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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Matthew 15:1–9. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. The intemperate heat of the Jewish teachers for the support of their hierarchy, occasioned many excellent discourses of our Saviour's for the settling of the truth, as here.
I.Here, is the cavil of the scribes and Pharisees at Christ's disciples, for eating with unwashen hands.
The scribes and Pharisees were the great men of the Jewish church, men whose gain was godliness, great enemies to the gospel of Christ, but colouring their opposition with a pretence of zeal for the law of Moses, when really nothing was intended but the support of their own tyranny over the consciences of men. They were men of learning and men of business. These scribes and Pharisees here introduced were of Jerusalem, the holy city, the head city, whither the tribes went up, and where were set the thrones of judgment; they should therefore have been better than others, but they were worse. Note, External privileges, if they be not duly improved, commonly swell men up the more with pride and malignity. Jerusalem, which should have been a pure spring, was now become a poisoned sink. How is the faithful city become a harlot!
Now if these great men be the accusers, pray what is the accusation? What articles do they exhibit against the disciples of Christ? Why, truly, the thing laid to their charge, is, nonconformity to the canons of their church (Mat 15:2); Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? This charge they make good in a particular instance; They wash not their hands when they eat bread. A very high misdemeanor! It was a sign that Christ's disciples conducted themselves inoffensively, when this was the worst thing they could charge them with.
Observe, 1. What was the tradition of the elders - That people should often wash their hands, and always at meat. This they placed a great deal of religion in, supposing that the meat they touched with unwashen hands would be defiling to them. The Pharisees practiced this themselves, and with a great deal of strictness imposed it upon others, not under civil penalties, but as matter of conscience, and making it a sin against God if they did not do it. Rabbi Joses determined, "that to eat with unwashen hands is as great a sin as adultery." And Rabbi Akiba being kept a close prisoner, having water sent him both to wash his hands with, and to drink with his meat, the greatest part being accidentally shed, he washed his hands with the remainder, though he left himself none to drink, saying he would rather die than transgress the tradition of the elders. Nay, they would not eat meat with one that did not wash before meat. This mighty zeal in so small a matter would appear very strange, if we did not still see it incident to church-oppressors, not only to be fond of practising their own inventions, but to be furious in pressing their own impositions.
2.What was the transgression of this tradition or injunction by the disciples; it seems, they did not wash their hands when they ate bread, which was the more offensive to the Pharisees, because they were men who in other things were strict and conscientious. The custom was innocent enough, and had a decency in its civil use. We read of the water for purifying at the marriage where Christ was present (Joh 2:6), though Christ turned it into wine, and so put an end to that use of it. But when it came to be practised and imposed as a religious rite and ceremony, and such a stress laid upon it, the disciples, though weak in knowledge, yet were so well taught as not to comply with it, or observe it; no not when the scribes and Pharisees had their eye upon them. They had already learned St. Paul's lesson, All things are lawful for me; no doubt, it is lawful to wash before meat; but I will not be brought under the power of any; especially not those who said to their souls, Bow down, that we may go over. Co1 6:12.
3.What was the complaint of the scribes and Pharisees against them. They quarrel with Christ about it, supposing that he allowed them in it, as he did, no doubt, by his own example; "Why do thy disciples transgress the canons of the church? And why dost thou suffer them to do it?" It was well that the complaint was made to Christ; for the disciples themselves, though they knew their duty in this case, were perhaps not so well able to give a reason for what they did as were to be wished.
II.Here is Christ's answer to this cavil, and his justification of the disciples in that which was charged upon them as a transgression.
Note, While we stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, he will be sure to bear us out in it.
Two ways Christ replies upon them;
1.By way of recrimination, Mat 15:3-6. They were spying motes in the eyes of his disciples, but Christ shows them a beam in their own. But that which he charges upon them is not barely a recrimination, for it will be no vindication of ourselves to condemn our reprovers; but it is such a censure of their tradition (and the authority of that was what they built their charge upon) as makes not only a non-compliance lawful, but an opposition a duty. That human authority must never be submitted to, which sets up in competition with divine authority.
