Matthew 15:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nor does He reproach the actions of the disciples, as doing so would validate the very regulation He aims to challenge. He refrains from condemning the elders outright; to do so might drive the Pharisees away, perceiving Him as a harsh critic or insult. Instead, He opts for a different approach, seemingly rebuking those who approach Him while indirectly addressing those who established the rules. He does not bring up the elders explicitly but holds them responsible for their failure to obey God in favor of pleasing men. It’s as if He implies, “The tendency to adhere to the elders has led you astray.” While He does not state this directly, it becomes evident in His subsequent question: "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" God commanded, "Honor your father and mother," and "Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death." Yet, you assert, "If anyone tells his father or mother, 'Whatever you would have received from me is a gift,' then he need not honor his father or mother." Thus, you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition (Matthew 15:3-6). The Lord does not say, “for the tradition of the elders,” but “for your tradition”; He does not assert, "the elders say," but "you say," thus softening His language. The scribes and Pharisees aimed to demonstrate that His disciples were violating the law; Christ, however, reveals that they themselves are the ones at fault, absolving the disciples from blame. The commands of men are not the law (thus He refers to it as tradition), particularly not the commands from wicked individuals. Following the stern rebuke, He broadens His discourse as He often does, reinforcing His point with Scripture, thereby aligning Himself with divine truth. What does the prophet declare? “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me; they worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men” (Isaiah 29:13). Can you see how the prophecy perfectly aligns with the words of Jesus Christ, revealing the wickedness of the Jews even beforehand? What Christ condemns now was previously spoken of by Isaiah, specifically regarding the Jews' disdain for God's commandments. "They honor Me in vain," he declares, "but they diligently teach as doctrines the commandments of men." Consequently, it is fitting that the disciples do not observe these traditions.

Many, having borrowed money and unwilling to repay their debts, instead gave what they owed to the priests, claiming it would serve the temple's needs. The notion expressed in the phrase, "The gift that is from me shall help you," encompassing the idea that individuals would coax their children to inform their parents: "Father, Mother, the gift I plan to offer to God is what I will use to support you," instilled in them the fear of taking what was devoted to God, leading them to choose a life of want rather than partake in what was designated for divine purposes.

In response to the Pharisees, the dialogue between Christ and the Pharisees regarding the traditions of the elders is accurately recorded by the Evangelists. Mark, writing for a Roman audience unfamiliar with Jewish customs, provides clarifications. He elucidates what it means to eat bread with unclean hands and elaborates on the Pharisaic rules regarding ritual washing. Matthew, before requesting the disciples to explain the parable, delivers a distinct account of the Lord's reaction to the news that the Pharisees were troubled by His remarks about the elders' betrayal. Both this reaction and the exposition of the parable, according to Mark, occurred privately within the company of the disciples. Differences among the Evangelists mainly lie in the arrangement of specific statements in Christ’s address to the Pharisees.

In response to the Pharisees’ criticism of His disciples for violating the traditions of the elders by failing to wash their hands before eating, Christ articulates that such traditions are often human inventions designed to evade the commandments of God. For instance, the law instructs honoring one's father and mother, with a dire warning against disrespect that results in death (Ex. 20:12; Ex. 21:17). However, the Pharisees declared that anyone who tells their father or mother, "Let there be a korvan," meaning a gift to God, is released from the sacred duty to honor and assist their parents (Matt. 3-6). Furthermore, in prioritizing the commandments of God over human traditions and adhering rigidly to bodily regulations, the actions of His contemporaries fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah said (Isaiah 29:13 in the LXX, Matt. 7-8). Mark presents these two points in a different sequence (9-13; 6-8).

Isaiah rightly spoke about you when he declared, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me; they worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ They disregard God’s commands and replace them with human ordinances, believing in vain that they can earn His favor by such means, and they mislead others with the same flawed teachings.

Isaiah aptly foretold of such individuals when he declared, "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." The prophet's words, relevant to his own time, also foreshadowed later generations, specifically the Pharisees.