Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition shows how Jesus confronts traditions that replace obedience to God’s Word. The Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking tradition, but Jesus exposed how tradition can nullify God’s command. He taught that defilement does not come from outward actions but from the heart. This passage calls believers to test traditions, obey God’s Word, and pursue purity of heart above religious custom.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 15:1-20, Matthew 15:1-2, Matthew 23:2-3, Matthew 5:27-28, Nehemiah 8:1-6, Matthew 15:3, Matthew 15:4-6, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Proverbs 1:8, Proverbs 6:20, Malachi 1:6, Ephesians 6:1-2, Colossians 3:20, Exodus 21:15, Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Matthew 15:7-9, Matthew 15:10-11, Matthew 15:15-20, Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 15:12, Matthew 15:13, Revelation 21:8,
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Introduction to Matthew Chapter 15
We are in Matthew chapter 15. We have passed the halfway point in the Gospel, with 28 chapters total. Today’s lesson covers verses 1-20. Matthew chapter 15 addresses several themes, including tradition versus truth, rest and ministry, the faith of the Canaanite woman, healing multitudes, and feeding the 4,000. Our focus today is tradition versus truth.
The elders handed down many traditions over the centuries in an effort to actually do the Word, but they were still traditions. If we are not careful, we allow traditions to dictate our behavior even when they are not the commandments of the Word of God. This was true during Christ’s earthly ministry, and it remains true today.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Tradition is like food. Once eaten, it passes through the system. Some traditions last only a short time, and some longer, but all eventually end up in the latrine. That is the whole lesson. Jesus taught that the tradition of the elders is like that. He did not defend the Pharisees. He offended them because He would not obey their traditions. The same thing happens today. When people live in a traditional mindset and their traditions are not followed, they become offended and will fight to protect them. That is why we are examining tradition versus truth.
Overview of Matthew Chapter 15
Matthew chapter 15 can be divided into five sections. Verses 1 through 20 deal with tradition versus truth, which is today’s lesson. Verse 21 addresses retirement and the Parian ministry. Verses 22-28 cover the faith of the Canaanite woman. Verses 29-31 describe the healing of the great multitudes. And verses 32-39 record the feeding of the 4,000.
For today, we are reading Matthew 15:1-20. I will read from the King James Version.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 15:1-20
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Matthew 15:1-2
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Verses 1 and 2 describe scribes and Pharisees coming to Jesus from Jerusalem. Jesus is in the land of Gennesaret, as noted in Matthew 14:34, not in Jerusalem. This shows these are not local religious leaders. They are higher-level authorities, sent in to deal with what they believe is false teaching. They arrive with the intent to investigate and ultimately to oppose Jesus.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The word “disciples” means learners or pupils, not just followers. Following Jesus requires learning from Him. The word “transgress” means to violate or go contrary to a command. The word “tradition” refers to transmitted precepts, especially Jewish traditional law. And “elders” comes from “presbyterius” and points to senior authorities tied to the Sanhedrin.
What these leaders observed was not eating with dirty hands. The issue was that the disciples did not ceremonially wash their hands according to the tradition of the elders. This practice involved ritual washings tied to ceremonial purity, not hygiene. The conflict had nothing to do with germs. It was entirely about tradition. We need to ask where they learn, or observed, the breaking of this tradition? From Jesus, of course.
Tradition Versus the Heart
This issue directly connects to areas such as church government, praise and worship, and the gifts of the Spirit. Some places forbid these things by tradition, while others require them by tradition. Our goal is to find the truth of what Jesus says about the traditions of men.
These scribes and Pharisees came specifically to discredit Jesus. Their accusation was that Christ’s disciples violated the tradition of the elders by failing to wash ceremonially before and during meals. The charge was simple. The disciples broke tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The disciples were guilty of breaking tradition. Traditions of men have nothing to do with the heart. How food is eaten or how hands are washed does not defile a person. What defiles is disobedience to the command of God. For that reason, disciples of Christ must be willing to break traditions of men. Traditions make the Word of God of none effect.
