Matthew 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, I. The worst form of hypocrisy is that which sets aside plain moral duties on the plea that they binder spiritual worship; for, if done as in God's presence, they are spiritual worship. II. No moral duty is more clearly expressed, either in the Bible or in the heart, than that of obeying, honouring, and ministering to parents. 1. They are the first of our fellow-creatures towards whom we have responsibilities. 2. They are the representatives of God to us. Through them we are to rise to know Him as our Eternal Father, and through them we are to learn how to care for and regard His human family. III. Strange perversion of what constitutes the service of God, to imagine that a man can free himself from so fundamental a duty as ministering to his parents, by professing to dedicate his property to the support of the temple-worship, and that such a freeing of himself will be acceptable to Him who prefers obedience to sacrifice, and who is Himself honoured in the honour shown to parents. Such external worship is, in God's sight, empty and worthless. (V. W. Hutton, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,WEB: Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, |
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