Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 15:2

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mark relateth this piece of History more largely, Ch. 7.1.2, 3, 4, 5. Then came together unto him, the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes, which came from Ierusalem. And when they saw some of his Disciples Eat Bread, with defiled (that is to say with unwashen) Hands, they found fault, For the Pharisees, and all the Iews, except they Wash their Hands oft, Eat not, holding the Traditions of the Elders. And when they come from the Market, except they Wash, they Eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold as the Washing of Cups, and Pots, Brasen Vessels, and of Tables. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy Disciples according to the Tradition of the Elders, but Eat Bread with unwashen Hands? This Portion of Scripture cannot be well understood, without understanding something of the Iewish Government, as to matters Ecclesiastical. In which the High Priest was the Chief, Num. 11.25. God addeth seventy Men more to Moses and Aaron, to bear a share in the Government, these were called the Sanhedrim, and this was the Supreme Court of Judicature amongst the Jews, as to all things which respected the Laws of God, whether Moral, Iudicial, or Ceremonial, and every one was bound to abide by their Determination. These Sate in Ierusalem, but had their inferiour Courts in other places, from which they appealed to the Sanhedrim, who finally determined, Deut. 17.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. It was the great business of this Court, to take care that there should be no Corruption in Religion. These were they therefore that sent Messengers to Iohn, when he began to Preach to inquire what he was, and by what Authority he Baptized, Iohn 1.19. The Pharisees, (as we before heard) had charged our Saviours Disciples with Violation of the Sabbath, by plucking and rubbing Ears of Corn, and himself also with the same Crime for healing the Sick. It is very like these Accusations were got to Ierusalem, and that these were Emissaries sent from the Sanhedrim, to watch our Saviour, or possibly they came out of their own Curiosity. They could find in our Saviour no Guilt, as to any Violation of the Law of God, but they pick a quarel with him for some Rites and Ceremonies of their Church, which he, and his Disciples were not so strict in the Observation of. They say, why do thy Disciples, Transgress the Traditions of the Elders. The Word Traditions signifies only things delivered, and is as well applicable to the Law of God, as any thing else. Thus the whole Law of God, was but a Tradition, a Doctrine of Life, delivered to the Jews by Moses from God: thus the Apostle bids the Thessalonians. 2. Thessel. 2.15. Hold the Traditions which you have been taught, whether by Word or our Epistle. But the Term of the Elders, is that which restraineth it, for as the Papists in our time hold that besides, what we have in the New Testament, the Apostle delivered many things to the Primitive Church only by word of Mouth, which have since that time been imparted to succeeding Churches, to the Observation of which Christians, are as much obliged, as to the written Word. So the Jews did formerly. For tho, for some Tract of time, they kept to the Divine Law, yet in process of time they abused that Text, Deut. 4.14. to found a new invention upon it. That while Moses was in the Mount of God forty Days, and forty Nights, God in the Day time revealed to him, the Law written in the five Books of Moses, and in the Night, he revealed to him several other things, as to which his Will was, they should not be written, for fear the Heathens should Transcribe them, but he delivered only by word of Mouth to the Sanhedrim, and be to them as much a Rule of judgment, as any part of the Law, which was written. By which means they gained themseves a liberty, of making the Law of God, what they pleased, for their Traditions were of several sorts. Some wer[illegible: 1 letter] Determinations of what in the Law seemed doubtful. Others were Determinations of what [illegible: 1 letter]he Law left at Liberty, O[illegible: 1 letter]hers they called Sepimenta Legis, Rules they gave under pretence of a Guard to the Divine Law. For the more Caution, that they might not trangress it. These things at first were not imposed as Laws, but commended by way of Advice and Counsel, afterward they came to be lookt upon as Laws, and grew almost infinite. They tell us that Ezra was he who gathered those Traditions together, and made the Cabbala in seventy two Books, which was kept by Gamaliel, and others till the Destruction of Ierusalem. An hundred and twenty years after they tell us, Rabbi Iudas, the Son of Simon composed a Book of them called Misna. Three hundred years after this, they tell us R. Iohanan found more, and he and others his Colleagues, collected them into a larger Book, called the Ierusalem Talmud. And an hundred years after this, another Rabbi made a Collection of the Traditions amongst the Iews, that remained in Babylon, which he called the Babylonish Talmud, by which two the Iews are governed in Ecclesiastical matters, all the World over at this day. Their whole Talmud is divided into six parts. The sixth is about Purifications, it containeth twelve Books, and every Book hath twenty or thirty Chapters, all treating about the purifying of Houses, Cloths, Vessels, Humane Bodies, and their several parts. The Iews after the Destruction of Ierusalem, were in such an afflicted State, that tho their Talmud was not perfected of five hundred years and more after Christ, yet it is probable, they added not much to what they had in use in Christs times. The Pharisees were very severe as to these Traditions. The Sadduces kept more to the written Law. But the Pharisees were in far greater Credit, with the Iews, therefore Paul called them the strictest sect of the Iewish Religion, Acts 26.5. The Iews have several ordinary Sayings, that shew in what Esteem they had, these Traditions, as, If the Scribes say our Right hand is our Left, and our Left hand, our Right, we are to be-believe them. And, There is more in the Words of the Scribes, then the Words of the Law, &c. These Scribes and Pharisees, accuse our Saviour's Disciples, for the Violation of one of these Traditions. Mark saith, That the Pharisees and all the Iews, (that is the Major part of these that followed the Pharisees Faction) except they wash their Hands oft, Eat not. They thought it sinful to Eat, unless they often washed their Hands. The Foundation of this Tradition, was doubtless in the Levitical Law, God by that Law had declared him unclean, that should touch the Carcass of any unclean thing. Levit. 5.2, 3. upon this, (as some think) they had superstructed a Tradition of washing their Hands, Pots, Cups, Vessels, when they had been at the Market, or almost any where for fear, they, or their Pots, Cups, &c. should have touched any unclean Person, or thing. In this they were Guilty of several Errors, 1. Extending the Law to the touching of things and Persons, of whom the Law had said nothing. 2. In Cases where such Touches happened Accidentally and were not made on purpose. 3. In thinking that the stain of sin could be washed away by a ritual Action, which God never commanded. We must not think, that they Charge the Disciples here, with a neglect of a Civil washing for Cleanliness, but of a Religious superstitious washing. Mark saith, [non-Latin text not transcribed] that is with common Hands. We translate it, Polluted, so Acts 10.14. & 11.8. Hands not first separated to God by the Religious Rite of washings.