Matthew 15:2 kjv
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Matthew 15:2 nkjv
"Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
Matthew 15:2 niv
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"
Matthew 15:2 esv
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
Matthew 15:2 nlt
"Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."
Matthew 15 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Tradition vs. God's Command | ||
| Mk 7:1-8 | "Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes... unless they wash their hands... "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands?" And He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy... This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me... leaving the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." | Parallel account of this confrontation and Jesus' response on valuing human tradition over God's command. |
| Col 2:8 | "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." | Warning against being led astray by human traditions that lack spiritual substance. |
| Titus 1:14 | "...nor give heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth." | A caution against human precepts that divert from divine truth. |
| Isa 29:13 | "These people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men." | Prophetic critique of outward obedience without inward devotion, directly quoted by Jesus in this context. |
| Gal 1:14 | "...and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers." | Paul's prior adherence to Jewish traditions before conversion, highlighting their strong influence. |
| 1 Pet 1:18 | "...knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold..." | Deliverance from inherited, meaningless traditions through Christ's sacrifice. |
| Jer 8:8-9 | "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie... because they have rejected the word of the LORD..." | Prophetic warning against twisting or replacing God's word with human interpretations. |
| Outward Ritual vs. Inward Purity | ||
| Matt 15:18-20 | "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a 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 unwashed hands does not defile a man." | Jesus' direct clarification on what truly defiles a person: the heart, not outward ritual neglect. |
| Matt 23:25-28 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence... For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness." | Jesus condemns the Pharisees' preoccupation with external cleanliness while neglecting inner spiritual corruption. |
| Lk 11:37-41 | "The Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean; but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness... '" | Similar condemnation of the Pharisees' focus on superficial purity. |
| Mk 7:15 | "There is nothing outside a man which by entering him can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are what defile a man." | Core principle that external things don't defile, but what comes from the heart does. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "...for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." | God's perspective prioritizes the heart over outward appearances or rituals. |
| Acts 15:8-9 | "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." | Salvation is through faith, leading to a pure heart, not adherence to ceremonial laws. |
| Heb 9:9-10 | "It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience - concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation." | The temporary and external nature of ceremonial laws and washings contrasted with true spiritual cleansing. |
| Hypocrisy and Legalism | ||
| Matt 6:1-6 | "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven..." | Warning against religious actions done for show or human praise, aligning with Pharisaic hypocrisy. |
| Matt 23:13 | "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men..." | Denunciation of the Pharisees' legalism that hindered others from God's kingdom. |
| Lk 16:15 | "And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.'" | Critique of self-righteousness and valuing human approval over divine judgment. |
| New Covenant vs. Old Rites | ||
| Rom 14:17 | "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." | The nature of God's kingdom is spiritual, not based on external dietary or ritual rules. |
| Heb 8:13 | "In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." | The Old Covenant's rituals were temporary and replaced by the New Covenant. |
| Eph 2:15 | "...having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances..." | Christ's work on the cross abolished the legalistic demands of ordinances, pointing to grace. |
| Jesus' Authority and Discipleship | ||
| Matt 7:28-29 | "And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." | Jesus' authority contrasted with the scribes, who based their authority on traditions. |
| Jn 13:14-15 | "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." | Jesus emphasizes true service and humility, distinct from ceremonial washings. |
Matthew 15 verses
Matthew 15 2 Meaning
In Matthew 15:2, the Pharisees and scribes confront Jesus, questioning why His disciples disregard the established "tradition of the elders" by not performing ritual handwashing before eating bread. This verse reveals a direct challenge to Jesus' authority and His disciples' conduct, highlighting a fundamental conflict between rigid human traditions and genuine spiritual purity. The core issue is the elevation of extra-biblical customs to the level of divine law, presenting a legalistic accusation rather than a concern for true righteousness.
Matthew 15 2 Context
Matthew chapter 15 opens immediately following Jesus' intense ministry in Galilee, including walking on water and healing many (Matt 14). This confrontation with the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem marks a shift, initiating a strong critique from Jesus regarding religious legalism. The immediate context of verse 2 is an accusation by these religious leaders directed at Jesus, through His disciples. Their concern is not moral transgression against God's law, but a violation of deeply ingrained and respected human traditions concerning ritual purity. This sets the stage for Jesus' powerful counter-argument, where He exposes their hypocrisy (Matt 15:3-9) and then explains to the crowds and His disciples that true defilement comes from the heart, not from external food or ritual observance (Matt 15:10-20). The larger biblical context highlights the ongoing tension between Jesus' new covenant teachings emphasizing the heart and inner righteousness, and the Pharisees' meticulous adherence to the minutiae of external religious practice and oral traditions.
Historically, "the tradition of the elders" (παράδοσις τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, paradosis ton presbyterōn) refers to the developing Oral Law, which eventually became codified in the Mishnah. This body of rulings and interpretations by previous generations of respected rabbis was considered by many to be as binding as, or even more important than, the written Torah itself, as it "protected" the written law. Ritual handwashing (netilat yadayim) before meals, while not explicitly commanded in the Mosaic Law for laypeople, was a purity regulation derived from priestly commands (e.g., Lev 15:11 for contact with defiled things) and extended to all Jews. The omission was seen as a grave spiritual transgression, defiling the meal and the participants. This interaction reveals a core polemic against the legalism and hypocrisy that elevated human interpretations above God's express commands, leading to outward piety masking inward impurity.