(1.)The charge in general is, You transgress the commandment of God by your tradition. They called it the tradition of the elders, laying stress upon the antiquity of the usage, and the authority of them that imposed it, as the church of Rome does upon fathers and councils; but Christ calls it their tradition. Note, Illegal impositions will be laid to the charge of those who support and maintain them, and keep them up, as well of those who first invented and enjoined them; Mic 6:16. You transgress the commandment of God. Note, Those who are most zealous of their own impositions, are commonly most careless of God's commands; which is a good reason why Christ's disciples should stand upon their guard against such impositions, lest, though at first they seem only to infringe the liberty of Christians, they come at length to confront the authority of Christ. Though the Pharisees, in this command of washing before meat, did not entrench upon any command of God; yet, because in other instances they did, he justifies his disciples' disobedience to this.
(2.)The proof of this charge is in particular instance, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment.
[1.]Let us see what the command of God is (Mat 15:4), what the precept, and what the sanction of the law is.
The precept is, Honour thy father and thy mother; this is enjoined by the common Father of mankind, and by paying respect to them whom Providence has made the instruments of our being, we give honour to him who is the Author of it, who has thereby, as to us, put some of his image upon them. The whole of children's duty to their parents is included in this of honouring them, which is the spring and foundation of all the rest, If I be a father, where is my honour? Our Saviour here supposes it to mean the duty of children's maintaining their parents, and ministering to their wants, if there be occasion, and being every way serviceable to their comfort. Honour widows, that is, maintain them, Ti1 5:3.
The sanction of this law in the fifth commandment, is, a promise, that thy days may be long; but our Saviour waives that, lest any should thence infer it to be only a thing commendable and profitable, and insists upon the penalty annexed to the breach of this commandment in another scripture, which denotes the duty to be highly and indispensably necessary; He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death: this law we have, Exo 21:17. The sin of cursing parents is here opposed to the duty of honouring them. Those who speak ill of their parents, or wish ill to them, who mock at them, or give them taunting and opprobrious language, break this law. If to call a brother Raca be so penal, what is it to call a father so? By our Saviour's application of this law, it appears, that denying service or relief to parents is included in cursing them. Though the language be respectful enough, and nothing abusive in it, yet what will that avail, if the deeds be not agreeable? it is but like him that said, I go, Sir, and went not, Mat 21:30.
[2.]Let us see what was the contradiction which the tradition of the elders gave to this command. It was not direct and downright, but implicit; their casuists gave them such rules as furnished them with an easy evasion from the obligation of this command, Mat 15:5, Mat 15:6. You hear what God saith, but ye say so and so. Note, That which men say, even great men, and learned men, and men in authority, must be examined by that which God saith; and if it be found either contrary or inconsistent, it may and must be rejected, Act 4:19. Observe,
First, What their tradition was; That a man could not in any case bestow his worldly estate better than to give it to the priests, and devote it to the service of the temple: and that when any thing was so devoted, it was not only unlawful to alienate it, but all other obligations, though ever so just and sacred, were thereby superseded, and a man was thereby discharged from them. And this proceeded partly from their ceremoniousness, and the superstitious regard they had to the temple, and partly from their covetousness, and love of money: for what was given to the temple they were gainers by. The former was, in pretence, the latter was, in truth, at the bottom of this tradition.
