John Calvin Commentary Matthew 15:9

"But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men." — Matthew 15:9 (ASV)

But in vain do they worship me. The prophet's words are literally as follows: their fear toward me has been taught by the precept of men. But Christ has faithfully and accurately given the meaning, that in vain is God worshipped when the will of men is substituted in place of doctrine.

By these words, all kinds of will-worship (ἐθελοθζησκεία), as Paul calls it (Colossians 2:23), are plainly condemned. For, as we have said, since God chooses to be worshipped in no other way than according to His own appointment, He cannot tolerate new modes of worship being devised. As soon as men allow themselves to wander beyond the limits of the Word of God, the more labor and anxiety they display in worshipping Him, the heavier is the condemnation which they bring upon themselves, for by such inventions religion is dishonored.

Teaching doctrines, commandments of men. In these words, there is what is called apposition;⁴⁰² for Christ declares those to be mistaken who bring forward, in place of doctrine, the commandments of men, or who seek to obtain from them the rule for worshipping God. Let it therefore be held as a settled principle, that since obedience is more highly esteemed by God than sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22–23), all kinds of worship invented by men are of no value in His sight; furthermore, as the prophet declares, they are accursed and detestable.

⁴⁰² “C’est une figure et facon de parler que les Latins nomment Apposition;” — “it is a figure and mode of speech which the Latins call Apposition.” — “The Latin Grammarians employ the word Appositio to denote a figure, by which two words, denoting the same thing, are put in the same case, such as, Urbs Roma, Fluvius Sequana In the same sense the Greek word ἐπεξήγησις was often used. — Ed.