Matthew 15 · a question people ask
"Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted" (15:13). What did Jesus mean?
Matthew gives Jesus's words and doesn't explain them, and these notes don't add an explanation. The disciples had come and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" (15:12). "But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”" (15:13-14). Matthew doesn't say what the plant is, or say more about the blind guides. Luke gives a saying like 15:14 in another setting, "Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?" (Luke 6:39), and Favor's Luke 6 sets the two side by side. These notes say only what Jesus said, and in answer to what, and apply his words to no one today.
The verses
“Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.””
“He spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?”