“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights a disconnect not just between words and actions, but between our outward expressions of faith and our inner desires. Jesus points out that the people were performing religious duties with their lips, yet their hearts were "far off," meaning their true affections and desires were not engaged with God at all.
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is confronting the Pharisees and scribes who have come from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for not following their man-made traditions regarding ritual washing. He exposes their hypocrisy by quoting from Isaiah, revealing that their outward religious practices are a hollow imitation of true devotion. This leads into Jesus' own teaching about how outward actions are meaningless if the heart isn't genuinely connected to God.
Ever felt like you're going through the motions in your faith? Jesus calls out people who do just that.
Jesus, quoting Isaiah, confronts the religious leaders of His day. They were meticulous about the outward forms of worship – washing hands, following traditions, saying the right prayers. Barnes calls this 'regular in the forms of worship' and 'strict in ceremonial observances.'
But Jesus exposes the hollowness of this: 'their heart is far from me.' This isn't just about the Pharisees; it's a warning to all of us. God cares deeply about our inner lives. When our actions don't match our affections, our worship becomes a performance, not a connection.
What happens when human rules become more important than God's commands?
The context here is crucial. The scribes and Pharisees were upset because Jesus' disciples weren't following their traditional hand-washing rules. Calvin points out that these traditions were often seen as adding to or even replacing God's commands.
Jesus argues that their traditions had, in effect, 'annulled the commandment of God.' They had elevated human teachings – like strict ceremonial washings – above the core principles of honoring parents, which Jesus highlights.
This teaches us a vital lesson: when our 'traditions' (whether religious or cultural) make us miss the heart of God's commands or lead us to judge others, they've become a barrier, not a bridge, to genuine worship.
Ask a follow-up
What does it really mean for God to have our heart?
The core issue Jesus addresses is the heart's distance from God. Vincent notes that 'heart is far' literally means 'holds off from me.' It signifies a lack of true affection, trust, and desire for God.
Bengel emphasizes that it's the 'approach of the heart' by which God is 'truly and fully worshipped.' True worship isn't just about proximity in space or ritual; it's about drawing near in spirit. Gill explains that when the heart is far, our worship is geared towards impressing others ('to be seen and approved of men') rather than connecting with the One who sees all.
This verse calls us to examine the true orientation of our hearts. Are we genuinely seeking God's presence and pursuing a relationship with Him, or are we content with religious activities that keep Him at arm's length?
Understand the original words
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.
Jesus quotes Isaiah's ancient prophecy to rebuke the religious leaders of his day. He's showing them that their focus on human traditions, like ceremonial hand-washing, has masked a deep spiritual emptiness, making their worship a hollow performance.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Prophecy to Judah
The prophet Isaiah delivers a message to the people of Judah, denouncing their hypocrisy. He foretells a coming judgment where their outward religious practices will be rendered meaningless because their hearts are far from God.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, and deport many of the remaining population. This event serves as a stark consequence of the nation's spiritual unfaithfulness.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
After Babylon's fall, Cyrus the Great of Persia allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marks a new beginning, but the struggle with outward vs. inward devotion continues.
c. 150 BC - AD 70
Rise of Pharisaic Tradition
The Pharisees emerge as a prominent religious group, emphasizing strict adherence to both the written Law and oral traditions. These traditions, though often well-intentioned, increasingly become a focus over genuine heart-obedience to God.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and challenging the religious establishment. His encounters often highlight the contrast between his emphasis on internal transformation and the external, ritualistic piety of the Pharisees.
This is the direct Old Testament source for Jesus' quotation, highlighting the long-standing issue of people honoring God outwardly without genuine inward devotion.
Jeremiah 12:2This passage echoes the theme of outward piety masking inward corruption, showing God's awareness of the disconnect between people's actions and their hearts.
Psalm 78:36-37This Psalm describes a similar pattern of insincere worship, where people profess loyalty with their mouths but betray their true allegiance in their hearts and actions.
Luke 11:42Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees about neglecting the weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness—while focusing on outward rituals, illustrating the same hypocrisy.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse reveals God's perspective on worship, contrasting human focus on outward appearance with His own focus on the heart, underscoring why the hypocrisy in Matthew 15:8 is so serious.
barnesMatthew 15:8: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."
Draweth nigh unto me with their mouth ... - That is, they are regular in the forms of worship; they are strict in ceremonial observances, and keep the law outwardly; but God requires the heart, and that they have not rendered.
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…
This verse highlights a disconnect not just between words and actions, but between our outward expressions of faith and our inner desires. Jesus points out that the people were performing religious duties with their lips, yet their hearts were "far off," meaning their true affections and desires were not engaged with God at all.
Jesus is confronting the Pharisees and scribes who have come from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for not following their man-made traditions regarding ritual washing. He exposes their hypocrisy by quoting from Isaiah, revealing that their outward religious practices are a hollow imitation of true devotion. This leads into Jesus' own teaching about how outward actions are meaningless if the heart isn't genuinely connected to God.
Jesus is confronting the Pharisees and scribes who have come from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for not following their man-made traditions regarding ritual washing. He exposes their hypocrisy by quoting from Isaiah, revealing that their outward religious practices are a hollow imitation of true devotion. This leads into Jesus' own teaching about how outward actions are meaningless if the heart isn't genuinely connected to God.
"“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;" — This verse highlights a disconnect not just between words and actions, but between our outward expressions of faith and our inner desires. Jesus points out that the people were performing religious d…
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Last reviewed October 2026