Secondly, How they allowed the application of this to the case of children. When their parents' necessities called for their assistance, they pleaded, that all they could spare from themselves and their children, they had devoted to the treasury of the temple; It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and therefore their parents must expect nothing from them; suggesting withal, that the spiritual advantage of what was so devoted, would redound to the parents, who must live upon that air. This, they taught, was a good and valid plea, and many undutiful, unnatural children made use of it, and they justified them in it, and said, He shall be free; so we supply the sense. Some go further, and supply it thus, "He doth well, his days shall be long in the land, and he shall be looked upon as having duly observed the fifth commandment." The pretence of religion would make his refusal to provide for his parents not only passable but plausible. But the absurdity and impiety of this tradition were very evident: for revealed religion was intended to improve, not to overthrow, natural religion; one of the fundamental laws of which is this of honouring our parents; and had they known what that meant, I will have justice, and mercy, and not sacrifice, they had not thus made the most arbitrary rituals destructive of the most necessary morals. This was making the command of God of no effect. Note, Whatever leads to, or countenances, disobedience, does, in effect, make void the command; and they that take upon them to dispense with God's law, do, in Christ's account, repeal and disannul it. To break the law is bad, but to teach men so, as the scribes and Pharisees did, is much worse, Mat 5:19. To what purpose is the command given, if it be not obeyed? The rule is, as to us, of none effect, if we be not ruled by it. It is time for thee, Lord, to work; high time for the great Reformer, the great Refiner, to appear; for they have made void thy law (Psa 119:126); not only sinned against the commandment, but, as far as in them lay, sinned away the commandment. But, thanks be to God, in spite of them and all their traditions, the command stands in full force, power, and virtue.
2.The other part of Christ's answer is by way of reprehension; and that which he here charges them with, is hypocrisy; Ye hypocrites, Mat 15:7. Note, It is the prerogative of him who searcheth the heart, and knows what is in man, to pronounce who are hypocrites. The eye of man can perceive open profaneness, but it is only the eye of Christ that can discern hypocrisy, Luk 16:15. And as it is a sin which his eye discovers, so it is a sin which of all others his soul hates.
Now Christ fetches his reproof from Isa 29:13. Well did Esaias prophesy of you. Isaiah spoke it of the men of that generation to which he prophesied, yet Christ applies it to these scribes and Pharisees. Note, The reproofs of sin and sinners, which we find in scripture, were designed to reach the like persons and practices to the end of the world; for they are not of private interpretation, Pe2 1:20. The sinners of the latter days are prophesied of, Ti1 4:1; Ti2 3:1; Pe2 3:3. Threatenings directed against others, belong to us, if we be guilty of the same sins. Isaiah prophesied not of them only, but of all other hypocrites, against whom that word of his is still levelled, and stands in force. The prophecies of scripture are every day in the fulfilling.
This prophecy exactly deciphers a hypocritical nation, Isa 9:17; Isa 10:6. Here is,
(1.)The description of hypocrites, in two things.
[1.]In their own performances of religious worship, Mat 15:8, when they draw nigh to God with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, their heart is far from him. Observe,
First, How far a hypocrite goes; he draws nigh to God, and honours him; he is, in profession, a worshipper of God. The Pharisee went up to the temple, to pray; he does not stand at that distance which those are at, who live without God in the world, but has a name among the people near unto him. They honour him; that is, they take on them to honour God, they join with those that do so. Some honour God has even from the services of hypocrites, as they help to keep up the face and form of godliness in the world, whence God fetches honour to himself, though they intend it not to him. When God's enemies submit themselves but feignedly, when they lie unto him, so the word is (Psa 66:3), it redounds to his honour, and he gets himself a name.
Secondly, Where he rests and takes up; this is done gut with his mouth and with his lips. It is piety but from the teeth outwards; he shows much love, and that is all, there is in his heart no true love; they make their voices to be heard (Isa 58:4), mention the name of the Lord, Isa 48:1. Hypocrites are those that only make a lip-labour of religion and religious worship. In word and tongue, the worst hypocrites may do as well as the best saints, and speak as fair with Jacob's voice.
Thirdly, What that is wherein he comes short; it is in the main matter; Their heart is far from me, habitually alienated and estranged (Eph 4:18), actually wandering and dwelling upon something else; no serious thoughts of God, no pious affections toward him, no concern about the soul and eternity, no thoughts agreeable to the service. God is near in their mouth, but far from their reins, Jer 12:2; Eze 33:31. The heart, with the fool's eyes, is in the ends of the earth. It is a silly dove that is without a heart, and so it is a silly duty, Hos 7:11. A hypocrite says one thing, but thinks another. The great thing that God looks at and requires is the heart (Pro 23:26); if that be far from him, it is not a reasonable service and therefore not an acceptable one; it is the sacrifice of fools, Ecc 5:1.
