Matthew 15:5But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,"
The setting
Galilee region, Israel, ~30 AD. Jesus exposes a specific Pharisaic practice called 'Corban' — declaring money 'devoted to God' to avoid giving it to needy parents...
The emotion here: disgusted by religious hypocrisy
The original word
doron (δῶρον) — a gift or offering to God, but here used as a legal loophole
Why it matters
The 'Corban' vow was legally binding but could be reversed by rabbis for a fee, creating a corrupt system
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 15:5
This wasn't theoretical — Jesus is quoting the exact words people used to legally abandon their parents while appearing religious
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus is teaching about vows or church giving. He's actually condemning religious leaders who created loopholes to abandon elderly parents while keeping their money.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 15:5
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 15:5 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 15:5 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include religious loopholes, family neglect. Notable phrases: gift devoted to God; shall not honor.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Matthew 15:5 mean to you, today?
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