The Teaching of the Ancestors
1 About this time some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem. They asked Jesus, 2 "Why don’t your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? They don’t even wash their hands15.2 wash their hands: The Jewish people had strict laws about washing their hands before eating, especially if they had been out in public. before they eat."
3 Jesus answered:
Why do you disobey God and follow your own teaching? 4 Ex 20.12;Dt 5.16;Ex 21.17;Lv 20.9.Didn’t God command you to respect your father and mother? Didn’t he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? 5 But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they have has been offered to God.15.5 has been offered to God: According to Jewish custom, when people said something was offered to God, it belonged to him and could not be used for anyone else, not even for their own parents.6 Is this any way to show respect to your parents? You ignore God’s commands in order to follow your own teaching. 7 And you are nothing but show-offs! Isaiah the prophet was right when he wrote that God had said,
8 Is 29.13 (LXX)."All of you praise me
with your words,
but you never really
think about me.
9 It is useless for you
to worship me,
when you teach rules
made up by humans."