The legal washing of hands before eating was especially sacred in the eyes of the Pharisees. "He who does not wash His hands before eating," says the Talmud, "is as bad as a murderer." Jesus had no sympathy with a system that reduced religion to a slavery to outward forms. His new kingdom was in the heart, in loving sonship to God, and in faith. All outward observances had value only as expressions of the inner spirit. He waived aside their deadly pedantry and told His hearers to care above everything for the cleanliness of the heart.
He did more; He accused the Pharisees of putting their commandments on a level with the divine requirements, and so rendering the whole of Israel's worship vain. The divine authority for what is commanded is greatly weakened when it is mixed up with the purely human. A multitude of saints' days weakens the claims of the Lord's day. Remember that no gift to God's service is acceptable if you neglect the claims of those who are related to you by natural ties. Morality in God's eyes stands far above ritual. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 15
1Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees 7for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions; 10teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man 21He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan, 29and other great multitudes; 32and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men
What do the individual words in Matthew 15:9 mean?
in vainthenthey worshipMeteaching [as]doctrines[the] preceptsof men