Much of what the scribes and Pharisees taught was wrong, but not all of it. Jesus acknowledged their authority in Matthew 23:2-3.
Matthew 23:2-3
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Jesus said to do what they say, but not what they do. This shows that truth can coexist with tradition, yet tradition must be identified and removed when it interferes with the Word of God.
Matthew 23:2-3 shows that Jesus acknowledged the authority of the scribes and Pharisees because they sat in Moses’ seat. He said to do what they say, but not what they do. That tells us everything they taught was not wrong, even though much of it was mixed with tradition. Tradition itself is not proof that something is false, but it can still weaken the Word of God. All of us carry traditions, and those traditions must be removed when they limit the effectiveness of the Word.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The Historical Roots of Tradition
Truth can coexist with tradition, yet tradition must still be tested. The same problem exists today. Religious leaders pass down traditions from those before them, and some of what they teach is true. The question is how to tell the difference between truth and tradition. The process is simple. First, read and study the Word for yourself. Second, compare what you learn from the Word with what others are teaching. Third, remember that truth stands and tradition crumbles. When truth is applied, anything that is not of the kingdom will fall apart.
This issue did not begin in Jesus’ time. It started much earlier with the scribes and Pharisees. When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people into Babylon, the nation was shaken. After seventy years, Ezra led the return and the rebuilding of the walls and the temple. Ezra 7:6-11 reflects the renewed emphasis placed on the Law during that time.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The people realized their captivity was the result of disobedience and breaking the covenant with Jehovah. Because of that shock, they became determined to obey God. That desire produced a genuine move of God, but it also led to added interpretations and applications of the Law. Over time, those interpretations became traditions. What began as a response to judgment eventually produced a traditionalized Word.
This pattern forces us to examine our own time. If judgment followed covenant disobedience, then the same principle applies now. When a nation walks away from God’s commands, judgment follows. I do not say this to frighten anyone, but to speak the truth. The condition of our culture shows how far we have drifted. These realities demand reflection, repentance, and a return to obedience, rather than reliance on tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
At first, this was good, but, as with every move of God, it moved into extremes. Interpretations were passed down from generation to generation. Each generation added to them. Over time, they altered the original intent and essence of the law.
The Central Issue – The Heart
Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 5 during the Sermon on the Mount. He showed how the law had been reduced to external rules. He exposed how tradition missed the heart of the command. His teaching revealed that the issue was not only the outward act, but the condition of the heart.
Matthew 5:27-28
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
From Babylon to Tradition: How the Word Was Altered
They took the law’s original intent and redefined it. In doing so, they changed its essence. This began after the shock of the Babylonian captivity. When the people returned, they were determined to seek God. A true move of God followed. They rebuilt the temple and the wall. The Word was read publicly, and the people fell before God and cried out for help and protection, as seen in Nehemiah 8:1-6.
That move of God did not stay balanced. Like every move of God, it pushed toward extremes. The pendulum swung too far before returning toward the center. This pattern has repeated throughout history. When God moved through Martin Luther in the 1500s, justification by faith was restored. Yet many discarded other necessary elements and lost purity in the process.
Liturgies were also lost. There is nothing wrong with liturgies. Revelation 5:8-14 and Revelation 6:9-11 show order and worship around God’s throne. Matthew 6:10 reminds us that what exists in heaven is meant to be reflected on earth. Some rejected these practices by labeling them tradition, even though God Himself maintains order in heaven.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Other movements followed the same pattern. The Anabaptists moved toward water baptism as a requirement for salvation. Wesley emphasized holiness but pushed it so far that grace was overshadowed. The Pentecostal movement added outward manifestations as proof of receiving the Spirit, even though Acts 19:6 shows simplicity in how the Spirit was received. What began as truth became tradition through repetition.
Later movements followed the same cycle. Discipleship movements pushed submission to unhealthy extremes. Faith movements introduced new bondages. Charismatic movements emphasized freedom but often lacked order. Each began with truth and drifted toward imbalance. That is why we must be careful. God is calling His people to purity and balance. There is a place He wants us to settle, even if we have not fully seen it yet.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
I have not felt any leading to stop what we do here. I feel like we are moving, but I want to be careful. This follows the same principle seen when the scribes and Pharisees emerged from the Babylonian captivity. They were determined to get back to God and obey His commandments. The scribes began interpreting the law and explaining how it should be lived out. Over time, those explanations became traditions of the elders, and they continued to grow until they included details such as how hands had to be ceremonially washed.
