39 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)? (Matthew 15:3)

I do believe that as long as the rules (traditions) handed down by our elders do not violate the commandments of God, it is ok to follow such traditions. These are the traditions that Apostle Paul spoke of in the following verses. These verses do not contradict what Jesus taught.

Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians 2:15

The problem arises when people violate the commandments of God for the sake of the rules handed down by their forefathers (the elders)

For God commanded, Honor your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely come to his end by death. (Matthew 15:4)

He who curses - Blesses
or reviles
or speaks evil of
or abuses
or treats improperly his father or mother

When a person honours his father and mother, life is working in Him. However, when a person dishonours his father and mother, death is working in Him. We must seek ways to honour our Father and Mother

But you say, If anyone tells his father or mother, What you would have gained from me [that is, the money and whatever I have that might be used for helping you] is already dedicated as a gift to God, then he is exempt and no longer under obligation to honor and help his father or his mother. (Matthew 15:5)

Even if you are serving the Lord, you are not exempt from taking care or helping your father and mother.

How do we make the Word of God of no effect?

So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect]. (Matthew 15:6)

We give more importance to our traditions rather than the word of God.

It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean and defiled, but what comes out of the mouth; this makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." (Matthew 15:18-20)

Defilement through the mouth. If something that comes out of the mouth has the potential to defile a person then something that comes from our mouth (the Word of God) also has the potential to sanctify a person.

Death and life are in the power of the Tongue (Proverbs 18:25)

By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.

It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” (Matthew 15:11)

What comes out of the mouth can

defile a person
bring honor to the person
bring dishonor to the person

Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." (Matthew 15:14)

A leader must not be spiritually blind. This also implies that a leader must have his or her spiritual eyes open to lead people correctly.

Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:28)

Something she said brought her much needed deliverance. Something she said demonstrated her faith. In both cases great faith was found out of Israel.

Chapter 15