Traditions, customs, and needless ceremonies, were repeated to the people, which God had not given them through Moses or any other one. These originated from no higher source than man. The chief priests, scribes, and elders, forced these upon the people as the commandments of God. Their hearts were hard and unfeeling. They showed no mercy to the poor and unfortunate. Yet, at the same time, while praying in the marketplaces, and giving alms to be seen of men, and thus putting on the outward semblance of goodness, they were devouring widows' houses by their heavy taxes which they laid upon them. They were apparently exact in outward forms when observed of men; for they wished to give impressions of their importance. They wished the people to have exalted ideas of their zeal and devotion to religious duties, while they were daily robbing God by appropriating the offerings of the people to themselves.

Traditioner, skikke, og unødige ceremonier, blev gentaget for det folk, som Gud ikke havde givet dem gennem Moses eller gennem nogen andre. Disse udsprang fra ingen højere kilde end mennesker. Ypperstepræsterne, skriftkloge og ældste, gennemtvang disse på folk som Guds bud. Deres hjerter var hårde og ufølsomme. De viste ingen barmhjertighed for den fattige og ulykkelige. Samtidig med at de bad på markedsstederne, og gav almisser for at blive set af mennesker, og derved påtage sig godhedens ydre udseende, så fortærede de belastede de enkernes hjem med deres høje skatter, som de pålagde dem. De var tilsyneladende nøjeregnende i ydre former som mennesker så, for de ønskede at give indtryk af deres vigtighed. De ønskede at folk skulle have høje tanker om deres iver og helligelse over for religiøse pligter, medens de dagligt berøvede Gud, ved at give folks helligede ofringer til sig selv.