If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch

Breughel, Peter the Elder, The Blind leading the Blind, 1568.  Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?   For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother."  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

- Matthew 15:1-20

On Saturday, we read that immediately after the feeding of the five thousand men (and more women and children besides) in the deserted place, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?   For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- then he need not honor his father or mother."  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"   The tradition of the elders refers to interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers, traditions built up around the Law.  My study bible comments that Jesus refutes the views of the scribes and Pharisees that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  He responds to their charges against His disciples by going on the offensive, and showing the hypocrisy of those who criticize, for they themselves violate the commandments of God through the customs of the tradition built around the Law.  The example He gives is the command to honor one's father and mother (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16).  Jesus also names Exodus 21:17. In the tradition of the elders, there was a way to designate property as a gift to God, which one could use during one's lifetime, and at death would accrue to the temple.  Jesus criticizes the use of this practice to deny assistance to dependent elderly parents.  Christ's point is that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by religious tradition of human beings.  My study bible comments that devotion to God includes both obedience to God's commandments and also service to others; these two, in fact, cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18, 1 John 4:7-21).  He quotes from Isaiah 29:13.

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."   Jesus teaches the disciples that the falsehoods of the Pharisees will not stand forever, and they need not openly oppose them.  Their own blind leadership will condemn them to eventual failure.  Purity, Jesus declares to His disciples, depends not on outward actions, but rather the inward state of the heart.

 Jesus teaches the disciples regarding the Pharisees:  "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."   This is a statement that conveys a great deal of faith in the foundations of God at work in the world:  the blind and those who follow them will eventually "fall into a ditch."  It is a statement of faith in truth (John 8:32, 18:37-38).   False teachings will lead into error and failure.  It is frequently hard to listen to the blind in our world.  In all kinds of circumstances, we may be tempted to rush in and correct or fix what we perceive to be a problem.  False teachings, false leadership, blind people who would call themselves leaders, exist everywhere.  This is true, of course, not only for religious matters.  But Jesus' confidence is clear:  have faith that the blindness one sees around oneself will lead to eventual failure.  The implication is that our main focus is to remain true to the teachings we know to be good and worthy, to do the things we are taught to do, and to live as we are taught to live.   Such direction is implied also in the context of the rest of Jesus' comments in today's reading, that His concern is with the state of the heart, as this inner condition leads to outward behavior -- and that this must be the focus of concern for purity.   Therefore, in two ways, today's reading gives us the importance of the focus on ourselves and what we are doing, rather than what everybody else might be doing.  Our work on our own heart is sufficient.  There are all kinds of ways in which we need to pay attention to our own business -- and let the blind lead the blind into a ditch.  The difficulties (or we should say, near-impossibility) of changing others are well-known.  Therefore, we pay attention to the things we know are good and true, and focus on living our own lives in discipleship to Christ as best we can.   This is such important advice to heed when we find ourselves in circumstances in which we might see a dead-end ahead for others, but a wise person knows they are not going to listen to reason.  Even in cases in which we have loved ones headed for a fall, it is frequently more wise to allow them to follow their own advice and learn from experience, rather than trying to prevent a mistake by some sort of force or coercion.  Even for the Pharisees, there is hope after falling into a ditch!   Perhaps it is the failure itself that is the only medicine that will turn a person toward a true desire to find a correct path, a true way.  Let us note, also, that the false teachings do not take anything away from truth.  The truth remains; it still stands.  In the meantime, the disciples find themselves criticized by the authorities of the religious establishment, but Jesus counsels patience and discipleship.  How often might we wish for such wise counsel to rule in our own hearts?  We cannot fix nor control everything and everyone.  Let us pay attention to Jesus' wise words, and allow ourselves to understand that our "work" is simply good discipleship, to pay attention to the state of our own hearts, to live through love of God and love of neighbor.  That should occupy us with enough to be concerned about!