Matthew 15:3
He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus’s pointed question highlights a subtle but critical danger: the word "also." By using it, He implies that while His disciples might be accused of breaking a human rule, the Pharisees were actively adding to that offense by breaking God's commandment because of their own traditions. This wasn't just an oversight; it was a deliberate prioritization of human rules over divine ones.
Some scribes and Pharisees, having traveled from Jerusalem, confront Jesus and his disciples, accusing them of breaking the elders' traditions because they don't wash their hands before eating. Jesus responds by questioning their own actions, pointing out how their traditions often lead them to disregard God's direct commands, particularly in the case of honoring parents. He asserts that their human-made rules, which they elevate above divine law, actually corrupt true worship and reveal hypocrisy.
Why did Jesus turn the tables on the Pharisees, shifting the focus from his disciples' actions to their own? He wasn't just deflecting; he was exposing a deeper problem.
Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees, not by defending his disciples' actions, but by exposing the hypocrisy at the heart of their accusation. They are upset because the disciples aren't following the 'tradition of the elders' – specific rules about washing hands before eating.
But Jesus cuts to the chase: 'Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?' He points out that their human-made traditions are actually leading them to disobey God's direct commands.
This is a critical distinction Jesus makes: God's clear commands are supreme. Human traditions, even those meant to honor God or explain His law, become dangerous when they:
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The word 'also' in Jesus' question seems small, but it carries immense weight. What does it reveal about the Pharisees' own spiritual condition?
Jesus uses the word 'also' (Greek: kai) to draw a direct parallel between his disciples' alleged transgression of tradition and the Pharisees' actual transgression of God's law.
Think of it this way: The Pharisees accuse Jesus' disciples of breaking their rules (human traditions). Jesus responds by saying, 'Well, if they're breaking your rules, then you are also breaking God's rules!'
This is a powerful rhetorical move:
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 encounter highlights a critical tension in 1st-century Judaism between strict adherence to man-made traditions and the core commandments of God, a conflict Jesus directly confronts.
c. 200 BC - 100 BC
Development of Oral Law
During this period, Jewish scribes and Pharisees began to codify and expand upon the written Law of Moses with oral traditions, emphasizing meticulous observance of ritual purity and religious duties.
c. 100 BC - AD 30
Codification of Traditions
These oral traditions, later known as the 'traditions of the elders,' became increasingly authoritative, sometimes rivaling the written Law in the eyes of many Jewish leaders.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Conflict
Jesus' disciples, under his teaching, often disregarded certain traditional practices, such as ritual handwashing before meals, which brought them into direct conflict with the scribes and Pharisees.
c. AD 30
Pharisaic Scrutiny
Scribes and Pharisees, particularly those from Jerusalem, actively sought out Jesus and his followers to challenge their practices and teachings, viewing their disregard for tradition as a serious offense.
This passage directly describes the hypocrisy Jesus is calling out: people honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him, and worshipping Him with human traditions. It highlights the core issue of outward observance versus inward devotion.
Colossians 2:8Paul warns believers against being taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophy, which is based on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world, rather than on Christ. This echoes Jesus' point that human traditions can undermine God's commands.
Mark 7:9-13This parallel account provides more detail on Jesus' argument, explicitly showing how the Pharisees' tradition (Corban) allowed people to neglect their God-given duty to support their parents, thus nullifying God's commandment. It demonstrates a clear case of tradition overriding divine law.
1 Samuel 15:22Samuel's rebuke to Saul, 'To obey is better than sacrifice,' directly supports Jesus' stance. Saul prioritized ritual (sacrifice) over obedience to God's command, just as the Pharisees prioritized their traditions over God's law.
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’s pointed question highlights a subtle but critical danger: the word "also." By using it, He implies that while His disciples might be accused of breaking a human rule, the Pharisees were actively adding to that offense by breaking God's commandment because of their own traditions. This wasn't just an oversight; it was a deliberate prioritization of human rules over divine ones.
Some scribes and Pharisees, having traveled from Jerusalem, confront Jesus and his disciples, accusing them of breaking the elders' traditions because they don't wash their hands before eating. Jesus responds by questioning their own actions, pointing out how their traditions often lead them to disregard God's direct commands, particularly in the case of honoring parents. He asserts that their human-made rules, which they elevate above divine law, actually corrupt true worship and reveal hypocrisy.
Some scribes and Pharisees, having traveled from Jerusalem, confront Jesus and his disciples, accusing them of breaking the elders' traditions because they don't wash their hands before eating. Jesus responds by questioning their own actions, pointing out how their traditions often lead them to disregard God's direct commands, particularly in the case of honoring parents. He asserts that their human-made rules, which they elevate above divine law, actually corrupt true worship and reveal hypocrisy.
"He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" — Jesus’s pointed question highlights a subtle but critical danger: the word "also." By using it, He implies that while His disciples might be accused of breaking a human rule, the Pharisees were activ…
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