Matthew 15:4-6
For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is that "honor" wasn't just about respect; it included practical support and provision for parents' needs. This makes the religious leaders' loophole, which allowed people to neglect their parents financially by dedicating resources to God instead, even more egregious.
Jesus is confronted by scribes and Pharisees who question his disciples for not following their traditions of ritual handwashing before eating. In response, Jesus powerfully turns the accusation back on them, arguing that their "traditions of elders" actually lead them to disregard God's direct commands. He then cites the commandment to honor parents, highlighting the severe penalty for its violation, as a clear example of how their teachings made God's law void.
What does it truly mean to 'honor' your father and mother? It's a command that carries weighty implications, going far beyond simple politeness.
In Matthew 15:4, Jesus quotes God's command from Exodus 20:12: 'Honor your father and your mother.' The word 'honor' (Greek: timáō) here isn't just about outward respect or obedience. It encompasses providing for their needs, offering material assistance, and supporting them, especially in their times of vulnerability.
Think about it:
This command shows that God's view of honoring parents is holistic, touching on practical care and deep respect, not just superficial gestures.
The Bible doesn't mince words when it comes to dishonoring parents. The penalty is severe, highlighting the sacredness of this relationship.
Jesus follows the command to honor parents with the stark warning found in Exodus 21:17: 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' The phrase 'must surely die' (Hebrew idiom: 'he shall surely be put to death') indicates a death penalty under the Old Testament Law.
This isn't just about harsh words; 'reviling' can include disobedience, treating them with contempt, or actively wishing them harm. The gravity of this penalty underscores:
Understand the original words
kāḇaḏ · Hebrew Verb
To show proper respect, reverence, and value toward someone. In the context of parents, it implies practical support, care, and high esteem, reflecting one's duty to acknowledge their God-given role.
kakologeō · Greek Verb
To treat with contempt, speak evil of, or curse. It denotes a severe violation of respect and is biblically categorized as a serious offense against God’s moral order.
timao · Greek Verb
To hold in high regard, respect, or treat with the weight and value due to someone, especially parents as commanded by God. In a biblical context, it often involves practical provision and care.
paradosis · Greek Noun
Jesus highlights how human traditions, like the elaborate rules around 'corban' (devoted gifts), allowed people to bypass their God-given responsibility to care for their parents, effectively nullifying a core commandment of the Law.
c. 1446 BC
Ten Commandments Given
God establishes the Mosaic Law, including the commandment to honor parents, on Mount Sinai.
c. 1446 BC
Law on Cursing Parents
The Book of the Law specifies the death penalty for cursing one's father or mother.
c. 5th-4th century BC
Development of Oral Traditions
Jewish scribes and Pharisees begin to codify and emphasize oral traditions, often elaborating on or even superseding aspects of the written Law.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his teaching and healing ministry, challenging established religious authorities and their interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
This passage contains the direct commandment from God to honor parents, establishing the foundational principle that Jesus is upholding.
Deuteronomy 27:16This verse reiterates the severe penalty for dishonoring parents, emphasizing the gravity of the commandment Jesus cites.
Proverbs 23:22This proverb echoes the importance of honoring parents, connecting obedience and wisdom to the commandment Jesus mentions.
Colossians 3:20This New Testament passage is a direct instruction to children to obey their parents in everything, showing the continued relevance of this commandment for believers.
Matthew 15:3-6This immediate context shows Jesus contrasting the clear commandment to honor parents with the Pharisees' traditions that allowed people to disregard their filial duties, highlighting the core issue of misplaced priorities.
vincentMatthew 15:4: "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death."
Die the death (θανάτῳ τελευτάτω)The Hebrew idiom is, he shall certainly be executed. The Greek is, lit., let him come to his end by death.
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…
What's easy to miss here is that "honor" wasn't just about respect; it included practical support and provision for parents' needs. This makes the religious leaders' loophole, which allowed people to neglect their parents financially by dedicating resources to God instead, even more egregious.
Jesus is confronted by scribes and Pharisees who question his disciples for not following their traditions of ritual handwashing before eating. In response, Jesus powerfully turns the accusation back on them, arguing that their "traditions of elders" actually lead them to disregard God's direct commands. He then cites the commandment to honor parents, highlighting the severe penalty for its violation, as a clear example of how their teachings made God's law void.
Jesus is confronted by scribes and Pharisees who question his disciples for not following their traditions of ritual handwashing before eating. In response, Jesus powerfully turns the accusation back on them, arguing that their "traditions of elders" actually lead them to disregard God's direct commands. He then cites the commandment to honor parents, highlighting the severe penalty for its violation, as a clear example of how their teachings made God's law void.
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Why did Jesus bring up this ancient command in His debate with the Pharisees? Because their traditions had dangerously undermined God's clear Word.
The core of Jesus' argument in Matthew 15 is that the Pharisees had created traditions that effectively nullified God's commandment to honor parents. They taught that if someone declared their possessions 'Corban' (a sacred offering to God), they were then freed from the obligation to support their parents, even if the parents were in need.
This highlights a crucial spiritual principle:
A set of customs, beliefs, or teachings handed down from generation to generation. In this context, it refers to human-invented regulations that were elevated to divine status, often superseding God’s commands.
akuroo · Greek Verb
To render inoperative, abolish, or nullify the effectiveness of something. It implies treating the divine authority of God’s Word as if it no longer holds binding power.
logos tou Theou · Greek Noun
The direct revelation, authoritative communication, or declared will of God to humanity. It is considered infallible and superior to any human reasoning or institutional decree.
Confrontation with Scribes and Pharisees
Jesus directly confronts scribes and Pharisees, accusing them of prioritizing human traditions over God's clear commands, including the commandment to honor parents.
"For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not hono…" — What's easy to miss here is that "honor" wasn't just about respect; it included practical support and provision for parents' needs. This makes the religious leaders' loophole, which allowed people to…
