Carla

We must be very careful to hold the Word of God as the final say in all matters rather than the traditional Church doctrines of men. 

God’s word made flesh, Jesus Christ, is the only truth and the Holy Spirit had it written out in Scripture for man to internalize.

In earlier times the Hebrews held the written law of God, the Torah, in such esteem that they would not write down their reflections on it, lest they should tempt later generations to consider their words as important as God’s law. But as time went on, written commentaries on the law, collected in the Talmud, assumed greater authority than the Torah itself. 

Jesus did not directly answer the question but instead addressed two more significant issues: (1) the superiority of God’s law over man-made tradition and (2) the difference between ceremonial and true moral defilement. Jesus enters into the argument by calling His adversaries hypocrites. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks on stage as they played different characters. Thus the Pharisees were not genuinely religious; they were merely playing a part for all to see. NKJ Bible.

Jesus quotes Isa 29:13, which is part of an oracle condemning the people of Jerusalem, and by extension God’s people in general, for failing to follow God’s commandments. Faithlife Bible.

Mark 7:6–8 (NKJV)

⁶ He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Matthew 23:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Isaiah 29:13 (NKJV)

¹³ Therefore the Lord said:

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths

And honor Me with their lips,

But have removed their hearts far from Me,

And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,