Question 1

What is the specific accusation the Pharisees and scribes make, and how do they frame it?

Accepted Answer

They accuse Jesus’ disciples of “disobeying the tradition of the elders” because they do not wash their hands when they eat bread (vv. 1–2). The charge is framed as a breach of an inherited standard, not as a direct violation of a stated command from Scripture. The point of pressure is authority: the leaders treat the tradition as binding enough to publicly confront Jesus. The wording also focuses on the disciples’ behavior, implying Jesus’ leadership is responsible for allowing it.

Question 2

How does Jesus answer the accusation, and what move does he make in the argument?

Accepted Answer

Jesus responds with his own “why” question: why his opponents disobey the commandment of God because of their tradition (v. 3). This shifts the debate from whether a custom is being kept to whether a custom is causing disobedience. He reframes the issue as a clash of loyalties and priorities: tradition is not treated as neutral, but as something that can push people away from what God commanded. The argument is comparative: a human practice is being weighed against divine instruction.

Question 3

Which commands does Jesus cite, and how do they function in his critique?

Accepted Answer

Jesus cites God’s command to honor father and mother and adds a related saying about the seriousness of speaking evil of parents (v. 4). These citations serve as his standard for evaluating the contested teaching. He treats “honor” as more than polite words, since the example that follows concerns practical “help” parents might have received (v. 5). The commands function as an anchor: if a tradition results in abandoning these obligations, then the tradition is not protecting faithfulness but contradicting it.

Question 4

What is the example involving a “gift devoted to God,” and what outcome does Jesus highlight?

Accepted Answer

Jesus describes a case where someone tells parents that resources that could have helped them are declared “a gift devoted to God” (v. 5). He then states the result: “he will not honor his father or mother” (v. 6). Regardless of the exact mechanics of the dedication, Jesus highlights that the teaching or practice provides a way for a person to be treated as exempt from honoring parents in a concrete way. The outcome matters most for Jesus’ point: tradition is used to cancel a clear divine obligation.

Question 5

What conclusion does Jesus draw about the relationship between this tradition and God’s command?

Accepted Answer

Jesus concludes, “You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition” (v. 6). This is a strong claim: the problem is not merely that tradition exists, but that the tradition, as taught or enforced, effectively nullifies what God commanded. The language suggests more than a minor imbalance; it is a reversal of authority where humanly maintained rules override Scripture’s intent. Jesus presents this as a moral and religious failure, not just a procedural disagreement.

Question 6

How does the Isaiah quotation (vv. 8–9) deepen Jesus’ criticism beyond the specific example?

Accepted Answer

The Isaiah quotation diagnoses the deeper issue behind the disputes: outward honor with “mouth” and “lips” while the “heart is far” (v. 8). It also explains why such worship is “in vain”: they teach “rules made by men” as “doctrine” (v. 9). This moves from one case (handwashing, Corban-like dedication) to a general pattern—religious speech and instruction can look faithful while actually displacing God’s authority with human rules. Jesus connects the authority problem to the integrity of worship itself.

Tradition Challenged by God’s Command

Tradition Challenged by God’s Command

Tradition Challenged by God’s Command

Scripture

What this passage is saying

Tradition Challenged by God’s Command

Scripture

What this passage is saying