Matthew 15, Part One

Conflict over traditions of the Pharisees (vs. 1-9)—I at least appreciate the honesty of the Pharisees here in their attack on Jesus: “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” by not washing their hands when they eat bread (v. 2). They aren’t claiming that Jesus and His disciples were disobeying the Law of Moses. The Pharisees equated their traditions WITH the Law and that was the problem. Jesus then points out that their traditions actually contradict the Law of Moses with an example regarding honoring one’s parents. In an age without Social Security, Medicare, etc. etc., children were expected to provide for their parents in old age; the parents took care of the kids when young, now the children were responsible when their parents were aged. But the Pharisees wouldn’t take care of their aged parents: “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God” (v. 6), they’d say. So instead of “honoring father and mother” by taking care of them, they would give the money as a “gift to God.” In one sense, this makes the crime even more atrocious—refusing to honor a command of God in the name of God. No wonder Jesus called them “hypocrites,” and the fulfillment of prophecy: “’Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”’” (vs 7-9). The fight between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day grows. And that is very important, as we shall see. Very, very important.

Offending the Pharisees (vs. 10-20)—Jesus then explained to the crowd that it’s not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out; may I remind the reader “blessed are the pure in heart” (Matt. 5:8). The disciples then said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" (v. 12). Well, boo hoo; that didn’t bother Jesus at all. “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch’" (vs. 13-14). We don’t want to offend people if we can help it, but the truth will just do that sometimes. If we quote Genesis 1:1 to an assembly of atheists, they are going to be offended. What’s important is, if people are going to be offended, let the Word of God do it, not our attitude or demeanor. Now, as the Jews did with Jesus, people will often attack our character; many times after a convicting sermon, I’ve been called “unloving” or “uncompassionate.” I know my own heart and I know the motivation behind why I preach. But if an unwilling hearer thinks he can find an impure motive in the messenger, then that supposedly frees him from any responsibility to obey the truth that is preached. Folks, we’re obligated to obey the truth even if the devil preaches it; truth is truth. But again, let us make sure our hearts are pure and then if others are offended and belligerent, we can rejoice in the knowledge that we have been persecuted, at least in a small way, for righteousness’ sake.

The apostles did not understand Jesus’ “it’s not what goes in but what comes out” teaching, so they asked Him about it. Jesus explained that “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" (vs. 19-20). That seems simple to us, but we must remember that these disciples had grown up all their lives being taught, mostly, Pharisaic doctrine. Thus, the ritual was what was important, not the heart. And, again, I refer the reader to Jesus’ opening blast of a sermon in Matthew 5-7 where He forcefully exposes and denounces such a shallow doctrine. But it hadn’t sunk in on the apostles yet. It takes a while if one has been taught something else all one’s life.