Matthew 15:6

Matthew 15:6. He shall not honor his father. The best authorities omit, ‘and.' ‘Ye say; whosoever shall say, etc., he shall not honor his father.' The Pharisees directly deny the validity of the fifth commandment. There are two other views, both of them requiring the insertion of ‘and.' One, that of the common version: ‘Whosoever shall say, etc., and (in consequence) honor not, he shall be free.' The other makes the last clause the judgment of our Lord: ‘Ye say, whosoever shall say, etc., he is not bound, etc., and (I say that in consequence) he shall not honor his father.' The parallel passage in Mark favors the last view; both views avoid the difficulty of putting so direct a denial in the mouth of the Pharisees; but the true reading and grammatical usage compel the adoption of the first view. The words ‘or his mother' are also to be omitted.

And ye have made void. Not merely transgressed, but rejected, the word of God. Some ancient authorities read ‘law,' others ‘commandment,' but ‘word' is better sustained, and is more forcible.' What God says is of itself a command, never to be rejected.

For the sake of your tradition (see Matthew 15:3). Modern Pharisaism does the same. Church tradition leads to dogmas which deny God's direct commands. Its upholders persecute not only for infractions of their interpretations of God's laws, but for disregard of precepts of their own making. Or at least, they constantly break Christ's law of love, through zeal for external things about which Christ gave no express command.