He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus highlights a critical word: "also." By turning their accusation back on them with "why do you also transgress," he reveals that their focus on minor traditions blinds them to their own far more serious violation of God's commands. Their own "tradition" has become an excuse to bypass the weightier matters God actually requires.
He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Some scribes and Pharisees have traveled from Jerusalem to confront Jesus, accusing his disciples of breaking an ancient tradition by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus immediately turns their accusation back on them, questioning why they themselves disregard God's clear commands for the sake of their own human-made rules. He will then go on to illustrate how their tradition makes the commandment to honor parents void.
Have you ever felt wrongly accused? Jesus does the same here, but with a powerful twist. He doesn't just defend his disciples; he turns the accusation back on those who made it.
The Pharisees and scribes accuse Jesus's disciples of breaking their 'tradition of the elders' (Mark 7:5) – specifically, not washing their hands before eating. Jesus, in verse 3, uses the word 'also' (Greek: 'kai') to draw a parallel, but then flips the script.
Flipping the Accusation
Jesus isn't saying his disciples did break a tradition. He's saying that even if they did, the Pharisees were far guiltier because their traditions led them to disobey God directly. This 'also' highlights that while the disciples might have stumbled on a man-made rule, the accusers were actively violating divine law.
We all have traditions, some good, some not so much. But what happens when traditions start to override God's actual commands? Jesus exposes the dangerous heart of this issue.
Jesus’s core critique is that the Pharisees' traditions weren't just unimportant extras; they actively and God's clear commands.
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The Corrupting Influence
Understand the original words
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.
This exchange highlights a critical tension in Jewish life during Jesus' time: the conflict between divinely commanded law and human traditions. The Pharisees, having elevated their oral traditions to the level of divine authority, are challenged by Jesus for allowing these traditions to override God's actual commandments, particularly concerning family honor.
c. 450 BC
Ezra Reforms
Following the Babylonian Exile, Ezra led religious reforms, emphasizing strict adherence to the Law and a separation from foreign influences. This period saw an increased focus on oral traditions as a way to interpret and apply the Law.
c. 200 BC - AD 1
Development of Oral Law
The period leading up to Jesus saw the significant development and codification of oral traditions, often referred to as the 'traditions of the elders'. These traditions provided detailed interpretations and applications of the written Law.
c. AD 25-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and healing. His approach often challenged the religious establishment and their interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Confronts Pharisees
During his ministry, Jesus engages in frequent debates with the scribes and Pharisees. This specific confrontation, recorded in Matthew 15, occurs when Pharisees from Jerusalem question his disciples for not following their traditions regarding handwashing.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central events of Christianity, leading to the spread of the Gospel and the establishment of the early Church.
c. AD 60-70
Gospel of Matthew Written
The Gospel of Matthew is written, preserving this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees, highlighting Jesus' teaching on the true nature of obedience to God.
This passage, quoted by Jesus in Matthew 15:8-9, directly addresses the hypocrisy of people who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him, a core issue in His confrontation with the Pharisees about their traditions.
Colossians 2:20-23Paul echoes Jesus' concern about human-made religious rules, warning against ascetic practices and regulations that have an 'appearance of wisdom' but fail to curb sinful desires, much like the traditions Jesus challenges.
Mark 7:6-13This parallel account in Mark provides a fuller picture of Jesus' teaching, explicitly showing how the Pharisees' tradition of 'Corban' (a gift dedicated to God) allowed people to neglect their duty to support their parents, thus nullifying God's commandment.
Romans 14:1-23While dealing with matters of disputable practices and legalistic adherence, Romans 14 highlights the danger of judging others based on man-made rules and the importance of focusing on love and the kingdom of God, themes relevant to Jesus' critique of misplaced religious focus.
1 Samuel 15:22Samuel's rebuke to Saul, 'Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams,' directly parallels Jesus' argument that obedience to God's core commands is more vital than adherence to human traditions, even those presented as religious acts.
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…
barnesMatthew 15:3: "But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
But he answered ... - They accused him of violating their traditions, as though they were obligatory. In his answer he implied that his disciples were not bound to obey their traditions - they were invented by human beings. He said, also, that those traditions could not be binding, as they violated the commandments of God. He proceeded to specify a case in which their traditio…
Jesus highlights a critical word: "also." By turning their accusation back on them with "why do you also transgress," he reveals that their focus on minor traditions blinds them to their own far more serious violation of God's commands. Their own "tradition" has become an excuse to bypass the weightier matters God actually requires.
Some scribes and Pharisees have traveled from Jerusalem to confront Jesus, accusing his disciples of breaking an ancient tradition by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus immediately turns their accusation back on them, questioning why they themselves disregard God's clear commands for the sake of their own human-made rules. He will then go on to illustrate how their tradition makes the commandment to honor parents void.
Some scribes and Pharisees have traveled from Jerusalem to confront Jesus, accusing his disciples of breaking an ancient tradition by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus immediately turns their accusation back on them, questioning why they themselves disregard God's clear commands for the sake of their own human-made rules. He will then go on to illustrate how their tradition makes the commandment to honor parents void.
"He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" — Jesus highlights a critical word: "also." By turning their accusation back on them with "why do you also transgress," he reveals that their focus on minor traditions blinds them to their own far mo…
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Last reviewed October 2026