Mishnah and Talmud: Traditions Replacing Scripture
God never commanded hand washing before every meal. There were times He commanded washing, and it is wise to wash hands, but that was never the issue. The problem was tradition. By around 200 A.D., after the death of Christ, these traditions had become so numerous that they could no longer be memorized. They were written down and called the Mishnah. Commentaries were later added to explain the Mishnah, and together they formed the Talmud.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The Talmud came to be studied more than the Scriptures. Devout Jews focused on it rather than the Word itself. One statement from the Talmud even says that opposing the words of the scribes is more punishable than opposing the Scriptures. This is cited by A.T. Robertson in The Pharisees and Jesus. These are traditions that offend people, get passed down, and ultimately make the Word of God of none effect.
We see the same pattern today. Church constitutions and bylaws often function like a modern Mishnah or Talmud. They define property, buildings, finances, leadership, and voting processes. In many cases, they are studied more than Scripture. I saw this firsthand with my pastor before going into the ministry. His church voted unanimously to leave the denomination. The leadership rejected the vote because an executive board member was not present, citing the constitution and bylaws.
The pastor responded that he did not study the constitution and bylaws. He said that he studied the Word. We later learned how deeply ownership and authority were already embedded in those documents. This shows how easily tradition replaces Scripture. What began as structure becomes control, and the Word of God is pushed aside.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Some of you understand what I am saying, and some of you do not. What I am pointing out is that there is a very real Mishnah in the Protestant church today. Along with that come commentaries. Commentaries claim to explain what the Bible says. I sometimes wonder if the apostles would recognize their own actions if they read our commentaries about them. We often read too much into things that are actually simple, and we try to make them sound overly spiritual.
The Real Issue in Matthew 15: Tradition Versus Truth
The attack by the Pharisees and scribes on Jesus (Matthew 15:1-2) had nothing to do with hygiene or germs. Even if the disciples’ hands had been completely clean, the Pharisees would still have demanded ceremonial washing. Their concern was tradition, not cleanliness.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
God does speak about washing at certain times, and it is wise to wash your hands. That is not the issue here. Nowhere in Scripture does God command hand washing before every meal. God is concerned with clean ministry inwardly and clean people inwardly. That concern does not support ceremonial washings tied to every meal. Even perfectly clean hands would not have satisfied these leaders.
The real issue is now clear. That “traditions of man” spirit has filtered down through history and continues to operate today. The names have changed, but the spirit is the same. What was once the Mishnah has become church constitutions and bylaws. It is still tradition, and it still has the power to replace the Word of God if we are not careful.
How did Jesus respond to this?
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 15:3
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Jesus answered their accusation directly. They asked why the disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders in Matthew 15:2. Jesus responded with a question: why did they transgress the Word of God? He turned the charge back on them. The real issue was priority. The disciples clearly broke tradition, but the scribes and Pharisees broke the Word of God. Their traditions mattered more to them than obedience to God, and that problem still exists today.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
We are standing on the edge of change, especially in church government. Most churches operate with traditional democratic systems, not a government established by God. That is tradition. The same problem shows up in praise and worship. When we remove God’s design for worship, we weaken the Word of God. The same is true with the gifts of the Spirit. When they are not allowed to function as the Word of God says, the Word of God is treated as if it is not true.
This also applies to church membership. Many churches teach that signing a membership card makes you part of the body of Christ. That is tradition, not truth. Membership cards have nothing to do with salvation or spiritual life. Liturgies and other practices can also become traditions. These examples matter because they all affect church government. Without God’s government in place, much of the power of God is removed from the church.
Jesus then pointed out some issues that the Lord God commanded.
