Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 15:14
Verse 14. Let them alone] afete autouv, give them up, or leave them. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in the communion of a corrupt Church, because that Church had once been the Church of God, and in it they had been brought up; and to prove this they bring Scripture, for, in our present translation, the words are rendered, let them alone: but the whole connection of the place evidently proves that our blessed Lord meant, give them up, have no kind of religious connection with them, and the strong reason for which he immediately adds, because they are blind leaders. This passage does not at all mean that blind leaders should not be pointed out to the people, that they may avoid being deceived by them; for this our Lord does frequently, and warns his disciples, and the people in general, against all such false teachers as the scribes and Pharisees were; and though he bids men do that they heard those say, while they sat in the chair of Moses, yet he certainly meant no more than that they should be observant of the moral law when read to them out of the sacred book: yet neither does he tell them to do all these false teachers said; for he testifies in ver. 6, that they had put such false glosses on the law, that, if followed, would endanger the salvation of their souls. The Codex Bezae, for afete autouv, has afete touv tuflouv, give up these blind men. Amen! A literal attention to these words of our Lord produced the Reformation.
Probably the words may be understood as a sort of proverbial expression for-Don't mind them: pay no regard to them.-"They are altogether unworthy of notice." And if the blind lead the blind] This was so self-evident a case that an apter parallel could nut be found-if the blind lead the blind, both must fall into the ditch. Alas, for the blind teachers, who not only destroy their own souls, but those also of their flocks! Like priest, like people. If the minister be ignorant, he cannot teach what he does not know; and the people cannot become wise unto salvation under such a ministry-he is ignorant and wicked, and they are profligate. They who even wish such God speed; are partakers of their evil deeds. But shall not the poor deceived people escape? No: both shall fall into the pit of perdition together; for they should have searched the Scriptures, and not trusted to the ignorant sayings of corrupt men, no matter of what sect or party. He who has the Bible in his hand, or within his reach, and can read it, has no excuse.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. Let them alone , etc.] Have nothing to say, or do with them; do not mind their anger and resentment, their reproaches and reflections, nor trouble yourselves at the offence they have taken; if they will go, let them go; they are a worthless generation of men, who are not to be regarded, hearkened to, nor to be pleased; it matters not what they say of me, and of my doctrine: they be blind leaders of the blind ; the people that hearken to them, and are followers of them, are blind, as to any true sense of themselves, their state, and condition by nature; as to any spiritual, saving knowledge of God; as to any acquaintance with the Messiah, and the method of salvation by him; as to the Spirit of God, and the work of grace, regeneration, and sanctification upon the soul; as to the Scriptures of truth, and doctrines of the Gospel; and the leaders of them were as blind as they: by whom are meant the Scribes and Pharisees, the learned doctors and rabbins of the Jewish nation; who thought themselves very wise and knowing, yet they were blind also; and none more than they. It was an old tradition among the Jews, that there should be blind teachers at the time when God should have his tabernacle among them.
This was predicted, in ( Isaiah 42:19) and all such leaders and teachers are blind, who, notwithstanding their natural abilities, and acquired parts, are in a state of unregeneracy; and have nothing more than what they have from nature, or have attained to at school; and as apparently all such are, who lead men from Christ, to mere morality, and to a dependence upon their own righteousness for justification, which was the darling principle of the blind leaders in the text. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch ; of ignorance and error, immorality and profaneness, distress, if not despair, temporal ruin and destruction; which was notoriously verified in the Jewish people, and their guides: and of eternal damnation, the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; what else can be expected?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-20 - Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing shoul be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoeve is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we shoul not be troubled at it. The disciples ask to be better taught as to thi matter. Where a weak head doubts concerning any word of Christ, a upright heart and a willing mind seek for instruction. It is the hear that is desperately wicked, Jer 17:9, for there is no sin in word of deed, which was not first in the heart. They all come out of the man and are fruits of that wickedness which is in the heart, and is wrough there. When Christ teaches, he will show men the deceitfulness an wickedness of their own hearts; he will teach them to humbl themselves, and to seek to be cleansed in the Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.
Greek Textus Receptus
αφετε 863 5628 V-2AAM-2P αυτους 846 P-APM οδηγοι 3595 N-NPM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P τυφλοι 5185 A-NPM τυφλων 5185 A-GPM τυφλος 5185 A-NSM δε 1161 CONJ τυφλον 5185 A-ASM εαν 1437 COND οδηγη 3594 5725 V-PAS-3S αμφοτεροι 297 A-NPM εις 1519 PREP βοθυνον 999 N-ASM πεσουνται 4098 5699 V-FNI-3P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:14 {They are blind guides} (tufloi eisin hodegoi). Graphic picture. Once in Cincinnati a blind man introduced me to his blind friend. He said that he was showing him the city. Jesus is not afraid of the Pharisees. Let them alone to do their worst. Blind leaders and blind victims will land in the ditch. A proverbial expression in the O.T.
