Matthew 15:1-9 · Bible study
Matthew 15:1-9 Commentary: When Human Tradition Nullifies God's Law
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus confronts Pharisees over human tradition that contradicts God's command, using the Corban vow to expose worship that honors God with lips but not heart.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Human traditions that contradict God's commands make worship empty and are condemned by Jesus.
- Key words: Tradition (παράδοσις), commandment (ἐντολή), nullify (ἀκυρόω), gift (δῶρον), hypocrite (ὑποκριτής).
- Main debate: Whether any human tradition can be binding, especially when it conflicts with Scripture.
- Theological theme: The sufficiency of God's word over human inventions in worship.
- Best use: To teach the primacy of Scripture and examine the heart of worship beyond outward observance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,
2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
4For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
5But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’
6he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:
8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,
2“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
3He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
5But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”
6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
1Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6And 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.
7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying,
2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
4For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.
5But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God;
6he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition.
7Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.
9But in vain do they worship me, Teachingas theirdoctrines the precepts of men.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1Then come unto Jesus do they from Jerusalem--scribes and Pharisees--saying,
2`Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.'
3And he answering said to them, `Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition?
4for God did command, saying, Honour thy father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother--let him die the death;
5but ye say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering is whatever thou mayest be profited by me; --
6and he may not honour his father or his mother, and ye did set aside the command of God because of your tradition.
7`Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me;
9and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings--commands of men.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1Then the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem come up to Jesus, saying,
2Why do thy disciples transgress what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
3But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching?
4For God commanded saying, Honour father and mother; and, He that speaks ill of father or mother, let him die the death.
5But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, whatsoever [it be] by which [received] from me thou wouldest be profited:
6and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching.
7Hypocrites! well has Esaias prophesied about you, saying,
8This people honour me with the lips, but their heart is far away from me;
9but in vain do they worship me, teaching [as] teachings commandments of men.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:
2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:
4Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.
5But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.
6And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.
7Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:
8This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.
9And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 15:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this exchange is about the authority of Scripture versus human tradition. Barnes explains that the “tradition of the elders” was an oral law the Pharisees regarded as more important than Moses. Vincent highlights the significance of Jesus' “also” (καί): he admits the disciples transgress a human injunction, but the Pharisees transgress God's commandment in a much greater way. J-F-B calls this a retort with “startling power.” Gill notes that the Corban vow made a man “free” from honoring his parents, thus making void God's word. Calvin condemns this as “will-worship” (ἐθελοθρησκεία, Colossians 2:23). All agree Jesus' answer cuts to the heart: worship is vain when human precepts replace divine commands.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Tradition as inherently problematic: Emphasizes 'teaching as doctrines the precepts of men' as a blanket warning; points to Jesus' strong language and the example of Corban.
- Tradition as secondary yet helpful: Notes that the passage condemns only traditions that contradict God's commands; other traditions (e.g., the church's calendar) can guide worship without being wrong.
- The passage primarily about hypocrisy: Focuses on the charge of hypocrisy and the heart-distance, not on the validity of all tradition per se; sees the main issue as the Pharisees' self-serving use of religious practices.
What is clear: Jesus unambiguously condemns any human tradition that nullifies a clear command of God, and he calls worship that prioritizes such traditions over God's word vain and hypocritical.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the tradition of the elders | All traditions in view are human inventions, not part of the written law of Moses. | Some Christians hold that church traditions (e.g., liturgy, creeds) carry authority as long as they align with Scripture; others argue that all non-biblical rules risk becoming legalistic. |
| The Corban practice | This was a real Jewish custom that allowed property to be designated as devoted to God, possibly to the temple. | Historians debate whether the vow actually required the property to be given to the temple, or if it was merely a declaration that relieved the giver from other obligations. Some see it as a legitimate devotional practice later abused; others see it as always a loophole. |
| Applicability to Christian worship | Worship that is merely external and ignores the heart is condemned. | Christians differ on whether this passage prohibits all liturgical rules (e.g., set prayers, feast days) or only those that explicitly contradict Scripture. |
| Jesus' use of Isaiah 29:13 | The prophecy accurately describes the Pharisees' condition and serves as a timeless warning about empty religion. | Some interpret 'teaching as doctrines the precepts of men' as a prohibition against any extra-biblical teaching; others affirm that traditions developed by the church (e.g., the Nicene Creed) are not mere human precepts but authoritative interpretations of Scripture. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Delegates from Jerusalem signal that Jesus' ministry has drawn official scrutiny. Mark 7:3-4 explains that this handwashing tradition was not about hygiene but ceremonial purity. The Pharisees and all Jews washed their hands “oft” (πυγμῇ, with the fist), along with cups, pots, and vessels, holding to the “tradition of the elders.” The “elders” (πρεσβύτεροι) were rabbinic authorities such as Hillel and Shammai.
Their oral traditions claimed to supplement the written Law, giving detailed rules for everyday life. Barnes notes that the Jews believed Moses delivered two sets of laws on Sinai, one written, one handed down orally, and they regarded the oral tradition as more important than the written text. The Cambridge Bible describes the tradition as including many frivolous rules, some actually subverting God’s commands.
