Matthew 15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:5

But ye say. In direct contradiction to what "God commanded" It is a gift , etc. This is better rendered, That wherewith, thou mightest have been benefited by me is Corban ; i.e. is given, dedicated to God. The vow to consecrate his savings, even at death, to the temple absolved a man from the duty of succouring his parents. It was further ruled that if a son, from any motive whatever, pronounced any aid to his parents to be corban, he was thenceforward precluded from affording them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:5

Schemes for shirking obligation. Human relationships involve obligations. Our relations with God bring the supreme obligations. But here is the patent fact—response to our obligations toward God always carries with it response to our natural obligations toward man. The pious man cannot be pious if he is unfaithful and unkind to his father and mother. All the professions men ever made would form no excuse for the neglect of our natural duties to our parents. And this tests the seeming... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:6

And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. The last clause is not in the Greek; it is supplied by our translators, as it was in Coverdale's version, to complete the apodosis. There are various methods of translating the passage. Retaining καὶ at the beginning of the sentence, some make these words the continuation of the gloss, "Whosoever shall say," etc., the apodosis being found in the sentence following. Others conceive an aposiopesis after "be profited by me," as if... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:6

The evil influence of man-made rules. "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." Sincerely enough, and with a view to helping the people to apply the revealed principles of truth and duty, the national teachers had begun to supply commentaries on, and applications of, the Holy Scriptures. These became ever more and more elaborate; controversies were excited by them, and an authority was claimed for the minute, man-made rule rather than for the comprehensive... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:7

Ye hypocrites. He called them by this name because, while they pretended that zeal for God's glory led them to these explanations and amplifications of the Law, they were really influenced by covetousness and avarice, and virtually despised that which they professed to uphold. A Jewish proverb said that if hypocrites were divided into ten parties, nine of them would be found in Jerusalem, and one in the rest of the world. Well did Esaias prophesy of you ( Isaiah 29:13 ). That is, their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:8

The quotation is from the Septuagint Version, with a slight variation from the text at the end. The Hebrew also differs a little; but the general meaning is not affected. With their mouth. They use the prescribed forms of worship, guard with much care the letter of Scripture, observe its legal and ceremonial enactments, are strict in the practice of all outward formalities. But their heart. This is what the prophets so constantly object. Prayers, sacrifices, etc., are altogether... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:8

Sincerity the keynote of piety. Formality is always imperilling piety. The representation of religious truths in ritual and ceremonial is a necessary condescension to the weakness of men, who want material aid in their effort to grasp spiritual things. But material things have a constant tendency to enslave men. And the enslaving work is done with so much subtlety that many a man who is a slave to his rituals, and to his rules, thinks himself to be a free man today. But, worse than that, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:9

But in vain, etc. The Hebrew gives, "And their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them," or "learned by rote" (Revised Version). Septuagint, "In vain do they worship me, teaching men's commandments and doctrines." Their worship is vitiated at its very root. Commandments of men. This is Christ's designation of rabbinical traditions (comp. Colossians 2:22 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:10

He called the multitude. Jesus had now finally broken with the Pharisaical party; he had carried the war into their camp. It was necessary that those who had followed these false teachers should know, on the one hand, to what irreligion, immorality, and profanity their doctrines led, and, on the other, should learn the unadulterated truth, "pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father." So he calls around him the crowd of common people, who from respect had stood aloof during the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:11

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man. The word rendered "defileth" ( κοινοῖ ) means "renders common," in opposition to ἁγιάζειν , "to separate" for God's use; hence the verb, ethically applied, signifies "to contract guilt." The rabbis taught that certain meats of themselves polluted the soul, made it abominable in God's sight. This was a perversion of the law respecting clean and unclean food. The pollution or guilt arose, not from the nature of the meat, but from the... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 15:11

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