What is the meaning of Matthew 15:6? He need not honor his father or mother with it Jesus is addressing a loophole the religious leaders had carved out through the practice sometimes called “Corban” (see Mark 7:11). By declaring possessions “given to God,” a son could refuse to use those resources to care for aging parents, even though Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16 clearly command honor and support. • Honor is more than respectful words; in Scripture it often includes material provision (1 Timothy 5:4, 8). • The leaders turned what should have been a heartfelt gift into a legal escape clause, excusing neglect of family while appearing pious. • Jesus affirms the literal intent of the fifth commandment: children remain responsible for parental care regardless of any vow they make. Thus you nullify the word of God By endorsing this loophole, the leaders effectively canceled God’s command. • “Nullify” pictures a law set aside or rendered void; their tradition held higher authority in practice than Scripture (compare Mark 7:13). • Isaiah 29:13, quoted in the same conversation (Matthew 15:8-9), warns of worship that is “in vain” when human rules replace divine truth. • God’s word carries binding authority (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17); whenever we sidestep its plain meaning, we undermine its power in our lives. For the sake of your tradition Tradition itself isn’t automatically wrong—Paul commends sound apostolic traditions in 2 Thessalonians 2:15—but Jesus confronts traditions that contradict or overshadow Scripture. • Colossians 2:8 cautions against being taken captive by “human tradition” instead of Christ. • Galatians 1:14 shows how zeal for tradition can blind a person to God’s will. • Acts 5:29 reminds believers to obey God rather than men when the two conflict. The issue is priority: whenever custom, culture, or convenience dethrones God’s explicit commands, those traditions must yield. summary Matthew 15:6 exposes how a religious rule allowed people to dodge God’s clear command to honor parents. Jesus insists that no human tradition, however well-intentioned, can overrule Scripture. True obedience means letting God’s word stand as the final authority and aligning every practice—religious, cultural, or personal—under its unchanging truth. |
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