Nevertheless, the School of Shammai (the strictest of the schools of the Pharisees), whose teachings
predominated during the First Century, taught that all men must ritually wash their hands prior to eating a
meal. As can be seen, Y‘shua's teaching on this matter held to the original intent of the Torah. Thus, Y‘shua
showed that He did not come to do away with the instructions of the Torah, but to restore them to their
original and true meaning. On the other hand, this is not to say that by restoring the proper Torah teachings,
Y‘shua did away with all the traditions and customs of the Jews. On the contrary, He and His disciples
continued to observe many, if not most, of the customs of His people as long as those customs and traditions
did not contradict the true intent of the Torah. Thus it is written:
―Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matt
5:17)
Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited
by me―(4) For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let
him die the death. (5) But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by
whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;‖ (Matt 15:4-5)
―But ye say‖. This is in sharp contrast to the Torah of YHWH, because here man ―says‖ it and not what
YHWH commanded. Y‘shua had quoted the fifth commandment (Exod 20:12) with the penalty "die the
death", "go on to his end by death" in imitation of the Hebrew idiom. They dodged this Torah of YHWH about
the penalty for dishonouring one's father or mother by the use "Corban" (korban) as Mark calls it (Mark 7:11).
All one had to do to evade one's duty to father or mother was to say "Corban" or "Gift" (dwron) with the idea
of using the money for YHWH. By an angry oath of refusal to help one's parents, the oath or vow was
binding. By this magic word, one set himself free (he shall not honour) from obedience to the fifth
commandment. Sometimes unfilial sons paid graft to the rabbinical legalists for such dodges.
Ye made the commandment of YHWH of none effect by your tradition
―(6) And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God
of none effect by your tradition. (7) Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people
draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me‖. (Matt
15:6)
It was a stinging indictment that laid bare the hollow pretence of their quibbles about handwashing. Kuros
means force or authority; akuros is without authority – null and void. It is a late verb, akurow, and substantive
occurrence in legal phraseology like canceling a will, etc. In other words, the moral force of YHWH‘s Torah is
annulled by their hairsplitting technicalities and immoral conduct.
There is sarcasm in this pointed application of Isaiah's words (Isaiah 29:13) to these rabbis. He "beautifully
pictured" them. The portrait was to the very life, "teaching as their doctrines the commandments of men".
They were indeed far from YHWH if they imagined that YHWH would be pleased with such gifts at the
expense of duty to one's parents.
15:9-10 Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men
―(9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (10) And he
called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:‖
He repeats His criticism. They are elevating the doctrines of men over the commandments of the Torah. The
kosher laws are from YHWH; they are not traditions of men. In fact, teaching that the kosher laws (or any
part of Torah) are done away with would be what YHWH would consider "commandments of men" and goes
against His Word (Matt 5:17-18).
15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth―Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this
defileth a man.‖
This is the verse that is commonly pulled out of its context to support the idea that the kosher laws have
been done away with. Y‘shua is teaching that we don't make clean foods unclean by failing to ceremonially