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Matthew 15

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala,

What does Matthew 15:14 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 15:14 is part of a conversation between Jesus and His disciples.

When Jesus refers to the Pharisees as “blind leaders of the blind,” He uses a metaphor of physical blindness to symbolize a lack of spiritual insight.

The Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time, were supposed to guide the people in religious matters, but Jesus criticized them for their hypocrisy and for leading the people astray with teachings that deviated from God’s intentions.

The "ditch" symbolizes the consequences of following false teachings, both the leaders (Pharisees) and the followers (people) would suffer the adverse spiritual consequences.

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Historical Context

Matthew 15:14 occurs within the context of a conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees over Jewish ritual purity laws.

The Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus’ disciples for eating without washing their hands, which was considered ritually unclean.

Jesus responded by challenging the Pharisees' adherence to human traditions over God’s commandments.

This chapter reflects tensions between Jesus’ teachings and the established religious authorities of the time.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse emphasizes the importance of spiritual discernment and the dangers of following misguided leaders.

Different Christian traditions may see this as an encouragement to trust in the singular authority of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the New Testament.

The verse serves as a warning against legalism, which can obscure the deeper spiritual truths found in Christian faith.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse can caution individuals to be discerning about who they follow and what teachings they accept.

It emphasizes personal responsibility in spiritual learning, seeking wisdom, and having awareness of the motivations and doctrines of spiritual leaders.

It suggests the value of seeking guidance directly from the scriptures and from leaders who are genuinely rooted in authentic spiritual understanding.

Cross-References

Matthew 23:16 - "Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!"
Luke 6:39 - "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?"
Isaiah 9:16 - "For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed."

Language Study

The Greek term translated as "blind" is "τυφλοί" (typhloi), which can refer both to physical blindness and a lack of perception or understanding. Importantly, in this context, it is clear that Jesus is talking about spiritual blindness.

The term for "ditch" or "pit" is "βόθυνον" (bothynon), meaning a hole or pit, often used metaphorically to represent danger or destruction.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various cultures and religious traditions, blindness is often used metaphorically to represent lack of knowledge or awareness.

In ancient Greek mythology, Tiresias was a blind prophet who, despite his physical blindness, possessed spiritual insight. Similarly, in Hinduism, there is the concept of "avidya," or spiritual ignorance, which blinds individuals to the true nature of reality.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse speaks metaphorically rather than scientifically, modern psychology might interpret the concept of "blindness" in this verse to refer to cognitive biases and the human tendency to follow leaders or ideologies without critical analysis.

The "fall into the ditch" could symbolically represent the detrimental effects of groupthink or following harmful or false beliefs.

Commentaries

Modern biblical scholars and commentators often highlight this verse's illustration of Jesus’ challenge to religious authority and hypocrisy.

It might also be seen as a critique of any religious system that prioritizes ritual and tradition over genuine faith and mercy.

Commentaries often note that the primary focus is on the inner spiritual condition rather than external religious practices, emphasizing introspection and authenticity in one’s faith journey.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

What does Matthew 15:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 15:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?