Matthew 15 2 Word analysis
- "Why" (διά τί, dia ti): An interrogative phrase used here to convey an accusation or challenge, implying fault or transgression. It sets the tone of an adversarial inquiry.
- "do Your disciples" (οἱ μαθηταί σου, hoi mathētai sou): This directly links the perceived transgression to Jesus' training and authority, making it an indirect attack on Him as the teacher and leader. "Disciples" refers to followers under the instruction and example of a master.
- "transgress" (παραβαίνουσιν, parabainousin): From para ("alongside," "beyond") and bainō ("to go"). It literally means "to step over," "go beyond the bounds," "violate." It signifies an act of disobedience or breaking a rule. In this context, it is a transgression against human tradition, not necessarily a sin against God's written law.
- "the tradition" (τὴν παράδοσιν, tēn paradosin): Literally "a handing over" or "that which is handed down." This term refers to an unwritten body of customs, interpretations, and legal decisions passed down orally from one generation of rabbis to the next. For the Pharisees, it carried significant authority, often viewed as co-equal with or superior to the written Law for its perceived completeness and precision.
- "of the elders" (τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, tōn presbyterōn): Refers to respected ancient rabbinic teachers and ancestors whose interpretations and rulings formed the bulk of the Oral Law. Their wisdom and piety were considered to be the source of these binding traditions.
- "For they do not wash" (οὐ νίπτονται, ou niptontai): "Not washing." Nipto specifically denotes the ritualistic washing of hands (or feet, like a quick dip or pouring), as distinct from a full bath (louō). It highlights a ceremonial act, not a matter of general hygiene. Their omission was perceived as ceremonial defilement.
- "their hands" (τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν, tas cheiras autōn): The specific focus of the ritual purification. According to the Mishnah, specific amounts of water and methods were required for this ritual washing before eating, often emphasizing ritual purity for eating sacred or consecrated food, but later applied universally.
- "when they eat bread" (ὅταν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσιν, hotan arton esthiosin): "When they eat bread." "Bread" (ἄρτον, arton) here is used as a metonymy for a meal in general. The concern was about consuming any food without the required ceremonial purification, which they believed would lead to ritual impurity.
Words-group Analysis:
"Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?": This opening query immediately establishes the central conflict. It's a challenging accusation by the religious authorities against Jesus, focusing on His disciples' deviation from their accepted customs. It frames Jesus as someone permitting, or even encouraging, disobedience to what they held sacred. The question highlights the chasm between Jesus' new spiritual emphasis and the Pharisees' legalistic and traditional focus.
"For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.": This explanatory clause identifies the specific "transgression." It reveals the deeply ingrained nature of ceremonial purity rituals in the daily life of the devout Jew, particularly the Pharisees. The lack of this particular ritual (not necessarily unhygienic hands) was the focal point of their religious scrutiny, showcasing their external emphasis.
Matthew 15 2 Bonus section
- The rabbinic discussions found in the Mishnah, particularly the tractate Yadayim, elaborate extensively on the procedures, conditions, and significance of ritual handwashing. Some rabbis considered neglecting this washing a graver offense than eating forbidden foods, emphasizing its extreme importance within their legal framework.
- The ceremonial handwashing was performed not just for general meals, but also had a specific association with purity required before eating consecrated food (terumah) and was later extended to common food by certain schools of thought.
- The incident here in Matthew 15 has a parallel account in Mark 7, which provides even more detail regarding the "traditions of the elders," including washings of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and dining couches, highlighting the pervasive nature of these purification rituals in Pharisaic Judaism.
- This controversy serves as a stark reminder that true spiritual life is not defined by external conformity to humanly devised rules, but by an internal transformation and a genuine relationship with God that manifests in heartfelt obedience to His actual commands.
- The Pharisees' approach implicitly suggested that Jesus' disciples were "unclean" or "defiled," reflecting their misunderstanding of true holiness.
Matthew 15 2 Commentary
Matthew 15:2 encapsulates a critical point of friction between Jesus' ministry and the dominant religious authority of His day, represented by the Pharisees and scribes. The verse exposes their core concern: not spiritual or moral righteousness in accordance with God's written law, but the strict observance of man-made traditions. The "tradition of the elders" had become so revered that neglecting it was viewed as a profound transgression. This ritual handwashing, distinct from hygienic practice, was an example of many such detailed purity laws that they had elevated to a level of divine command, thereby obscuring the true demands of God's heart. Jesus' disciples, by disregarding this tradition, demonstrated a different standard—one focused on substance over ceremony, and the heart over external appearances. This interaction foreshadows Jesus' radical teaching that follows, wherein He exposes the hypocrisy of valuing human traditions over God's commands and shifts the focus of purity from the outside (hands) to the inside (heart). This verse serves as a timeless caution against legalism, the danger of replacing divine commands with human rules, and the importance of genuine inner devotion over outward religious performance.