Verse from Matthew

““ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:8‬ ‭

When the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for not washing their hands before they ate (Matthew 15:2), their concern wasn’t about physical cleanliness but their failure to follow an extrabiblical tradition that saw handwashing before meals as necessary for religious purity. This particular tradition was one the Pharisees were known for being meticulous about.

Although these religious leaders were highly respected and influential among the Jewish people, Christ responded with little concern at their offense. Instead, He dismissed them as blind guides whose priorities would only lead people astray (vv. 12–14, see vv. 6–9). Jesus’ warning that every plant not planted by the Father would be uprooted (v. 13) may echo the prophet Isaiah, who described God’s people as a vineyard cared for and planted by God but uprooted when they failed to live with justice and goodness (Isaiah 5:1–7).

Note: excerpt from ODB