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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 15:7 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 15:7 is a part of a conversation where Jesus is addressing the scribes and Pharisees.

He calls them hypocrites, a term used frequently in the Gospels to describe individuals who present a false appearance of virtue or religion.

Jesus is accusing them of superficially following religious rituals and traditions while neglecting the deeper aspects of faith such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

In this particular verse, Jesus is reinforcing his point by referring to a prophecy by Isaiah (Esaias is the Greek form of Isaiah), which criticized similar behavior.

He cites Isaiah's words to draw a parallel between the actions of Israelites in the prophet's time and those of the religious leaders in his own time, suggesting a pattern of religious people failing to match their outward actions with an inwardly genuine relationship with God.

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Historical Context

Matthew 15:7 falls within a dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the adherence to traditions and the interpretation of the law.

At that time, the Jewish religious leaders placed great emphasis on the observance of oral traditions and the purity laws, which they regarded as equally binding as the written Mosaic Law.

The harsh rebuke by Jesus reflects a conflict that was central to the Judean society of the time: the tension between the religious leadership, who insisted on meticulous observance of traditional ceremonial practices, and Jesus' message that emphasized internal purity and sincerity over external ritual compliance.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is often interpreted as Jesus' call for authentic worship and faithfulness that goes beyond mere formalism. He critiques a religion that is solely concerned with the letter of the law while ignoring the transformation of the heart.

Various denominations might have different emphases when interpreting this verse.

Some may focus on the importance of internal piety over external rituals, while others may highlight the relationship between faith and works, arguing that true faith naturally leads to proper action aligned with God's will.

Practical Applications

In a modern context, this verse can be a reminder to believers to examine their intentions and the authenticity of their faith.

It encourages an introspective approach to religion, asking individuals to ensure that their outward practices of faith truly reflect an inner commitment to the values and teachings of their beliefs.

Moreover, it can serve as a warning against judgmental attitudes, reminding the faithful that simply adhering to religious norms or appearing pious does not equate to righteousness in the eyes of God.

Cross-References

Isaiah 29:13: "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"
Matthew 23:27: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."
Mark 7:6: "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

Language Study

The key term “hypocrites” comes from the Greek word "ὑποκριταί" (hypokritai), which originally referred to actors who wore masks in Greek drama to portray characters other than themselves.

In the New Testament, it takes on a negative connotation to describe those who put on a performance of virtue or piety without sincerity.

The phrase “well did Esaias prophesy of you” contains the Greek phrase "καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἠσαΐας," where "καλῶς" (kalōs) means 'well' or 'rightly,' and "ἐπροφήτευσεν" (eprophēteusen) is a verb for 'prophesied,' indicating that Isaiah's words accurately apply to the present situation that Jesus is addressing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader context of ancient cultures, Judaism was not alone in having an emphasis on rituals and ceremonial purity.

Many ancient religions had similar practices that valued external adherence to religious traditions.

Jesus' critique parallels other philosophical and religious critiques of hypocrisy and formalism found in various traditions, such as the criticisms of religious hypocrisy by prophets in the Hebrew Bible and later criticisms in Islam and Buddhism against mere ritualistic practice without heartfelt devotion.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly relate to scientific perspectives, modern psychology has studied phenomena similar to what Jesus calls "hypocrisy." Psychological theories about cognitive dissonance, for instance, look at the discomfort one experiences when holding two conflicting beliefs or between one's beliefs and actions.

This scientific field can provide insights into why people may act hypocritically and the internal conflicts they face when their actions do not align with their professed values.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Matthew 15:7 provide various perspectives.

Many focus on how this denunciation of hypocrisy by Jesus is calling out the discrepancy between outward religion and inward faith.

Some commentators point to this verse as a key example of Jesus’ teaching about the priority of internal over external purity.

Other scholars might explore how this confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees set the stage for the eventual conflict that led to Jesus' crucifixion, highlighting the socio-political risks of challenging entrenched religious authority.

They generally agree that the appeal to Isaiah’s prophecy was meant to bolster Jesus' criticism by showing the persistent nature of Israel's disobedience and the disconnect between God's expectations and the people's actions.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

What does Matthew 15:7 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 15:7 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?