Matthew 15:4-6
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The Lord commanded honoring father and mother, and He attached serious consequences to dishonoring them. The Pharisees taught a tradition that allowed people to avoid caring for their parents by calling their resources a gift to God. By doing this, they made the commandment of God of none effect. Their tradition canceled God’s Word, and that was the heart of Jesus’
Before moving on, the question is simple. What makes the commandment of God of none effect? What makes the Word of God of none effect? Tradition. That is the whole lesson.
Honoring Father and Mother: More Than Obedience
The command to honor father and mother goes deeper than obedience. Honor means to value, to prize, and to revere. In Hebrew, it conveys the idea of weight. Parents are to be carried. That can be difficult and demanding, but it is still honorable. Carrying our parents involves responsibility, sacrifice, and care.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Honor goes beyond words. It means supporting parents, helping them, and meeting their needs, especially as they grow older. It is not based on how perfect they are. Instead, it is based on who they are. They are our parents, and they are to be valued. Honoring them is an attitude of respect that leads to action.
Scripture makes this clear. Exodus 20:12 establishes honoring parents as a commandment with promise.
Exodus 20:12
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
This command ties blessing and longevity to caring for our fathers and mothers. This matters because our society often discards the elderly. God’s Word teaches the opposite. Honoring parents means carrying them, valuing them, and taking responsibility for their well-being.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
It promises a long life, not merely through obedience, but through carrying and caring for parents. The command goes beyond listening. It involves responsibility and support. Deuteronomy 5:16 repeats this command and adds clarity.
Deuteronomy 5:16
16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
This promises that days will be lengthened and that life will go well when parents are honored in this way.
A lot of people do not understand why things are going well with them. The reason could well be that they’re not taking care of their mom and dad.
Proverbs 1:8
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Proverbs 6:20
20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Proverbs 6:20 repeats Proverbs 1:8, but in Proverbs 6:20-26, we learn that by keeping our parents’ instruction, we will avoid many of life’s traps.
Malachi 1:6
6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Ephesians 6:1-2
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
Colossians 3:20
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Scripture teaches us to honor the value of our parents. We are called to cherish and care for them. This is not based on obedience alone. It is based on honor for who they are, not what they are. Not everyone has good parents, and not all parents act rightly. Even so, we can follow the traditions of the world and discard them, or we can follow the Word of God and be blessed.
God treats this seriously. He warns that dishonoring parents brings severe consequences. Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 show that cursing father or mother carried the sentence of death. This makes it clear that God does not treat this command lightly. Honoring parents is not optional. It is a matter of obedience to God’s Word.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Look at Exodus 21:15
Exodus 21:15
15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
What’s God going to do with you if you curse or hit your parents? You’ll be put to death. It doesn’t say you might be. It might take a while, but be careful when it comes to our parents.
Look at Deuteronomy 21 18-18-21.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
If a son is stubborn and rebellious and will not obey his father and mother, the parents are first commanded to chasten him. Discipline is the first response because love corrects. If he still refuses to listen, the parents are to bring him before the elders at the gate. The charge is clear and public, and the outcome is severe, as shown in Deuteronomy 21:18-21. The purpose is stated plainly in Deuteronomy 21:21 – to put evil away and cause the people to fear God.
This shows how seriously God treats rebellion. Rebellion breeds evil, and God judges it so that evil does not spread. That reality has made me fear God in a healthy way. I want Him to judge me, purify me, and remove everything in me that He did not plant. God judges His people so that enemies do not have to.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Tradition Nullifies the Word and Produces Vain Worship
The scribes and Pharisees undermined this command by teaching children how to evade the obligation to honor their parents. They taught that a child could declare resources devoted to God and avoid helping parents in need, as described in Matthew 15:5-6. By doing this, they released the child from responsibility and overruled God’s command. Jesus confronts this directly in Matthew 15:3 by asking why they transgress the word of God through tradition.
Jesus concludes that these man-made rules invalidate the word of God. Matthew 15:6 states that tradition makes God’s commandment of none effect. Different translations all agree on the same point – tradition nullifies, weakens, and renders God’s word ineffective when it replaces obedience. This is the danger, then, and it is still the danger in the church today.
