Breaking Human Traditions

15:1 Then Pharisees1 and experts in the law2 came from Jerusalem3 to Jesus and said,4 15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their5 hands when they eat.”6 15:3 He answered them,7 “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15:4 For God said,8 ‘Honor your father and mother’9 and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’10 15:5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,”11 15:6 he does not need to honor his father.’12 You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,

15:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart13 is far from me,

15:9 and they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”14