Matthew 15 · Verse 3

Matthew 15:3

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matthew 15:3, King James Version

Matthew 15:3 in other translations

BSBJesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
WEBHe answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
ASVAnd he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
YLTAnd he answering said to them, ‘Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition?
DARBYBut he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching?
BBEAnd in answer he said to them, Why do you, yourselves, go against the word of God on account of the teaching which has been handed down to you?
WebsterBut he answered and said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

What does Matthew 15:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?--The charge is retorted with startling power: "The tradition they transgress is but man's, and is itself the occasion of heavy transgression, undermining the authority of God's law."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. But he answered, etc. They accused him of violating their traditions, as though they were obligatory. In his answer he implied that they were not bound to obey their traditions. They were invented by men. He said also that those traditions could not be binding, as they violated the commandments of God. He proceeds to specify a case where their tradition made void one of the plain laws of God. And if that was their character, then they could not blame him for not regarding them.

Mt 15:1 (b) "your tradition?" Col 2:8, 23, Tit 1:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Why do ye - transgress the commandment - Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the traditions of the elders - I accuse you of transgressing the commands of God, and that too in favor of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts of God. Pretenders to zeal often prefer superstitious usages to the Divine law, and human inventions to the positive duties of Christianity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:1-9

Additions to God's laws reflect upon his wisdom, as if he had left out something which was needed, and which man could supply; in one way or other they always lead men to disobey God. How thankful ought we to be for the written word of God! Never let us think that the religion of the Bible can be improved by any human addition, either in doctrine or practice. Our blessed Lord spoke of their traditions as inventions…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:1-9 →

Matthew 15:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheisansweringG611
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
διὰdiaBecause ofG1223
τίtiwhyG5101
καὶkaialsoG2532
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
παραβαίνετεparabainetebreakG3845
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἐντολὴνentolēncommandmentG1785
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
διὰdiaon account ofG1223
τὴνtēntheG3588
παράδοσινparadosintraditionG3862
ὑμῶν;humōnof you?G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 15:3

  • Colossians 2:23

    Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

  • Titus 1:14

    Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

  • Colossians 2:8

    Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

  • Mark 7:6-8

    He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

  • Matthew 7:3-5

    And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

  • Mark 7:13

    Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Why.
7:3-5; Mr 7:6-8,13; Col 2:8,23; Tit 1:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 15:2

    Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

  • Matthew 15:3

    But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

  • Matthew 15:4

    For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él respondiendo, les dijo: ¿Por qué también vosotros traspasáis el mandamiento de Dios por vuestra tradición?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais lui, répondant, leur dit: Et vous, pourquoi transgressez-vous le commandement de Dieu à cause de votre tradition?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: Warum übertretet auch ihr das Gebot Gottes um eurer Überlieferung willen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ipse autem respondens ait illis: Quare et vos transgredimini mandatum Dei propter traditionem vestram? Nam Deus dixit: