EPISODE 88 :: MATTHEW 15 :: PHARISEES AND SCRIBES QUESTIONS JESUS' ORTHODOXY

Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” 6he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:

8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far away from Me.

9 But in vain do they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ”