Matthew 15:2
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Pharisees are not just pointing out a hygiene issue; they're accusing Jesus' disciples of breaking a specific oral law from their elders, a tradition they considered just as binding as God's written commands. This highlights how they prioritized human rules, which they called "traditions," over the actual commandments of God.
This passage begins with religious authorities from Jerusalem, the scribes and Pharisees, confronting Jesus and his disciples. They accuse the disciples of breaking the "tradition of the elders" by not performing ritual handwashing before eating. This charge sets the stage for Jesus to expose the hypocrisy of these leaders, who prioritize human rules over God's actual commands.
Why were the Pharisees so upset about unwashed hands? It wasn't just about hygiene; it was about a whole system of belief that had grown up around God's Law.
The 'tradition of the elders' refers to a vast body of unwritten laws and customs passed down through generations of Jewish teachers, particularly the scribes and Pharisees. These weren't just helpful suggestions; they were considered binding, often elevated to the same level as, or even above, the written commandments of God.
The Pharisees were obsessed with external cleanness. But Jesus cared more about what was happening on the inside. What's the real difference?
The core of the Pharisees' complaint was the disciples' lack of ceremonial washing. This practice, while perhaps originating with a concern for general cleanliness, had become a complex system of ritual purification that mimicked the requirements for priests serving in the Temple.
Understand the original words
paradosis · Greek Noun
Refers to the body of oral laws, interpretations, and practices developed by Jewish religious authorities over generations, considered by them to be authoritative alongside the written Torah. Jesus frequently challenged these when they undermined God's word.
This encounter highlights a critical tension in 1st-century Judaism: the clash between divinely commanded righteousness and human-made traditions that, in practice, often masked deeper spiritual impurity and hypocrisy.
c. 400 BC - 200 BC
Development of Oral Law
Jewish religious leaders, known as elders, begin developing an 'Oral Law' as an interpretation and expansion of the written Mosaic Law. This tradition is passed down through generations.
c. 100 BC - AD 30
Pharisaic Movement and Tradition Emphasis
The Pharisaic movement gains prominence, emphasizing strict adherence to both the written Law and the Oral Law. They develop intricate rules, including ritual handwashing before meals, to maintain ritual purity.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry and Popularity
Jesus' public ministry is in full swing, attracting large crowds and disciples, and challenging established religious norms with his teachings and actions.
c. AD 30— this verse
Scribes and Pharisees Confront Jesus
Religious authorities, including scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, travel to confront Jesus, challenging his disciples for not following the 'tradition of the elders' by not washing their hands before eating.
This passage echoes the same theme, warning against human traditions and philosophies that take people captive instead of holding to Christ.
Isaiah 29:13Jesus directly quotes this prophecy in his response, highlighting the hypocrisy of people who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him.
Mark 7:1-9This passage from Mark provides a parallel account of the same event, offering more detail on the specific ritualistic washings and Jesus' condemnation of their traditions.
Galatians 1:14Paul's experience of zealous adherence to his own traditions before his conversion parallels the Pharisees' devotion to their human-made rules over God's commands.
1 Samuel 15:22This Old Testament passage emphasizes that obedience to God is far more valuable than sacrifices or rituals, a core principle Jesus is asserting against the Pharisees' focus on tradition.
vincentMatthew 15:2: "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread."
Wash not their handsWashing before meals was alone regarded as a commandment; washing after meals only as a duty. By and by the more rigorous actually washed between the courses, although this was declared to be purely voluntary. The distinctive designation for washing after meals was the lifting of the hands; while for washing before meat a term was used which meant,…
calvinMatthew 15:1-9: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,"
- Then scribes and Pharisees, who had come from Jerusalem, approach to Jesus, 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 answering said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God on account of [390] your tradition? 4. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; and, He that curseth fath…
The Pharisees are not just pointing out a hygiene issue; they're accusing Jesus' disciples of breaking a specific oral law from their elders, a tradition they considered just as binding as God's written commands. This highlights how they prioritized human rules, which they called "traditions," over the actual commandments of God.
This passage begins with religious authorities from Jerusalem, the scribes and Pharisees, confronting Jesus and his disciples. They accuse the disciples of breaking the "tradition of the elders" by not performing ritual handwashing before eating. This charge sets the stage for Jesus to expose the hypocrisy of these leaders, who prioritize human rules over God's actual commands.
This passage begins with religious authorities from Jerusalem, the scribes and Pharisees, confronting Jesus and his disciples. They accuse the disciples of breaking the "tradition of the elders" by not performing ritual handwashing before eating. This charge sets the stage for Jesus to expose the hypocrisy of these leaders, who prioritize human rules over God's actual commands.
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c. AD 30
Jesus Denounces Hypocrisy
Jesus responds by accusing the religious leaders of hypocrisy, arguing that their traditions often nullify or disregard God's actual commandments, prioritizing human rules over divine ones.
"“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”" — The Pharisees are not just pointing out a hygiene issue; they're accusing Jesus' disciples of breaking a specific oral law from their elders, a tradition they considered just as binding as God's wr…
