But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
And in answer he said to them, Why do you, yourselves, go against the word of God on account of the teaching which has been handed down to you?
But he answered and said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
Why do ye - transgress the commandment - Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the traditions of the elders - I accuse you of transgressing the commands of God, and that too in favor of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts of God. Pretenders to zeal often prefer superstitious usages to the Divine law, and human inventions to the positive duties of Christianity.
But he answered ... - They accused him of violating their traditions, as though they were obligatory.
In his answer he implied that his disciples were not bound to obey their traditions - they were invented by human beings. He said, also, that those traditions could not be binding, as they violated the commandments of God. He proceeded to specify a case in which their tradition made void one of the plain laws of God; and if that was their character, then they could not blame him for not regarding them.
15:3 They wash not their hands when they eat bread - Food in general is termed bread in Hebrew; so that to eat bread is the same as to make a meal.