Matthew 15:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nor does He denounce the behavior of His disciples, as that would validate the regulation they are questioned about. He also refrains from directly criticizing the elders, as that would cause the Pharisees to see Him as a rebuker or an insulter. Rather, He opts for a different approach; while seeming to admonish those who approached Him, He points to those who established the decrees. He does not mention the elders specifically, but He directs His condemnation toward certain individuals among them, demonstrating that they are doubly sinful for not following God while pleasing men. It is as if He implies, “The inclination to follow the elders has led to your downfall.” Although He does not state this explicitly, the following response clarifies His point: “Why do you also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded: Honor your father and mother, and anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you might have received from me is a gift,’ he does not need to honor his father or mother.’ Thus, you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition” (Matthew 15:3-6). The Lord did not refer to “the tradition of the elders,” but rather “your tradition.” He also did not say, “the elders teach,” but “you teach,” thus softening His remarks. The scribes and Pharisees aimed to highlight that His disciples infringed upon the law; however, Christ counters this by revealing that it is they themselves who are at fault, while the disciples remain blameless. The commandments of men are not equivalent to the law (which is why He calls it tradition), especially not the edicts of those without authority. Following His admonishment, He further expands on His message, as He consistently does, by citing Scripture as evidence, thereby affirming His alignment with God. What does the prophet declare? “These people honor Me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Me; they worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Isaiah 29:13). Can you observe how this prophecy coincides perfectly with the words of Jesus Christ, revealing the wickedness of the Jews beforehand? What Christ denounces now, Isaiah had already addressed, that is, the disdain the Jews hold for God’s commandments. “They honor Me in vain,” he states, “yet they diligently teach by doctrine the commandments of men.” Thus, the disciples are justified in not adhering to these regulations.

Many, having borrowed funds from others and desiring to avoid repayment, offered these funds to the priests instead, allowing the demanded money to be utilized for temple service and their own needs. In essence, the phrase The gift that is from me shall help you succinctly suggests that children were encouraged to tell their parents: "Father, Mother! The offering I plan to present to God is being used for your support, and it will aid you," prompting parents to choose a life of deprivation rather than consume what they knew was intended for God.

Should we not realize how foolish we are, even more so than children, when we make petitions to our Heavenly Father with coldness, inattentiveness, and devoid of love, while He looks at our hearts rather than merely our outward appearance (1 Sam. 16:7)? Can we claim that God is kinder than earthly parents and thus more likely to grant favors to those who petition Him? Indeed; yet He is also more just than they and cannot bestow gifts upon the unworthy. His goodness compels Him not to grant what is harmful, for asking without love toward the Most Good and All-Loving One is, in essence, to request evil. The spiritual principle further clarifies that both the fulfillment of prayer and the essence of pure prayer itself cannot exist without genuine love. The Apostle teaches us that we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us with unvoiced groans; and the One who examines the heart knows the mind of the Spirit, for He intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. To assure us of this profound intercession, the apostle assures us, ‘But we see that to those who love God all things work together for good (Romans 8:26-28).’ Our love for God transforms everything into instruments for our salvation and joy; without it, all efforts fail to reach that end. Just as a lamp requires oil to shine, prayer cannot bring light to the spirit without love. The incense rises only with fire, and prayer devoid of love cannot reach God.

In response to the Pharisees, the Evangelists document Christ's discussions regarding the traditions of the elders with precision. Mark, writing for a Roman audience unfamiliar with Jewish customs, provides clarifications. He explains what it means to eat bread with unwashed hands and elaborates on the Pharisaic regulations regarding purification. Matthew, on the other hand, presents a distinct account before soliciting the disciples to clarify the parable, detailing the Lord’s reaction to the report that the Pharisees were offended by His comments about the elders' betrayal. This reaction and the parable's explanation recorded by Mark occurred privately among the disciples.

Variations among the Evangelists primarily consist of the sequence of Christ's remarks to the Pharisees. For instance, when the Pharisees condemned Christ's disciples for violating the traditions of the elders by eating without washing their hands, Christ responded in two ways: first, He pointed out that the traditions of the elders were often human inventions designed to evade God's commandments; for example, the law commands honoring one’s father and mother, with a death penalty for disobedience (Ex. 20:12, Ex. 21:17), yet the Pharisees permitted individuals to declare that what they would have provided to their parents instead be offered as a gift to God (korban), thus releasing them from their obligation to honor and assist their parents (Matt. 3-6). Second, in prioritizing God’s commandments over human traditions and adhering stringently to bodily regulations, the prophecy concerning His contemporaries by Isaiah was fulfilled (Isaiah 29:13 in the LXX) (Matt. 7-8). In Mark’s account, these points are presented in the opposite order (Mark 9-13, 6-8).

The Prophet Isaiah aptly described them, saying, "These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me; and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Isaiah's prophecy, while addressing his contemporaries, also serves as a warning to future generations, especially the Pharisees.