THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS: Mt 15,1-20
Pharisees and Scribes: 15,1-9
Jerusalem was the centre of Judaism, these Pharisees and scribes (those learned in the Law or Torah) carried with them therefore a special authority. As I noted, the Pharisees accepted traditions as a means of "updating" the Torah. Jerusalem will also be the centre of opposition to Jesus.
A possible reason for Matthew to omit Mk 7,2-4 is that his community knew about these details already. It could indicate that there were many former Jews in his community.
The rule about hand washing as stated in Ex 30,17-21 applied only to the priests. Thus the Pharisees have taken a limited rule and applied it to everyone.
Jesus does not answer them in verse 3 (that comes in verse 20). Jesus instead takes the controversy in other directions and throws the word "transgress" back at the Pharisees. This time it is about the need to care for parents, enshrined in the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments) but also important elsewhere, and I quoted 1st Timothy from the New Testament (1 Tim 5,4).
Thus Jesus has taken a detail (handwashing) and gone for a more fundamental point, not only the care of parents but also the need to give Torah priority over traditions. Matthew does not use the technical word "Korban" as in Mark (Mk 7,11) but there is evidence that dedicating goods to God was being used as a way to evade using them for others, parents especially.
A hypocrite was originally an actor who hid behind a mask. Which is a good description of what Matthew means by the word: outer deeds or actions (6,2.5.16) are a mask for inner realities.
It may be that Matthew moved the quotation from Isaiah to the end in order to provide a climax. We can see him allowing the prophets to comment upon Torah.
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The Crowd and the Disciples: 15,10-20
Clearly the Pharisees are failing to see and understand. Isaiah 6,10 about the people not listening and understanding is a favourite quotation of the early Christians (13,14).
Thus hypocrites in verse 6 describes well the attitude described in verse 11.
The disciples comment about offended Pharisees in verse 12 is as we have noted unique to Matthew and may reflect that tendency in his own community.
The uprooting image of verse 13 is found in Is 60,21. The pit becoming a trap is neatly described in Ps 7,15.
The request for an explanation in verse 15 comes from Peter, not the disciples as a whole. We can note that the crowds continue to be present (see Mk 7,17).
In verse 17, Matthew does not go as far as Mark who says Jesus declared all foods clean (Mk 7,10)
In verse 19, Matthew has cut down Mark's 13 vices to seven, all taken from the ten commandments plus two more (evil thoughts, fornication). Perhaps he was thinking of seven as the number which stands for the whole.
Finally, in verse 20, Jesus answers the question of verse 1. He adds to Mark Jesus' answer about eating with unwashed hands which began the whole controversy at the beginning.
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