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Tradition and Worship
1Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,2“Why doYourdisciplesbreakthetraditionof theelders?They do not washtheirhandsbeforethey eat.”3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?…

Treasury of Scripture

Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

transgress.

Mark 7:2,5
And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault…

Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Colossians 2:8,20-23
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ…

tradition.

AncientsBreadBreakDeliveredDisciplesDisobeyEatEldersFathersFoodHandsMealsTeachingTraditionTransgressUnwashedWashWashingWhereforeAncientsBreadBreakDeliveredDisciplesDisobeyEatEldersFathersFoodHandsMealsTeachingTraditionTransgressUnwashedWashWashingWherefore1.Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees
7.for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions;
10.teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man.
21.He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan,
29.and other great multitudes;
32.and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men

Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
This question is posed by the Pharisees and scribes, religious leaders who were deeply concerned with maintaining Jewish traditions. The "tradition of the elders" refers to the oral laws and interpretations that had been developed over generations to help Jews adhere to the written Law of Moses. These traditions were highly esteemed and considered authoritative by the Pharisees. The question highlights a tension between Jesus' teachings and the established religious practices of the time. This reflects a broader theme in the Gospels where Jesus challenges human traditions that overshadow the core commandments of God (Mark 7:8-9). The Pharisees' focus on tradition can be seen as a type of legalism that Jesus often rebukes, emphasizing the spirit of the law over the letter (Matthew 23:23).

They do not wash their hands before they eat.
The practice of handwashing before meals was not merely about hygiene but was a ritual purification act rooted in Jewish tradition. This ritual was not explicitly commanded in the Torah but was part of the oral traditions that had developed. The Pharisees viewed this as essential for maintaining ceremonial purity. In the cultural and historical context, such practices were seen as a way to separate the Jewish people from Gentile practices and maintain holiness. However, Jesus uses this moment to teach that true defilement comes from within a person, not from external factors (Matthew 15:11). This teaching aligns with Old Testament prophecies that emphasize the importance of inner purity and a heart aligned with God's will (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus' response to the Pharisees underscores His role as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, bringing a new understanding of purity and righteousness.

1.Jesus
- The central figure in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is the one being questioned by the Pharisees and scribes in this passage.

2.Pharisees and Scribes
- Religious leaders of the time who are questioning Jesus about His disciples' practices.

3.Disciples
- Followers of Jesus who are being criticized for not following traditional handwashing rituals.

4.Jerusalem
- The city from which the Pharisees and scribes came to question Jesus, indicating the importance and seriousness of their inquiry.

5.Tradition of the Elders
- The oral traditions and interpretations of the Law that were highly regarded by the Pharisees and scribes.Understanding Tradition vs. Commandment
Traditions can be valuable, but they should never supersede the commandments of God. Evaluate traditions in light of Scripture.

Heart Over Ritual
God desires a heart that seeks Him genuinely rather than mere outward compliance with rituals. Focus on cultivating a sincere relationship with God.

Discernment in Practice
Be discerning about which practices are biblically mandated and which are human traditions. Ensure that your faith practices align with Scripture.

Authority of Scripture
Scripture should be the ultimate authority in guiding our beliefs and practices, not human traditions or interpretations.

Challenge to Legalism
Legalism can lead to a focus on external compliance rather than internal transformation. Strive for a faith that transforms the heart.1.What is the meaning of Matthew 15:2?

2.Why do the Pharisees prioritize "tradition of the elders" over God's commandments?

3.How can we discern between God's commands and human traditions in our lives?

4.What other scriptures warn against elevating tradition above God's Word?

5.How can Matthew 15:2 guide us in evaluating church practices today?

6.In what ways might we unknowingly prioritize tradition over God's teachings?

7.Why do the Pharisees prioritize tradition over God's commandments in Matthew 15:2?

8.How does Matthew 15:2 challenge the authority of religious traditions?

9.What historical context explains the Pharisees' question in Matthew 15:2?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 15?

11.How do we reconcile Jesus placing God’s command above human tradition with similar teachings about observance of ritual cleanliness in other scriptures (Matthew 15:3–9)?

12.What defines Apostolic Succession in Christianity?

13.Is Jesus contradicting established Jewish laws by declaring that eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person (Matthew 15:1–11)?

14.Who is authorized to perform a baptism?Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders?

- The challenge comes from Pharisees and scribes (seeMatthew 15:1) who elevate man-made customs to the same level as God’s Word—something Jesus consistently rejects (Mark 7:6–9).

- Their question reveals a heart more concerned with preserving human tradition than honoring divine command (Isaiah 29:13).

- By framing the issue as a “break” with the elders, they imply moral failure, yet the only true standard of righteousness is God’s revealed law (Deuteronomy 4:2,Psalm 19:7).

- Jesus will soon expose that these same leaders, while scrupulous about tradition, “set aside the command of God to uphold your tradition” (Mark 7:9), illustrating how human rules can distract from obedience to Scripture.

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They do not wash their hands

- This was a ceremonial practice added by rabbis, not a command from Moses (Mark 7:3–4).

- The washing symbolized ritual purity rather than hygiene; neglecting it was viewed as defilement—but only by tradition, not by God (Luke 11:38).

