Matthew 15:7-9
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Jesus calls them "hypocrites," not just because they claim to honor God, but because their outwardly pious actions actually undermine God's commands. The prophecy he quotes from Isaiah shows this core disconnect: their worship is a performance, a set of rules followed with their lips, while their hearts are far from truly obeying God.
You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is confronting religious leaders who question his disciples for not following their man-made traditions about ritual washing. He accuses them of using their own rules, like the concept of "Corban" (a sacred offering), to avoid their God-given duty to care for their parents, thus invalidating God's commands through their traditions. He then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion that lacks a sincere heart.
Jesus doesn't hold back when calling out religious leaders. What does 'hypocrite' really mean, and why was it such a damning charge against the Pharisees?
Jesus labels the scribes and Pharisees as 'hypocrites.' This isn't just a casual insult; it's a serious accusation rooted in their actions.
What is a Hypocrite?
A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something they're not, especially in religious matters. They put on a show of piety and righteousness while their inner life and true motives are far from godly.
Why it Fit the Pharisees
These religious leaders were obsessed with external rituals – like the specific ways they washed their hands before eating. They insisted on these traditions, even making them seem more important than God's actual commands. Jesus saw this as a performance. Their outward actions didn't match their inner reality, and their traditions were a mask for a lack of genuine devotion to God.
Jesus quotes an ancient prophet to expose the religious leaders of his day. How did these words from centuries earlier perfectly describe their spiritual condition?
Jesus declares that the prophet Isaiah had already described these very people. He's saying their actions weren't new or unexpected but a recurring pattern of spiritual rebellion.
Honoring with Lips, Not Heart
Isaiah 29:13 (which Jesus quotes) speaks of people who 'draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me.' This captures the essence of the Pharisees' problem:
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Empty Worship
Jesus adds that their worship is 'in vain' because they teach 'human traditions as doctrines.' This means they elevated their own rules and interpretations to the same level as God's commands, making their religious efforts ultimately meaningless in God's eyes.
Understand the original words
hupokrites · Greek Noun
Originally a term for a stage actor, it refers to a person who acts out a part or wears a mask, signifying someone whose outward religious display contradicts their true inner spiritual state.
kardia · Greek Noun
The center of the human personality, including the intellect, will, emotions, and moral consciousness. It is the seat of true allegiance and the source from which real devotion to God must flow.
sebomai · Greek Verb
To render service to God through reverence, prayer, or ritual. True worship is acceptable to God only when it proceeds from a sincere spirit and is directed by His truth, rather than mere outward formality.
maten · Greek Adverb
Empty, futile, or without true effect. Biblically, it describes efforts or religious observances that fail to reach their intended goal because they lack the necessary spiritual reality or God's approval.
didaskalia · Greek Noun
Instruction or teaching, specifically referring to religious tenets or bodies of belief that are considered authoritative for the community.
entole · Greek Noun
Divine directives or requirements established by God for His people to obey. When these are replaced by human innovation, the relationship between God and His people is corrupted.
Matthew 15:7 connects Jesus' contemporary conflict with the Pharisees to a prophecy from Isaiah's time, highlighting how the struggle against hypocritical worship and misplaced priorities is a recurring theme throughout Israel's history.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Prophecy Given
The prophet Isaiah delivers his message to Judah during a time of political instability and spiritual decay, including a specific denunciation of those who honor God with their lips but not their hearts.
c. 400 BC - AD 1
Development of Oral Law and Traditions
Over centuries, Jewish scribes and Pharisees developed an extensive body of oral traditions and interpretations (the 'tradition of the elders') to supplement and explain the written Law.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, attracting crowds and disciples, but also drawing the attention and criticism of religious authorities.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus Confronts Scribes and Pharisees
Jesus directly confronts scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem who question his disciples for not following ritual handwashing traditions, accusing them of prioritizing human traditions over God's commands.
This is the direct prophecy Jesus quotes, highlighting the people's outward show of devotion with their lips while their hearts remain distant from God, and their worship being based on human tradition rather than divine command.
Jeremiah 7:21-24This passage rebukes Israel for offering sacrifices while disobeying God's voice, showing a similar theme of outward religious acts being meaningless when the heart is not surrendered and obedience is lacking.
1 Samuel 15:22-23Samuel's rebuke to King Saul emphasizes that obedience is far more valuable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices, directly paralleling Jesus' point that human traditions cannot replace genuine obedience to God's commands.
Mark 7:6-8This parallel account in Mark records Jesus' similar accusation against the Pharisees, emphasizing how they set aside the commandment of God to uphold their own tradition, reinforcing the theme of human rules trumping divine ones.
Colossians 2:20-23The Apostle Paul warns against human regulations and traditions that impose rules like 'Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch,' calling them based on human commands and worth nothing against sensual indulgence, mirroring Jesus' critique of the Pharisees' empty traditions.
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…
bensonMatthew 15:7: "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,"
Matthew 15:7-9 . Ye hypocrites — To substitute superstitious observances of man’s invention, in the place of obedience to God’s commands, is downright hypocrisy; it is, however, the prerogative of Him who searches the heart, and knows what is in man, to pronounce who are hypocrites. And as hypocrisy is a sin which only his eye discovers, so it is a sin which above all others he abhors. Well did Esaias prophesy of you — That…
Jesus calls them "hypocrites," not just because they claim to honor God, but because their outwardly pious actions actually undermine God's commands. The prophecy he quotes from Isaiah shows this core disconnect: their worship is a performance, a set of rules followed with their lips, while their hearts are far from truly obeying God.
Jesus is confronting religious leaders who question his disciples for not following their man-made traditions about ritual washing. He accuses them of using their own rules, like the concept of "Corban" (a sacred offering), to avoid their God-given duty to care for their parents, thus invalidating God's commands through their traditions. He then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion that lacks a sincere heart.
Jesus is confronting religious leaders who question his disciples for not following their man-made traditions about ritual washing. He accuses them of using their own rules, like the concept of "Corban" (a sacred offering), to avoid their God-given duty to care for their parents, thus invalidating God's commands through their traditions. He then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion that lacks a sincere heart.
"You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”" — Jesus calls them "hypocrites," not just because they claim to honor God, but because their outwardly pious actions actually undermine God's commands. The prophecy he quotes from Isaiah shows this…
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Last reviewed October 2026
