Episode 37: Jesus' Zeal for the Law and Traditions of Israel; Matthew 15:1-20

Bible Study: Parody and Subversion in Matthew's Gospel

When an oppressed people express their desires for liberation, they often do it by demonstrating zeal for their national culture and traditions. But oppressed people are often divided into factions, each accusing the other of not being sufficiently dedicated to the cause, not demonstrating sufficient zeal for the national traditions. That is what we see playing out in the first passage of chapter 15 in Matthew.