Here is the New Living Translation’s rendering of Matthew 15:5-6.
(NLT) Matthew 15:5-6
5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’
6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
There are many churches today where doctrines can be examined and shown to be nothing more than traditions handed down by men. People stay bound to those systems because they feel obligated to them. In doing so, they refuse the Word of God and make it null and void. Man-made traditions strip the Word of its force and authority, rendering it ineffective. This is the same spirit that taught children to dishonor parents and removed the power of God’s command.
This is clearly evident in church government. Many churches cannot even look at biblical government. I have seen resistance to it firsthand. The same is true in praise and worship. Praise is meant to defeat the enemy and draw us to God. Yet traditions tell people to sit down, stay quiet, and suppress joy. In many places, biblical expressions of worship prompt people to be asked to leave. These traditions undermine what Scripture intends worship to accomplish.
Jesus addresses this directly, calling it hypocrisy.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 15:7-9
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus says people honor God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. Their worship is vain because they teach the commandments of men as doctrine. Vain worship is empty, manipulative, and purposeless. It is an unsuccessful search for God because it replaces obedience with tradition.
What Truly Defiles a Man
The issue is clear. Christ’s disciples do not follow the traditions of men. They obey the Word of God. Jesus reinforces this when He speaks to the people in Matthew 15:10-11 and later explains it further in Matthew 15:15-20. Tradition does not defile a person. What comes from the heart does. This is why truth must always replace tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 15:10-11
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Tradition Versus Truth Explained to the Multitude
Jesus turns from the hypocrites who are standing there and speaks directly to the people. He tells them to hear and to understand, not just listen to words. He is calling them to grasp what He is saying. Jesus is not really talking about dirty hands or food defiling a man. What He is addressing is tradition versus truth. That is the real issue behind His words.
If we take what He says and apply it, we will understand what tradition really is. We will also understand how tradition must be handled. The Lord wants more than hearing. He wants understanding. He wants this truth applied to every tradition.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Let me explain what will help us understand traditions. Not obeying traditions will not defile us. Ceremonial hand washing had nothing to do with defiling a person. You can break traditions, and it will not defile you. It is not what goes into a man that defiles him (Matthew 15:11). Not obeying traditions is no different than not ceremonially rinsing hands before eating, as the disciples did.
Jesus explains this Himself. The explanation of verse 11 is given in verses 15 through 20 (Matthew 15:15-20). He wanted this to be understood. Later, in verse 16, Peter asked Him to explain it (Matthew 15:16). The Lord was stern with Peter.
Matthew 15:15-20
15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The Lord told Peter that he was still dull and lacking understanding. He questioned why they could not put these things together. I believe He is still saying this to His churches today. He is asking if we still cannot grasp this. He is calling us to understand what truly defiles a person and to stop missing the point.
Jesus told the people to hear and understand (Matthew 15:10). He explained that what we eat goes into the draught, i.e., the comode or sewer (Matthew 15:17). Using that picture, traditions are like food. They pass through the system and end in the latrine. Every tradition of man will eventually pass through and be eliminated, even if it stays in us for a long time.
Some traditions are deeply lodged in us. We may have carried them for years. Yet if we keep breaking traditions, keep seeking Him, and keep becoming more like Him, they will end the same way. Even the best traditions will eventually be eliminated as waste if we continue to grow in Him.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
True Defilement Comes From the Heart
Jesus made it clear that real defilement comes from the heart. From the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, false witness, and blasphemies (Matthew 15:19). Ceremonial hand washing does nothing to purify the heart. Traditions have nothing to do with purifying the heart. Only the Word of God can do that.
We cannot allow traditions to make the Word of God of none effect in our lives (Matthew 15:6). The Word must be allowed to enter us and change us. Evil does not come from what goes into the body. Evil comes from the heart, which Scripture says is desperately wicked and cannot be trusted (Jeremiah 17:9).
Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Evil does not come from our hands or from traditions. It comes from not allowing the Word of God to get into our lives. Traditions block the Word, and that blockage produces true defilement. Defilement comes from within and moves outward. It does not come from outward actions moving inward. That is what Jesus is teaching here.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Defilement Is Not From the Devil but From the Heart
I also note that Jesus does not say defilement comes from the devil. I am not making light of the devil, but I am not afraid of him. Revelation 12:9 shows that he has been cast down. However, those things that are in my heart can get me – defile me.
If you are obedient to His commandments and set aside the traditions of men, sacrifices, and all that garbage, your heart will be straightened out with God. You can give a million dollars a month to missions and still be defiled. All of this centers on the heart. The Lord has dealt deeply with the heart throughout Scripture.
The issue is purity of heart. That is why the statement about being pure in heart to see God matters (Matthew 5:8). The condition of the heart determines everything. The inner man must be pure. It must be undefiled. It must be holy and righteous to see God.
This is why the command matters to love the Lord your God with all your heart in Matthew 22:37. Everything begins and ends with the heart.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 22:37
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
You cannot love God with a heart full of garbage. That will not work. The heart is the inner man. The inner man is the real man. What you truly are is your heart.
Offending the Pharisees by Challenging Tradition
I close with this. After Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 15:3-11), the disciples came to Him. They asked if He knew He had offended the Pharisees.
Matthew 15:12
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
The disciples recognized that the Pharisees were angry because of what Jesus said. The Living Bible says the Pharisees were offended by that remark in Matthew 15:12. The Today’s English Bible says their feelings were hurt when traditions were broken. When traditions are challenged, Pharisees get mad, walk off, and sulk.
The question is whether we will allow that reaction to stop us from moving with God. When our fellowships came together, we talked about this in our leadership meetings. Some from one camp said we were too charismatic and too liberal, with no order. Others said we had too much order and were becoming legalistic. Because of that, some pulled away. The issue is whether we let what others call right or wrong keep us from going on with God.
Everything the Father Has Not Planted Will Be Removed
I try with all my heart to search the Scriptures and hear what God is saying to His people today. I want to be pure. It’s impossible for me to preach what people want to hear. I have to preach what I hear in my heart and what I see in the Scriptures. I close with this truth from Matthew 15:13 – everything that the Father has not planted will be plucked up.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Matthew 15:13
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
You do not have to worry about ministries, churches, or anything else. If something is not of God, it will be plucked up. That is a promise, and I rest in that.
You do not have to worry about me either. If I am not of God, He will pluck me up. I understand that, and I want that. I do not want to waste my time, your time, His time, or this city’s time. If I am not real, then remove me and raise up someone who is.
We also have to look within ourselves. This is not only about ministries or churches that God has not planted. It is about what is inside us. If there is something in us that is not godly, it needs to be plucked up. If we do not deal with it, He will. That is also a promise.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
I preached two years ago while we were going through the book of Acts. Somehow, I ended up in Matthew chapter 24 and began talking about the stars falling (Matthew 24:29). I wasn’t talking about literal stars. I was talking about those in religion whom people see as stars. It’s exactly like Hollywood calls actors stars. We have “stars” in the church world, too.
A word of prophecy came from me, and I said that in the next couple of years, we would see stars fall. They have fallen, and God is still not finished. I do not know what is next, and that scares me.
If we look at ourselves rather than others, we will see that there are things in us that need to be plucked up. We need to pray again that He will pluck them up.
Revelation 21:8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Matthew 15 1-20 How to Discern Truth From Tradition
Revelation 21:8 warns that the fearful, unbelieving, and all who live in corruption face the second death. If the heart is not pure, the outcome is clear. Matthew 5:8 tells us that purity of heart is required, and that forces us to look honestly at ourselves. The call is not to test God but to purify ourselves, as commanded in 2 Corinthians 7:1.
Revelation 22:15 shows that those who practice evil remain outside, and Revelation 21:8 again confronts fear and compromise. I am not willing to take that chance. My prayer is simple and serious – cleanse me, Lord. Uproot everything you have not planted in me. Disgrace me if necessary, because Matthew 18:8-9 teaches it is better to lose now than to be lost forever.
Matthew 14 Part 2
Matthew 14 Part 2
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