Here is my understanding of this section of Matthew Chapter 15. If I take Matthew 15:1-20 together, I see the protesting of the Scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew 15:2, they begin their protest. These Scribes and Pharisees were very strict at upholding Jewish tradition. But in Matthew 15:3, Jesus makes it clear that the commandments of God are far greater than any of their traditions.
Jesus goes on in Matthew 15:7 to call them hypocrites. The word hypocrite is actually a theater term, a drama term. A person that learns their lines is an actor, and that person is responding to the script. That is an actor. So Jesus says you are hypocrites, you are just acting according to the script. You have no life in you! They did not have Christ working in them. They were spiritually dead. They were very religious, but they were just acting the part. No life in them!
In Matthew 15:12, the disciples tell Jesus that He offended them (The Pharisees). He called them hypocrites! And then in Matthew 15:13, Jesus gives instruction, and for this He uses a plant. He says, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Meek and mild Jesus, you got to love him!
If I go on and read through to Verse 20, it seems clear that He is speaking about the Scribes and Pharisees in Verse 13. When I get down to Verse 20 which says, "These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man," I see this as being sort of a "bookend" to Verse 2.
So every plant, (every person) who is not feeding off the life source (Christ) is considered a dead plant, and that plant will be rooted up and cast away.
Here is my understanding of this section of Matthew Chapter 15. If I take Matthew 15:1-20 together, I see the protesting of the Scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew 15:2, they begin their protest. These Scribes and Pharisees were very strict at upholding Jewish tradition. But in Matthew 15:3, Jesus makes it clear that the commandments of God are far greater than any of their traditions.
Jesus goes on in Matthew 15:7 to call them hypocrites. The word hypocrite is actually a theater term, a drama term. A person that learns their lines is an actor, and that person is responding to the script. That is an actor. So Jesus says you are hypocrites, you are just acting according to the script. You have no life in you! They did not have Christ working in them. They were spiritually dead. They were very religious, but they were just acting the part. No life in them!
In Matthew 15:12, the disciples tell Jesus that He offended them (The Pharisees). He called them hypocrites! And then in Matthew 15:13, Jesus gives instruction, and for this He uses a plant. He says, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Meek and mild Jesus, you got to love him!
If I go on and read through to Verse 20, it seems clear that He is speaking about the Scribes and Pharisees in Verse 13. When I get down to Verse 20 which says, "These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man," I see this as being sort of a "bookend" to Verse 2.
So every plant, (every person) who is not feeding off the life source (Christ) is considered a dead plant, and that plant will be rooted up and cast away.
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