- Scripture consistently teaches that genuine purity is inward: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

- Jesus later declares, “It is not what enters the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth” (Matthew 15:11), redirecting attention from external rites to the condition of the heart.

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before they eat.

- Eating was—and is—an everyday necessity, making this accusation practical and frequent; the leaders are policing daily habits rather than fostering true godliness (Romans 14:17).

- By targeting mealtime, they attempt to assert continuous control over the lives of God’s people through added regulations (Acts 15:10).

- Jesus’ response in the verses that follow underscores that spiritual contamination stems from sinful thoughts and actions, not unwashed hands or food (Matthew 15:18–20).

- Believers are reminded that “food does not bring us nearer to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Corinthians 8:8).

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summary

Matthew 15:2 records a confrontation where religious leaders accuse Jesus’ disciples of sin because they ignore a human tradition of ritual handwashing. The verse showcases the danger of elevating man-made rules above God’s Word and points forward to Jesus’ teaching that true defilement is a matter of the heart, not external ceremony.

(2)They wash not their hands when they eatbread.--St. Mark (Mark 7:3-4), writing for Gentiles, explains the nature of the tradition more fully. What the Pharisees insisted on was not cleanliness as such, but the avoidance of ceremonial pollution. They shrank not from dirt, but from defilement. If they had been in the market, they might have come in contact with the heathen or the publican. If they ate or drank out of a metal or earthenware cup, the last lip that touched it might have been that of a heathen, and therefore that too needed purification. The pride which led them to stand aloof from the rest of mankind showed itself in this, as in all their other traditions. Indifference to their rules in peasants and fishermen, as such--as belonging to the crowd whom they scorned as the brute "people of the earth"--they could afford to tolerate. What shocked them was to see the disciples of One who claimed to be a Prophet or a Rabbi indulging in that indifference. According to their traditions, the act of which they complained stood on the same level as sexual impurity, and exposed those who were guilty of it to the excommunication of the Sanhedrin, or great Council.

Verse 2. -Thy disciples. They had watched our Lord and his followers partaking of some meal, and doubtless Christ had acted in the same manner as his disciples. Open houses and food partaken of in public allowed this close observation without any infringement of Eastern courtesy. They come to Christ with the insidious question, because they consider him answerable for his disciples' doings (comp.Matthew 9:14;Matthew 12:2). They imply that his teaching has led to thee transgression on which they animadvert. Doubtless the apostles, from Christ's instruction and example, were learning to free themselves from the endless rules and restrictions which were no help to religion, and to attend more to the great realities of vital piety and holiness. The omission of the outward acts, rabbinically enjoined, was readily marked and censured.The tradition. This formed a vast collection of additions, explanations, etc., of the original Law, partly, as was affirmed, delivered orally by Moses, and handed down from generation to generation; and partly accumulated by successive expounders. St. Paul refers to this when he speaks of himself before his conversion as being "exceedingly jealous for the tradition or my fathers" (Galatians 1:14). From it, in the course of time. was formed the Talmud, with its text (Mishna) and its commentary (Gemara). It was not put into writing till after our Lord's time (hence calledἄγραφος διδασκαλία), but was taught authoritatively by accredited teachers who, while retaining the letter of the Law abrogated its spirit, nullifying the broad line of God's commandments by enforcing minute observances and puerile restrictions which were a burden and impediment to purity and devotion, rather than an aid and encouragement.The elders (τῶν πρεσβυτέρων);the ancients. The older expositors and rabbis, whose commentaries had been orally handed down.. Such traditions were regarded with more respect than the letter of Scripture, and the latter had to give way when it seemed to be antagonistic to the former.Wash not their hands when they eat bread. Toeat bread means to take food of any kind. The fear of legal defilement led to a multitude of rabbinical rules of the most vexatious and troublesome nature, the infringement of any of which endangered a man's ceremonial purity (seeMark 7:3, 4). These frivolous regulations had been built upon the plain Mosaical enactments ofLeviticus 11, etc. St. Matthew, writing for those who were well acquainted with these glosses, enters into no details; St. Mark is more explicit. It is to be remarked that the Pharisees were extending and enforcing these traditions just when the Law was to be superseded by something more spiritual and doing so in spite of the interdiction "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2).

Parallel Commentaries ...


“Why {do}
Διὰ(Dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223:A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

Your
σου(sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

disciples
μαθηταί(mathētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101:A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

break
παραβαίνουσιν(parabainousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3845:To transgress, violate, depart, desert. From para and the base of basis; to go contrary to, i.e. Violate a command.

the
τὴν(tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

tradition
παράδοσιν(paradosin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3862:An instruction, tradition. From paradidomi; transmission, i.e. a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law.

of the
τῶν(tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

elders?
πρεσβυτέρων(presbyterōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4245:Comparative of presbus; older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist or Christian 'presbyter'.

They do not wash
νίπτονται(niptontai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3538:To wash; mid. I wash my own (hands, etc.). To cleanse; ceremonially, to perform ablution.

their
αὐτῶν(autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

hands
χεῖρας(cheiras)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5495:A hand.

when
ὅταν(hotan)
Conjunction
Strong's 3752:When, whenever. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as.

they eat.”
ἐσθίωσιν(esthiōsin)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2068:Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 15:2 Why do your disciples disobey the tradition (Matt. Mat Mt)