Matthew 15:4

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus is confronting the Pharisees who questioned his disciples' ritual practices; he cites God's own command to expose how their tradition nullifies it.

The words — εἶπεν (eipen), glossed here as "commanded" rather than the usual "said," frames the citation as authoritative speech, not mere quotation.

The thread — The positive command is Exodus 20:12; the penalty for cursing a parent is Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9. Jesus pairs the two to show the full weight of the divine word his opponents are undermining.

Why it lands — It forces the reader to see that a human tradition which lets a person say "it is a gift to God" to avoid supporting a parent is not a pious loophole but a direct violation of a command backed by a death penalty.

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The Greek words

King James Version

For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Cross-references

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus 21:17 Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
Leviticus 20:9 If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined,
Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Leviticus 19:3 Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
Matthew 19:19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Deuteronomy 27:16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Proverbs 20:20 Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.