[2.]In their prescriptions to others. This is an instance of their hypocrisy, that they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The Jews then, as the papists since, paid the same respect to oral tradition that they did to the word of God, receiving it pari pietatis affectu ac reverenti - with the same pious affection and reverence. Conc. Trident. Sess. 4. Decr. 1. When men's inventions are tacked to God's institutions, and imposed accordingly, this is hypocrisy, a mere human religion. The commandments of men are properly conversant about the things of men, but God will have his own work done by his own rules, and accepts not that which he did not himself appoint. That only cones to him, that comes from him.
(2.)The doom of hypocrites; it is put in a little compass; In vain do they worship me. Their worship does not attain the end for which it was appointed; it will neither please God, nor profit themselves. If it be not in spirit, it is not in truth, and so it is all nothing. That man who only seems to be religious, but is not so, his religion is vain (Jam 1:26); and if our religion be a vain oblation, a vain religion, how great is that vanity! How sad is it to live in an age of prayers and sermons, and sabbaths and sacraments, in vain, to beat the air in all these; it is so, if the heart be not with God in them. Lip-labour is lost labour, Isa 1:11. Hypocrites sow the wind and reap the whirlwind; they trust in vanity, and vanity will be their recompence.
Thus Christ justified his disciples in their disobedience to the traditions of the elders; and this the scribes and Pharisees got by their cavilling. We read not of any reply they made; if they were not satisfied, yet they were silenced, and could not resist the power wherewith Christ spake.
Historical interpretation
Ten Centuries of Reception
8 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
I have previously quoted some of the words of Isaiah that precede the verse quoted in the Gospel and some of the words that follow the verse quoted in the Gospel. In this way we may show the way in which the word promises that it will close “the eyes” of those of the people who were “out of their senses” and “drunken” and who had been given to drink a “spirit of stupefaction.” The word also promises to “close the eyes both of their prophets and their rulers” who claim to “see the hidden things.”I suppose that these very things happened after the Savior had dwelt with these people. For “all the words,” the words of the Scriptures in their entirety and also those of Isaiah, became to them “as the words of a sealed book.” Now the word sealed was said as if the book was sealed with obscurity and not opened with clarity. The book is unclear to those who right from the start are “not able to read it” simply because “they are illiterate.” It is also equally unclear to “those who are literate” because they do not understand the meaning in the things that have been written.
Hence the word rightly adds to these things that the people would “fall into unconsciousness” because of their sins and would be “out of their senses” with madness against the word. The word also adds that the people would “be drunk” against it “with a spirit of stupefaction.” The Lord would give them this “spirit of stupefaction” to drink when he “closed their eyes,” because they were unworthy of seeing. This would happen to the eyes of “both their prophets and their rulers” that claimed to “see the hidden things” of the mysteries in the divine Scriptures. The word says that when all these things had happened and when their eyes had been closed, then the prophetic words would be sealed and concealed from them. This is exactly what the people experienced along with those who did not believe in Jesus as Messiah.
The Lord had shown that the Pharisees were not worthy to aceuse those who transgressed the commands of the elders, seeing they overthrew the law of God themselves; and He again proves this by the testimony of the Prophet; Hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Having added weight to His accusation of the Pharisees by the testimony of the Prophet, and not having amended them, He now ceases to speak to them, and turns to the multitudes, And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand. Because He was about to set before them a high dogma, and full of much philosophy, He does not utter it nakedly, but so frames His speech that it should be received by them. First, by exhibiting anxiety on their account, which the Evangelist expresses by the words, And he called the multitude to him. Secondly, the time He chooses recommends His speech; after the victory He has just gained over the Pharisees. And He not merely calls the multitude to Him, but rouses their attention by the words, Hear and understand; that is, Attend, and give your minds to what ye are to hear. But He said not unto them, The observance of meats is nought; nor, Moses bade you wrongly; but in the way of warning and advice, drawing His testimony from natural things, Not what entereth in at the mouth defileth a man, but what goeth forth of the mouth that defileth a man.
Having then signified that they who were trampling on the law could not be justly entitled to blame men for transgressing a command of certain elders, He points out this same thing again from the prophet likewise. Thus, having once laid hold of them severely, He proceeds further: as on every occasion He doth, bringing forward the Scriptures, and so evincing Himself to be in accordance with God.
And what saith the prophet? "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Seest thou a prophecy in exact accordance with His sayings, and from the very first proclaiming beforehand their wickedness? For what Christ laid to their charge now, of this Isaiah also spake from the very first; that the words of God they despise, "for in vain do they worship me," saith He; but of their own they make much account, "teaching," saith He, "for doctrines the commandments of men." Therefore with reason the disciples keep them not.
Having, you see, given them their mortal blow; and from the facts first, then from their own suffrage, then from the prophet having aggravated the charge, with them indeed He discourses not at all, incorrigibly disposed as they are now come to be, but directs His speech to the multitudes, so as to introduce His doctrine, great and high, and full of much strictness; and taking occasion from the former topic, He proceeds to insert that which is greater, casting out also the observance of meats.
But see when. When He had cleansed the leper, when He had repealed the Sabbath, when He had shown Himself King of earth and sea, when He had made laws, when He had remitted sins, when He had raised dead men, when He had afforded them many proofs of His Godhead, then He discourses of meats.
For indeed all the religion of the Jews is comprised in this; if thou take this away, thou hast even taken away all. For hereby He signifies, that circumcision too must be abrogated. But of Himself He doth not prominently introduce this (forasmuch as that was older than the other commandments, and had higher estimation), but He enacts it by His disciples. For so great a thing was it, that even the disciples after so long a time being minded to do it away, first practise it, and so put it down.
But see how He introduces His law: how "He called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand."
Thus He doth by no means simply reveal it to them, but by respect and courtesy, first, He makes His saying acceptable (for this the evangelist declares by saying, "He called them unto Him"): and secondly, by the time also; in that after their refutation, and His victory over them, and the accusation by the prophet, then He begins His legislation, when they too would more easily receive His sayings.
And He doth not merely call them unto Him, but also makes them more attentive. For "understand," saith He, that is, "consider, rouse yourselves; for of that sort is the law now about to be enacted. For if they set aside the law, even unseasonably, for their own tradition, and ye hearkened; much more ought ye to hearken unto me, who at the proper season am leading you unto a higher rule of self restraint."
And He did not say, "The observance of meats is nothing, neither that Moses had given wrong injunctions, nor that of condescension He did so;" but in the way of admonition and counsel, and taking His testimony from the nature of the things, He saith: "Not the things that go into the mouth, defile the man, but the things that go out of the mouth;" resorting to nature herself both in His enactment and in His demonstration. Yet they hearing all this, made no reply, neither did they say, "What sayest Thou? When God hath given charges without number concerning the observance of meats, dost thou make such laws?" But since He had utterly stopped their mouths, not by refuting them only, but also by publishing their craft, and exposing what was done by them in secret, and revealing the secrets of their mind; their mouths were stopped, and so they went away.
But mark, I pray thee, how He doth not yet venture distinctly to set Himself with boldness against the meats. Therefore neither did He say "the meats," but, "the things that enter in defile not the man;" which it was natural for them to suspect concerning the unwashen hands also. For He indeed was speaking of meats, but it would be understood of these matters too.
Why, so strong was the feeling of scruple about the meats, that even after the resurrection Peter said, "Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean." For although it was for the sake of others that He said this, and in order to leave Himself a justification against his censurers, by pointing out that he actually remonstrated, and not even so was excused, nevertheless it implies the depth of their impression on that point.
Wherefore you see He Himself also at the beginning spake not openly concerning meats, but, "The things that go into the mouth;" and again, when He had seemed afterwards to speak more plainly, He veiled it by His conclusion, saying, "But to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man:" that He might seem to have had His occasion from thence, and to be still discoursing of the same. Therefore He said not, "To eat meats defileth not a man," but is as though He were speaking on that other topic; that they may have nothing to say against it.
The word here [communicat] 'makes a man common' is peculiar to Scripture, and is not hackneyed in common parlance. The Jewish nation, boasting themselves to be a part of God, call those meats common, of which all men partake; for example, swine's flesh, shell fish, hares, and those species of animals that do not divide the hoof, and chew the cud, and among the fish such as have not scales. Hence in the Acts of the Apostles we read, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (Acts 10:15.) Common then in this sense is that which is free to the rest of mankind, and as though not in part of God, is therefore called unclean.
The thoughtful reader may here object and say, If that which entereth into the mouth defileth not a man, why do we not feed on meats offered to idols? Be it known then that meats and every creature of God is in itself clean; but the invocation of idols and dæmons makes them unclean with those at least who with conscience of the idol eat that which is offered to idols, and their conscience being weak is polluted, as the Apostle says.
(Verse 4 onwards) For God said, 'Honor your father and mother, and whoever curses his father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,' and does not honor his father or mother, you have made void the commandment of God because of your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me' (Exodus 20, Leviticus 20). But they worship me without cause, teaching doctrines and commandments of men. And, calling the multitude to him, he said to them: Hear and understand. Honor in the Scriptures is not only felt in greetings and deference to offices, but also in acts of charity and the offering of gifts (Exodus 20:12, 21 and Leviticus 20). The Apostle says, 'Honor widows who are truly widows' (1 Timothy 5:3); here honor is understood as a gift. And in another place: Elders are to be honored with double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine of God (ibid., 17). And by this command we are commanded not to close the mouth of the ox that is treading out the corn (Deut. XXV) . And may the worker be worthy of his wage (Luke X) . The Lord had commanded, considering the weaknesses, ages, and hardships of parents, that children should honor their parents even in providing for their basic needs. The scribes and Pharisees, desiring to undermine this most provident Law of God and to introduce impiety under the name of piety, taught the worst sons that if anyone wished to vow to God (who is the true Father) those things which are to be offered to parents, the offering of the Lord should take precedence over the gifts of the parents; or certainly, the parents themselves, fearing that they would incur the crime of sacrilege by rejecting what had been consecrated to God, were consumed by poverty. And so it happened that the offering of children, under the pretext of the temple of God, went to the profits of the priests. This wicked tradition of the Pharisees came from another occasion. Many, having debts to pay and unwilling to repay what was owed, entrusted it to the priests, so that the money collected would be used for the services of the temple and their own needs. And this can also be understood briefly. He says, 'You compel the children to say to their parents: whatever gift I was going to offer to God, I consume it as food for you, Father, and it benefits you, Mother, so that they, fearing to receive what seems to be dedicated to God, would rather live in poverty than eat from the consecrated offerings.'
Hypocrite signifies dissembler, one who feigus one thing in his outward act, and bears another thing in his heart. These then are well called hypocrites, because under cover of God's honour they sought to heap up for themselves earthly gain.
For the Jewish nation seemed to draw near to God with their lips and mouth, inasmuch as they boasted that they held the worship of the One God; but in their hearts they departed from Him, because after they had seen His signs and miracles, they would neither acknowledge His divinity, nor receive Him.
But if any one's faith be so strong that he understands that God's creature can in no way be defiled, let him eat what he will, after the food has been hallowed by the word of God and of prayer; yet so that this his liberty be not made an offence to the weak, as the Apostle speaks.
Esaias saw before the hypocrisy of the Jews, that they would craftily oppose the Gospel, and therefore he said in the person of the Lord, This people honoureth me with their lips, &c.
Also, they honoured Him with their lips when they said, Master, we know that thou art true, (Mat. 22:16.) but their heart was far from Him when they sent spies to entangle Him in His talk.
Therefore they shall not have their reward with the true worshippers, because they teach doctrines and commandments of men to the contempt of the law of God.
(ap. Anselm.) Or, They honoured Him in commending outward purity; but in that they lacked the inward which is the true purity, their heart was far from God, and such honour was of no avail to them; as it follows, But without, reason do they worship we, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.
