Dictionary Article

Series of interpretations of the meaning of the law; according to rabbinic tradition, they were given when Moses received the law from God on Mt Sinai, and they were to be passed down in oral form. This “oral tradition” was the “law” to which Jesus referred, for example, in Matthew 15:1-9. By about AD 200, under Rabbi Judah, the work begun by Rabbi Akiba around 120 was completed, and the oral tradition was finally written down. This written material is called the Mishnah. The word is derived from a verb that reflects the way the material had been repeated orally from teacher to disciple for many generations.

Show passage in OET: MAT 15:1–9

OET-RV MAT 15:1

15 Then some people from the Farisaios’ party and some religious teachers from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) arrived and asked Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus),

OET-RV MAT 15:2

2 “Why do your apprentices break the traditions handed down by our elders? They don’t do the hand-washing ceremony before eating.”

OET-RV MAT 15:3

3 “Well why do you break God’s command because of your tradition?” Yeshua responded.

OET-RV MAT 15:4

4 “God told us to honour our fathers and mothers, and also that anyone who speaks evil about their father or mother deserves the death penalty.

OET-RV MAT 15:5

5 But if someone tells their father or mother that whatever help they may have expected from them is now given away as a gift, then you people say

OET-RV MAT 15:6

6 that they’re not actually dishonouring their parents. So by saying that, you’re overriding God’s message with your own tradition.

OET-RV MAT 15:7

7 You hypocrites! The prophet Yeshayah (Isaiah) was right about you people when he wrote:

OET-RV MAT 15:8

8 ‘These people honour me with their lips,
⇔ But their hearts are far away from me.

OET-RV MAT 15:9

9 Their worship of me is useless,
⇔ They teach human ideas as if they’re commands.’ ”

OET-LV MAT 15:1

15 Then Farisaios_party and scribes from Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim) are _approaching the to_Yaʸsous, saying,

OET-LV MAT 15:2

2 For/Because_ why _reason the apprentices/followers of _you are _breaking _from the tradition of _the elders?
For/Because they _are_ not _washing their hands whenever they _may _be _eating bread.

OET-LV MAT 15:3

3 And he answering said to _them:
For/Because_ why _reason also you _all are _breaking _from the command of_ the _god because _of the tradition of _you _all?

OET-LV MAT 15:4

4 For/Because the god commanded saying:
Be _honouring the father and the mother, and:
The one speaking _evil of _father or mother, let _be _dying in _death.

OET-LV MAT 15:5

5 But you _all are _saying:
Whoever wishfully may _say to _the father or the mother:
Whatever if you _may _be _benefitted by me:
A_gift,

OET-LV MAT 15:6

6 by _no _means he_˓will˒_ not _be _honouring the father of _him.
And you _all _annulled the message of_ the _god because _of the tradition of _you _all.

OET-LV MAT 15:7

7 Hypocrites.
Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊ^yāh) rightly prophesied concerning you _all saying,

OET-LV MAT 15:8

8 - This people is _honouring me the lips, and the heart of _them is _being _away far _away from me.

OET-LV MAT 15:9

9 And they _are _worshipping me uselessly, teaching teachings as_the_commands of _humans.

Jump to OET MAT 15:1–9 section.

The Mishnah is divided into six “orders”; each order is divided into sections called “tractates,” which in turn are divided into chapters. The orders deal with specific areas of legal concerns as follows:

1. Seeds is concerned with agricultural laws, and is introduced with a tractate dealing with daily prayers.

The Mishnah, which is essentially a commentary on the OT law, forms the basis for the Gemara and the Talmud.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary