Matthew 15:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead of discarding outdated customs, the Jewish leaders imposed further restrictions out of fear of losing their authority, hoping to instill greater fear as they positioned themselves as enforcers of the law. Thus, it became a perverse situation where their mandates were upheld while God's commands were neglected, and their influence was such that this disregard was no longer deemed wrong. They were guilty on multiple counts: for instituting new decrees, for ignoring God’s commandments, and for tampering with their own regulations. By failing to mention other trivial rituals that deserve ridicule, such as the washing of pitchers and pots, they highlighted what seemed more significant, seemingly attempting to provoke the Lord to anger. This is why the elders were mentioned; it provided them with a rationale to accuse the Lord should He be disrespected. But first, why did the disciples eat without washing their hands? They did so not out of disregard, but because they dismissed the unnecessary and focused on what was essential. They did not view washing as a binding law, nor did they see it as a sin to remain unwashed, opting instead for what circumstances dictated. Could they prioritize such external things when they were not even concerned with the basic sustenance they required? Frequently compelled to eat with unwashed hands, whether in the wilderness or while gathering grain, they were criticized by those who neglected the weightier matters yet fixated on trivialities.

Additionally, there were numerous other practices they adhered to, such as various forms of ritual cleansing for vessels and furniture. The term for washing (πυγμη) refers to a cleansing that extends to the elbows. They meticulously purified bowls, cups, pots, and pews, believing this would sanctify them. In their pursuit of such innovations, they transgressed the true law while upholding these trivial customs. Conversely, the disciples chose not to follow these traditions, often dining with unwashed hands. Why was this the case? Their focus on righteousness led them to disregard such physical rituals, recognizing that these practices bore no impact on the soul.

The Lord's disciples were pure in heart and guided by a clear conscience, which is why they had little need for hand-washing, having already been fully cleansed through baptism, in accordance with the Lord’s words to Peter, ‘He that was washed need only wash his feet, for he is clean throughout; and ye are clean (John 13:10).

However, Christ, aware of the sinister plans devised by evil forces, chose to remain in Galilee during the Passover, continuing His mission for humanity's redemption. Following the failure of their treacherous plot, the Jews reappeared in Galilee after the feast, once again pursuing the Savior and seeking opportunities to accuse Him of violating the law. They soon found a situation that they believed could serve as grounds for their accusations, yet it only revealed their own hypocrisy. The Jewish legalists not only adhered to the law of Moses but over time added numerous arbitrary rules and regulations, often placing greater weight on these than on God’s own law. These added stipulations were strictly enforced by the scribes and Pharisees, who regarded them as a "protective barrier" around the law, despite the fact that they frequently contradicted the latter and masked their own deceitfulness. When they observed that the disciples of Jesus did not wash their hands before meals, they considered this a grave offense—equating it in severity, according to rabbinic interpretation, to consuming pork. According to these strict legalists, "Anyone who eats without washing his hands must be cast out from society, for the act of washing hands embodies the essence of the Ten Commandments,” and further claimed, “he deserves death,” “as a murderer,” and so forth.

This oral tradition is referred to as the tradition of the ‘elders,’ indicating its age and the belief among the Jews that it carried significant authority. Despite the often trivial nature of these traditions, the Jews attributed them greater value than the commands found in Scripture. The adherence to such customs sparked disputes between the Pharisees and Sadducees, with the latter downplaying the importance of these traditions. Nevertheless, the practice of washing hands before eating was widely observed among the Jews. This ritual seemed to stem from a desire for cleanliness and order, a commendable intention, but they transformed this practice into a cumbersome obligation. They imposed numerous petty regulations concerning the amount of water, method of washing, and number of times to wash the hands, creating a burden. The Jewish community, however, was neglectful in their adherence to the handwashing custom; while normally they disregarded it, the Pharisees, in a bid to maintain authority and control, enforced even stricter regulations. This led to a grim reality where their man-made commands were dutifully followed while God’s commandments were disregarded. Thus, they faced a twofold indictment: for imposing new laws and for neglecting divine commands, and further for their own interference. But why did the disciples eat with unwashed hands? They acted not out of disregard but because they deemed the practice redundant, focusing instead on what was essential. They did not see it as a mandate to wash or not wash their hands, but approached it with a pragmatic mindset based on circumstance.

Within Jewish thought, it was generally accepted that alongside the written Law, God had imparted an unwritten law to Moses, which was transmitted orally from one leader to another—from Moses to Joshua, and then to the judges and prophets. This oral law, distinct from the written commandments, consisted of the interpretations and teachings of various rabbis over the years. Though the oral law was not part of the written scriptures, it gained widespread reverence among the people. Under the influence of the scribes and Pharisees, many prioritized the letter of these traditions over the true spirit of God's commandments, sometimes even substituting human customs for divine principles.

The oral traditions, referred to as the 'traditions of the elders,' included numerous minor, often trivial, regulations that were followed rigorously—far more so than the moral imperatives set forth in the Pentateuch. This entanglement with deceptive interpretations caused the people of Judea to bear heavy burdens unnecessarily (Matt. 23:4). In this instance, the Pharisees and scribes confronted the disciples of Jesus for not adhering to the customary washings. The Law of Moses (Lev., ch. 11) meticulously categorized clean and unclean animals, declaring that touching anything unclean made a person ritually impure until evening. Items that came into contact with unclean objects had to be immersed in water, and earthenware vessels were to be shattered (vv. 24-25, 32-33).

In their desire for extreme adherence, Jewish legalists added a requirement to wash hands before meals to prevent any potential transfer of uncleanness from unwashed hands to food, even inadvertently. They justified this interpretation through the 'tradition of the elders,' bolstered by a multitude of trivial regulations. The fact that these rules, which eventually became incorporated into the Talmud, were regarded as binding during Christ’s ministry is evident from the words of the evangelist Mark: "The Pharisees and all Jews, unless they wash their hands in a special way, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and uphold” (7:3-4).

When the Pharisees and scribes observed some of Jesus' disciples eating bread with unwashed hands, they first rebuked them and then posed the question to the Master: "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" The disciples did not act out of disregard, as St. John Chrysostom points out; rather, they recognized these additional regulations as excessive and prioritized fulfilling what was truly necessary.