John Calvin Commentary Matthew 15:2

"Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." — Matthew 15:2 (ASV)

Why do thy disciples transgress? When we speak of human traditions, this question has no reference to political laws, the use and object of which are widely different from enjoining the manner in which we ought to worship God. But as there are various kinds of human traditions, we must make some distinction among them. Some are clearly wicked, for they instill acts of worship which are wicked and diametrically opposed to the word of God. Others of them mix profane trifles with the worship of God, and corrupt its purity. Others, which are more plausible, and are not chargeable with any remarkable fault, are condemned on this ground: that they are imagined to be necessary to the worship of God; and thus there is a departure from sincere obedience to God alone, and a snare is laid for the conscience.

To this last description the present passage unquestionably relates. The washing of hands, on which the Pharisees insisted, could not in itself be charged with wicked superstition; otherwise, Christ would not have permitted the water-pots to be used at the marriage (John 2:6), if it had not been an allowable ceremony. The fault, however, lay in this: they did not think that God could be properly worshipped in any other way.

It was not without a specious pretext that the practice of washings was first introduced. We know how rigidly the Law of God demands outward cleanness—not that the Lord intended that this should occupy the whole attention of his servants, but that they might be more careful to guard against every spiritual defilement. Yet, in washings the Law preserved some moderation. Next came teachers who thought that they would not be considered sufficiently acute if they did not make some addition to the word of God;³⁹⁴ and thus arose washings of which no mention was made in the Law. The legislators themselves did not claim that they delivered anything new,³⁹⁵ but only that they administered cautions, which would assist in keeping the Law of God.

But this was immediately followed by great abuse, when ceremonies introduced by men began to be regarded as a part of divine worship, and again, when in matters that were free and voluntary, uniformity was strictly required. For it was always the will of God, as we have already said, that he should be worshipped according to the rule laid down in his word, and therefore no addition to his Law can be endured. Now, as he permits believers to have outward ceremonies by means of which they may perform practices of godliness, so he does not allow them to mix up those ceremonies with his own word, as if religion consisted in them.³⁹⁶

For they wash not their hands. The ground of offense is explained more fully by Mark, but the substance of his explanation is that many things were practiced by the scribes which they had voluntarily undertaken to keep. These were secondary laws invented by the curiosity of men, as if the plain command of God were not enough. God commanded that those who had contracted any defilement should wash themselves (Leviticus 11:25, 28), and this extended to cups, pots, clothing, and other articles of household furniture (Leviticus 11:32), so that they might not touch anything polluted or unclean. But to invent other ablutions was idle and useless.³⁹⁷ They were not lacking plausibility, as Paul tells us that the inventions of men have an appearance of wisdom (Colossians 2:23); however, if they had rested in the Law of God alone, that modesty would have been more agreeable to Him than concern about small matters.

They desired to warn a person not to take food while he was unclean through thoughtlessness; but the Lord considered it enough to wash away those defilements of which they were aware. Besides, no end or limit could be set to such cautions, for they could scarcely move a finger without contracting some new spot or stain.

A far worse abuse, however, lay in this: the consciences of men were tormented with scruples which led them to regard every person as guilty of pollution who did not on every occasion wash his body with water. In private individuals, they would perhaps have overlooked the neglect of this ceremony. But as they had expected from Christ and his disciples something uncommon and extraordinary, they considered it improper that ceremonies, which were traditions of the elders and the practice of which was held sacred by the scribes, should not be observed by the disciples of a master who undertook to reform the existing state of things.

It is a great mistake to compare the sprinkling of the water of purification, or, as the Papists call it, blessed water, with the Jewish washing; for, by repeating the one baptism so frequently,³⁹⁸ Papists do all that is in their power to efface it. Besides, this absurd sprinkling is used for exorcising.³⁹⁹ But if it were permissible in itself, and were not accompanied by so many abuses, still we must always condemn the urgency with which they demand it as if it were indispensable.

³⁹⁴ “Sinon qu’ils adioustassent a la parole de Dieu quelques repetasseries de leur invention;” — “if they did not add to the word of God some patches of their own invention.”;” — “if they did not add to the word of God some patches of their own invention.”

³⁹⁵ “Les premiers autheurs de ces loix ne disoyent pas qu’ils voulussent commander rien de nouveau;” — “the first authors of these laws did not say that they intended to issue any new command.”;” — “the first authors of these laws did not say that they intended to issue any new command.”

³⁹⁶ “Qu’elles soyent meslees avec sa Parole, et mises en mesme rang, comme si quelque partie du service de Dieu gisoit en icelles;” — “that they should be mixed with his Word, and put in the same rank, as if any part of the worship of God lay in them.”;” — “that they should be mixed with his Word, and put in the same rank, as if any part of the worship of God lay in them.”

³⁹⁷ “C’a este un amusement de gens oisifs, et qui ne scavoyent que faire;” — “it was an amusement of persons that were idles and did not know what to do.”;” — “it was an amusement of persons that were idles and did not know what to do.”

³⁹⁸ “Le Baptesme, qui suffit une fois receu;” — “Baptism, which is enough when once received.”;” — “Baptism, which is enough when once received.”

³⁹⁹ “En apres, ceste badinerie d’eau beniste est appliquee a faire exorcismes et coniurations, et ils croyent fermement qu’elle a vertu d’effacer les pechez;” — “Besides, this foolery of ;” — “Besides, this foolery of blessed water is applied to exorcising and conjuring, and they firmly believe that it has power to blot out sins.”is applied to exorcising and conjuring, and they firmly believe that it has power to blot out sins.”