The Corban vow (from Hebrew qorban, “offering”) was a mechanism by which a person could dedicate property to the temple treasury. As Poole and Vincent explain, a son could declare his resources “Corban”, devoted to God, and thereby avoid supporting his parents, yet he was not actually required to give the money to the temple. This created a legal loophole that nullified the fifth commandment. Jesus cites Isaiah 29:13 to show this pattern is not new: Israel's worship has always risked being mere lip-service, with hearts far from God.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one significant variant: Clarke observes that in verse 8, the clause “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth” is omitted by several excellent manuscripts. The citation from Isaiah 29:13 is otherwise consistent. No major variants affect the meaning of the passage as a whole.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been a key text in debates over tradition and Scripture. Early church fathers like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus used it to argue against Jewish insistence on ceremonial laws. During the Reformation, both Protestants and Catholics appealed to it, Protestants to argue for sola Scriptura, Catholics to affirm apostolic tradition as consistent with Scripture. In Eastern Orthodoxy, the passage supports the view that living Tradition must be tested against the apostolic witness. It is frequently cited in discussions of legalism, hypocrisy, and the priority of inner devotion over outward forms.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The accusation (vv. 1-2): Pharisees from Jerusalem challenge Jesus about his disciples eating with unwashed hands, appealing to the tradition of the elders.
- The counter-charge (vv. 3-6): Jesus reframes the issue, showing that the Pharisees themselves transgress God's commandment, specifically the fifth commandment, by means of their own tradition (the Corban vow).
- The prophetic diagnosis (vv. 7-9): Jesus applies Isaiah 29:13, exposing their worship as hypocritical: they honor God with lips but not heart, teaching human precepts as doctrine.
Five-point outline
- The authority of tradition questioned (vv. 1-2)
- Jesus identifies the real transgression (v. 3)
- The concrete example: Corban violates the fifth commandment (vv. 4-6)
- Isaiah’s prophecy confirms the pattern of hypocrisy (vv. 7-8)
- Conclusion: vain worship when human commands replace divine truth (v. 9)
Illustration hooks
- A church that emphasizes certain food rules while neglecting care for elderly members shows the same prioritization of human tradition over God's command.
- A person who pledges money to a charity but refuses to help a needy parent uses a similar loophole to avoid immediate responsibility.
- The pressure to appear spiritually observant (public prayers, right rituals) while the heart is distant is a contemporary form of lip-service worship.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if a church tradition is binding or can be changed?
- What happens when a religious duty conflicts with a clear biblical command?
- How can I keep my worship from becoming merely external?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to examine where we place our ultimate authority, human traditions or God's word. The Pharisees valued their oral law so highly that they felt justified in setting aside a direct command from the Ten Commandments. As you discuss, consider areas in your own faith community where customs or habits might overshadow the heart of God's instructions.
Discussion questions
- Read vv. 1-2. What was the Pharisees' complaint, and why did they think it was important?
- How does Jesus respond in v. 3? What does he mean by “your tradition”?
- Look at vv. 4-6. What was the Corban vow, and how did it directly violate the command to honor parents?
- Jesus calls the Pharisees “hypocrites” (v. 7). Based on the passage, what defines hypocrisy in worship?
- Isaiah 29:13 is quoted in vv. 8-9. Why is teaching human precepts as doctrine so dangerous? Can you think of modern examples?
- In what ways might our church or personal practice elevate tradition over Scripture without our realizing it?
- How can we maintain healthy traditions (liturgies, habits) without letting them become obstacles to genuine love for God and neighbor?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 5:20 | For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 23:2 | saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. |
| Matthew 23:15 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves. |
| Matthew 23:28 | Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. |
| Mark 3:22 | The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.” |
| Mark 7:1 | Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. |
| Mark 7:23 | All these evil things come from within and defile the man.” |
| Luke 5:17 | On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the Jewish tradition of "corban" allowed a son to dedicate his property to God, then claim it could no longer be used to support an aged parent. This let someone evade the commandment to honor his father or mother, even doing so out of spite, while appearing pious.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible for Schools sees this passage as the key that unlocks the whole New Testament conflict. It frames the controversy here as the struggle between a religion of outward rules and observances and one of the heart, the very same contrast Paul later draws between righteousness by law and righteousness by faith.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that the Pharisees' tradition about Corban directly contradicts God's command to honor parents. By allowing a gift to the temple to excuse neglecting father and mother, they make God's commandment void. Jesus calls this hypocrisy: honoring God with lips while the heart is far from Him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses the irony that Pharisees accuse the disciples of breaking a human tradition about handwashing, while their own Corban vow lets people swear off helping their parents, directly breaking God's command to honor them. They guard human rules zealously yet make God's word void.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB shows that Jesus turns the Pharisees' charge around: their tradition of Corban, which allowed dedicating property to God to evade supporting parents, actually nullified God’s command to honor father and mother. By putting human rules on a level with divine law, their worship became empty — a drivelling mass of observances compared to the manly keeping of God’s commandment.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes a striking contrast: these scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem, the holy city where God's judgment was established, so they should have known better. Yet their opposition to Christ, disguised as zeal for God's law, was really a defense of their own control over people's consciences.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent shows the Pharisees brought a human tradition about handwashing against the disciples. He then highlights Christ's single word "also" as the key counterstroke: Jesus meets their accusation head-on by showing they themselves nullify God's command through the Corban vow, using a quibble to evade supporting their parents.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the Jewish practice called Corban let someone dedicate money to the temple treasury while withholding it from parents who needed support, effectively turning a religious vow into a way to break God's command. He applies Isaiah's warning about hearts far from God to this situation and calls such teaching of human traditions as equal to God's commands a heinous sin.