonMatthew 15:14: "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 15:14 . Let them alone — Do not trouble or concern yourselves about their censures: neither court their favour nor dread their displeasure, nor much care though they be offended. Seek not to please a generation of men that please not God, 1 Thessalonians 2:15 ; and will be pleased with nothing less than absolute dominion over your consciences. They be bli…
What's easy to miss is Jesus' directness, calling out the Pharisees as "blind leaders." He’s not just offering a polite suggestion; he's issuing a stark warning that these false spiritual guides will lead their followers to destruction, and we have a responsibility to discern this for ourselves.
Jesus has just declared that true spiritual impurity comes from the heart, not from what one eats, directly challenging the Pharisees' meticulous traditions about ritual cleanness. When his disciples point out that the Pharisees are offended by his words, Jesus dismisses them, stating that only what his Father has planted will endure, and then utters this proverb. This verse sets up Jesus' subsequent explanation to his disciples about the true source of defilement, which comes from within, from wicked thoughts and actions originating in the heart.
Jesus has just declared that true spiritual impurity comes from the heart, not from what one eats, directly challenging the Pharisees' meticulous traditions about ritual cleanness. When his disciples point out that the Pharisees are offended by his words, Jesus dismisses them, stating that only what his Father has planted will endure, and then utters this proverb. This verse sets up Jesus' subsequent explanation to his disciples about the true source of defilement, which comes from within, from wicked thoughts and actions originating in the heart.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 15:14 is available in the Sola app.
Jesus contrasts what goes into a person with what comes out. What's the real source of spiritual impurity?
Jesus redirects the conversation from external rules (like handwashing) to the internal source of sin.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman army destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, a catastrophic event fulfilling Jesus' prophecies and illustrating the 'ditch' of destruction for those who rejected Him.
"Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”" — What's easy to miss is Jesus' directness, calling out the Pharisees as "blind leaders." He’s not just offering a polite suggestion; he's issuing a stark warning that these false spiritual guides will…
