Breakdown of Matthew 15:2-3

"“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" — The Pharisees are accusing Jesus' disciples not just of being dirty, but of breaking a specific ritual called "the tradition of the elders," which they considered even more binding than God's own com…

Matthew 15:2-3 Meaning Explained

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Matthew 15:2-3

“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Pharisees are accusing Jesus' disciples not just of being dirty, but of breaking a specific ritual called "the tradition of the elders," which they considered even more binding than God's own commands. This highlights how they prioritized man-made rules over genuine obedience to God.

What Matthew 15:2-3 means

A delegation of religious authorities, scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, has come to confront Jesus. They challenge him not on his core teachings, but on the perceived disobedience of his disciples to the unwritten "traditions of the elders," specifically their failure to perform ritual handwashing before eating. This accusation sets the stage for Jesus to expose the hypocrisy of their man-made rules that often obscure God's actual commands.

The Weight of 'Tradition of the Elders'

When the Pharisees confronted Jesus, they weren't just asking about a minor rule. They were challenging a whole system of interpretation and practice that had become central to their religious identity.

The 'tradition of the elders' referred to an extensive body of oral laws and customs that the Jewish leaders believed Moses had received alongside the written Law. These traditions were seen as essential for understanding and applying God's commands.

Oral Law: The Pharisees believed these traditions were a vital 'hedge' around the written Law, protecting it from being violated. They were passed down from generation to generation.
Elevated Status: Over time, these traditions gained immense importance, sometimes even being considered more binding than the written Law itself. This elevated human interpretation to the same level, or even above, divine revelation.
Focus on Ritual: Many of these traditions, like the washing of hands, focused on outward ritual purity. While cleanliness is good, the danger arose when this outward ritual was prioritized over inner heart purity and the core commands of God.

The Core of the Conflict: Heart vs. Hands

Jesus often cut through religious arguments to expose the real issue. Here, the debate over washing hands was a symptom of a much deeper problem: misplaced priorities.

The Pharisees were fixated on the outward act of washing hands, a tradition they believed ensured ritual purity. Jesus, however, saw that their hearts were far from God, and their 'purity' was superficial.

Superficial Purity: The tradition of washing hands before eating was meticulous, involving specific pouring methods and water quantities. This focus on outward ritual was meant to signify separation from impurity, but it often became an end in itself.
Ignoring the Heart: Jesus, echoing the Old Testament prophets, consistently pointed out that true worship and obedience come from the heart. The Pharisees' meticulous rituals did nothing to address their inner attitudes of pride, hypocrisy, and disobedience to God's weightier commands.

Understand the original words

Original language

traditionπαράδοσις

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.

commandmentἐντολή

entolē · Greek Noun

A divinely ordained decree or rule given by God for the regulation of human conduct and relationship with Him. In Scripture, these represent God's objective moral will, which holds absolute authority over human customs.

Historical context

Written: Likely between 70 and 100 AD.
Author: Traditionally Matthew the Apostle, though scholarly debate exists regarding its final authorship and compilation.
Location: Written from Galilee or Judea for a Jewish-Christian audience.
Genre: Gospel, a narrative account of Jesus' life and teachings, featuring dialogue and parables.

Historical background

This encounter highlights a critical tension in first-century Judaism: the clash between the divinely revealed Law and human-made traditions that had become elevated to a position of equal, or even greater, authority.

c. 450 BC - 150 BC
Development of the Oral Law
During this period, Jewish scholars and rabbis began to codify and expand upon the written Law of Moses, developing an 'Oral Law' or 'tradition of the elders.' This tradition included interpretations and applications of the Law not found in the Pentateuch.
c. 150 BC - AD 30
Codification of Traditions in the Mishna
The 'tradition of the elders,' encompassing numerous regulations on matters like ritual purity, was solidified and passed down. The Pharisees, in particular, emphasized adherence to these unwritten laws, often viewing them as equal to, or even superseding, the written Law.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and performing miracles throughout Galilee. His teachings often challenged the established religious authorities and their interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 29— this verse
Pharisees and Scribes Confront Jesus
Pharisees and scribes, likely having traveled from Jerusalem, confront Jesus and his disciples. They accuse the disciples of violating the 'tradition of the elders' by not performing ritual handwashing before eating.

Key themes

01Human tradition vs. divine command
02Religious hypocrisy revealed
03The essence of true worship

Cross-references

Mark 7:1-13

This passage provides a parallel account of the same event, with Mark offering further details on the Pharisees' strict adherence to their oral traditions, even when they contradicted God's commands.

Colossians 2:8

Paul warns against being taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ, mirroring the core issue Jesus addresses here.

Isaiah 29:13

Jesus quotes this prophecy to describe the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, whose worship is a mere outward show, honoring God with their lips but not their hearts, which is precisely the charge leveled against the Pharisees.

Romans 14:1-6

This passage deals with differences in practices among believers, particularly concerning food and days, illustrating how external observances can become points of contention, similar to the dispute over handwashing.

Scholarly commentary

Matthew 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,…
vincent

Matthew 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…

calvin

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What Matthew 15:2-3 means

Original language

traditionπαράδοσις

paradosis · Greek Noun

commandmentἐντολή

entolē · Greek Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely between 70 and 100 AD.
Author: Traditionally Matthew the Apostle, though scholarly debate exists regarding its final authorship and compilation.
Location: Written from Galilee or Judea for a Jewish-Christian audience.
Genre: Gospel, a narrative account of Jesus' life and teachings, featuring dialogue and parables.

Historical background

c. 450 BC - 150 BC

Development of the Oral Law

During this period, Jewish scholars and rabbis began to codify and expand upon the written Law of Moses, developing an 'Oral Law' or 'tradition of the elders.' This tradition included interpretations and applications of the Law not found in the Pentateuch.

c. 150 BC - AD 30

Codification of Traditions in the Mishna

The 'tradition of the elders,' encompassing numerous regulations on matters like ritual purity, was solidified and passed down. The Pharisees, in particular, emphasized adherence to these unwritten laws, often viewing them as equal to, or even superseding, the written Law.

c. AD 28-30

Jesus' Public Ministry Begins

Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and performing miracles throughout Galilee. His teachings often challenged the established religious authorities and their interpretations of the Law.

c. AD 29— this verse

Pharisees and Scribes Confront Jesus

Pharisees and scribes, likely having traveled from Jerusalem, confront Jesus and his disciples. They accuse the disciples of violating the 'tradition of the elders' by not performing ritual handwashing before eating.