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Summary
In Matthew 15:7, Jesus delivers a pointed rebuke to the Pharisees and scribes, labeling them "hypocrites" and asserting that the ancient prophecy of Isaiah accurately describes their spiritual condition. This verse serves as a foundational declaration, exposing the religious leaders' insincerity and setting the stage for Jesus' subsequent critique of their man-made traditions that nullified God's commandments, underscoring the critical distinction between outward religious performance and genuine heart-level devotion.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a significant confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities, specifically Pharisees and scribes who had traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee. The immediate preceding verses (Matthew 15:1-6) detail their challenge to Jesus regarding His disciples' failure to observe the traditional hand-washing rituals before eating. This tradition, though widely practiced, was a human custom, not a divine commandment. Jesus skillfully turns their accusation back on them, demonstrating how their devotion to such traditions led them to disregard and even nullify God's explicit commands, particularly the fifth commandment to honor one's parents, as illustrated by their "Corban" practice (Matthew 15:5-6). Thus, Matthew 15:7 acts as Jesus' direct, scathing indictment of their character, setting the stage for His subsequent quotation of Isaiah 29:13, which provides the prophetic basis for His accusation.
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Jewish society, particularly among the Pharisees, placed immense value on oral traditions and ritual purity. These traditions, often codified in the Mishnah and later the Talmud, were considered by many to be as authoritative as the written Torah. The washing of hands before meals, while not commanded by Moses, was a deeply ingrained custom, symbolizing ritual purity and adherence to rabbinic authority. By challenging this tradition, Jesus was directly confronting the religious establishment's authority and their interpretation of piety. The term "hypocrites" (Greek: hypokritēs) originally referred to an actor or stage-player who wore a mask, signifying someone who pretends to be what they are not. Jesus' use of this term was a severe condemnation, implying that the Pharisees' outward display of piety was a mere performance, lacking genuine internal commitment to God's will.
Key Themes
Matthew 15:7 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Matthew's Gospel and Jesus' ministry. Firstly, it powerfully highlights the theme of Hypocrisy Unveiled, as Jesus directly exposes the chasm between the religious leaders' public image and their true spiritual condition. This theme is pervasive in Jesus' critiques, particularly in Matthew 23. Secondly, it underscores the Supremacy of God's Word over Human Tradition, demonstrating how human customs, even well-intentioned ones, can become obstacles to true obedience and worship when they supersede divine commands. This is a central point of contention throughout Matthew 15. Finally, the verse, by introducing the prophecy from Isaiah, emphasizes the theme of Prophetic Fulfillment and Divine Judgment, affirming that the spiritual barrenness and insincerity of the religious leaders were not unforeseen but were, in fact, foretold by God's ancient prophets.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figuratively) a dissembler." Jesus uses this term to denote those who outwardly appear religious but inwardly are far from God. It points to a profound disconnect between external religious performance and internal spiritual reality, exposing a deliberate pretense and insincerity in their devotion.
An adverb meaning "well (usually morally)." In this context, it signifies that Isaiah's prophecy was not merely accurate in a factual sense, but perfectly fitting and morally appropriate in its description of the Pharisees' spiritual state. It implies a divine endorsement of the prophecy's relevance and precision in identifying their true character.
Meaning "to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office." This word emphasizes that Isaiah's words were not just human observations but divinely inspired utterances. Jesus' declaration that Isaiah "well did prophesy" underscores the authority and timeless relevance of God's prophetic word, directly applying an ancient divine message to the contemporary spiritual condition of the Jewish leaders.
Verse Breakdown
"Ye hypocrites,"
Jesus' direct and unvarnished address to the Pharisees and scribes. This is a severe and intentional accusation, labeling them as actors or pretenders whose outward religious displays mask an inner spiritual corruption and insincerity. It cuts to the core of their character, exposing the chasm between their public piety and their true motives.
