Matthew 15:1

Breaking Human Traditions

15:1 Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said,

Matthew 15:8-10

15:8This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me,

15:9 and they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

True Defilement

15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand.


sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb so that its telic (i.e., final or conclusive) force can be more easily detected: The Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus in order to speak with him.

tn The term “heart” is a collective singular in the Greek text.

sn A quotation from Isa 29:13.

13 tn Grk “And calling the crowd, he said to them.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesamenos) has been translated as attendant circumstance. The emphasis here is upon Jesus’ speaking to the crowd.