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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 15:9 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 15:9 is a verse spoken by Jesus, pointing out the fallacy of following human-made doctrines as if they were divine.

The verse directly addresses the issue of substituting human traditions for God’s commandments.

Jesus criticizes the religious leaders of the time for teaching as doctrines the mere commandments of men, meaning that they gave human traditions the same, or even greater, weight as the laws given by God.

The deeper meaning here addresses the heart of worship and obedience.

Worship that is rooted in human tradition rather than in the commandments of God Himself is considered by Jesus to be empty or in vain.

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Historical Context

The verse is set in a time when Jesus is engaging with the Pharisees and scribes, religious leaders of the Jewish community.

These leaders were accusing Jesus' disciples of not following the traditional ceremonial washing before meals.

The washing was one of many human traditions that had been added to the Jewish law.

Jesus responded by pointing out their hypocrisy in upholding human traditions over God's commandments.

This was a common theme in Jesus’ ministry, challenging the legalistic practices of the religious authorities of His day.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is often interpreted as a warning against legalism and ritualism. It stresses the importance of the 'spirit' of worship and obedience, above the 'letter' of the law, focusing on the internal rather than the external.

Some theologians also see this as a caution against any form of religion that elevates human structures and doctrines over a direct and genuine relationship with God.

Within other denominations and faith traditions, this verse might be interpreted in different ways, but it generally serves as a critique of placing human teachings on par with divine revelation.

Practical Applications

The teachings in Matthew 15:9 can be applied in various ways in daily life:

Always prioritize God’s principles over human traditions or societal norms.
Evaluate religious practices and beliefs to ensure they align with biblical teachings rather than simply following traditions for tradition's sake.
Encourage a personal relationship with God that is based on scripture rather than external rituals or practices.

Cross-References

Mark 7:7 , Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 2.

Colossians 2:22-23 , Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. 3.

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:

Language Study

In the original Greek text:

"Vain" (μάτην – matēn) denotes something done without purpose, fruitlessly.
"Worship" (σεβομαι – sebomai) is to revere or devoutly honor.
"Doctrines" (διδασκαλίαις – didaskaliais) means teachings or instructions.
"Commandments" (εντάλματα – entalmata) refers to ordinances or precepts.
"Men" (ἀνθρώπων – anthrōpōn) simply denotes humans or mankind.

The particularly critical word here is "vain," which signifies that the act of worship is futile when it is based on human teachings rather than God's commandments.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons can be drawn with other religious and cultural practices where traditions and rituals become central to religious life, sometimes to the point that they overshadow the core teachings or spiritual elements of the faith.

In many ancient religions, the ritualistic aspect was crucial, and losing the meaning behind the ritual could lead to empty practices, similar to what Jesus warned against in this verse.

Scientific Perspectives

Science typically doesn't intersect directly with worship practices, as they fall more under the purview of anthropology and sociology than the natural sciences.

However, discussions around the psychological need for structure and predictability might explain why humans are inclined to create and strictly follow rituals, even at the risk of overshadowing their original intent.

Commentaries

Various scholarly commentaries on this verse emphasize the distinction between God's commandments and human traditions.

For instance, the Matthew Henry Commentary notes that Christ condemns those who give more regard to the traditions of men than the word of God.

The Pulpit Commentary highlights that the worship of God should be sincere and according to His laws, not clouded by human inventions.

Modern commentaries continue this line of thought, often discussing the challenges of distinguishing between divine commandments and human traditions in contemporary religious practice.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

What does Matthew 15:9 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 15:9 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?