"well did Esaias prophesy of you,"
This phrase validates the accuracy and divine inspiration of the prophet Isaiah's words, asserting that his ancient prophecy precisely describes the spiritual condition of the very religious leaders Jesus is confronting. The adverb "well" emphasizes the perfect fittingness and moral appropriateness of Isaiah's indictment, indicating that their current behavior is a direct fulfillment of what God had revealed centuries prior.
"saying,"
This serves as an introductory word, signaling that Jesus is about to quote the specific prophecy from Isaiah that applies directly to the Pharisees and scribes. It bridges this direct accusation with the prophetic text, providing the scriptural basis for His condemnation.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. Direct Address is immediately evident in "Ye hypocrites," a confrontational and unreserved accusation that strips away any pretense. This is followed by Allusion and Prophetic Fulfillment, as Jesus alludes to and then explicitly states that Isaiah's prophecy is being fulfilled in their actions. The phrase "well did Esaias prophesy of you" functions as a form of Irony, as Jesus uses a statement of commendation ("well did... prophesy") to deliver a devastating critique, implying that Isaiah's words were perfectly aimed at their spiritual failing. The very term "Hypocrites" itself is a powerful Metaphor, comparing the religious leaders to actors wearing masks, signifying their deceptive nature and the disjunction between their external appearance of piety and their internal spiritual reality.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Matthew 15:7 establishes a profound theological truth: God prioritizes genuine heart-devotion over outward religious performance. Jesus' indictment of the Pharisees highlights a recurring tension in biblical theology—the danger of ritualism and legalism eclipsing true worship and obedience. This verse, by invoking Isaiah, underscores the timeless nature of God's concern for the heart, revealing that human traditions, when elevated above divine commands, lead to spiritual blindness and hypocrisy. It serves as a stark reminder that authentic faith is characterized by an inward transformation that naturally flows into outward actions, rather than an external adherence to rules for the sake of appearance or social approval.
Reflection and Application
Jesus' sharp rebuke in Matthew 15:7 serves as a timeless mirror for all who claim to follow God. It compels us to deeply examine the sincerity of our own faith and religious practices. Are our spiritual disciplines, acts of service, or expressions of devotion truly rooted in a genuine love for God and a desire to honor His word, or are they, at times, merely external performances designed to gain approval from others, maintain a certain image, or fulfill a sense of obligation without true heart engagement? This verse challenges us to move beyond superficial religiosity to cultivate an authentic, inward relationship with God, where our hearts are truly aligned with His will. It calls us to prioritize obedience to God's commandments over human traditions, ensuring that our worship is not just lip service but a sincere offering from a transformed heart.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does Jesus mean by calling the Pharisees "hypocrites" in this context?
When Jesus calls the Pharisees "hypocrites" in Matthew 15:7, He is using a term (Greek: hypokritēs) that originally referred to an actor on a stage who wore a mask and played a role. In this context, Jesus means that the Pharisees' outward religious practices and displays of piety were a mere performance, a facade that concealed their true inner spiritual condition. They appeared devout and righteous to others, meticulously observing human traditions like hand-washing, but their hearts were far from God. Their focus on external rules and traditions led them to neglect and even nullify God's actual commandments, such as honoring parents, revealing a deep insincerity and a disconnect between their actions and their true motives.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Matthew 15:7, with its scathing indictment of the Pharisees' hypocrisy, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate revelation of Christ as the embodiment of genuine righteousness and the fulfillment of true worship. The Pharisees' reliance on external traditions and their "lip service" (as quoted from Isaiah 29:13) stands in stark contrast to Jesus, who did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, not through ritualistic adherence but through perfect obedience from the heart (Matthew 5:17). Jesus, unlike the hypocritical leaders, perfectly embodied the spirit of the Law, demonstrating that true worship is not about outward show but about loving God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving one's neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40). His life, death, and resurrection reveal the path to authentic relationship with God, a relationship forged not through human traditions or self-righteousness, but through faith in Him, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The hypocrisy condemned in this verse highlights the desperate need for a Savior who could offer not just external cleansing, but a radical internal transformation, a new heart and a new spirit, which is precisely what Christ provides through His atoning work (Ezekiel 36:26).