"And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.  Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."   Matthew 15:10-14

Respecting false doctrine, our Lord declares that it is a duty to oppose it; that its final destruction is sure; and that its teachers ought to be forsaken.

He says, "Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  Let them alone."

It is clear, from examination of the passage, that the disciples were surprised at our Lord's strong language about the Pharisees and their traditions.   They had probably been accustomed from their youth to regard the Pharisees as the wisest and best of men.  They were startled to hear their Master denouncing them as hypocrites, and charging them with transgressing the commandment of God.  "Knowest thou," they said, "that the Pharisees were offended?"  To this question we are indebted for our Lord's explanatory declaration - a declaration which perhaps has never received the notice it deserves.

The plain meaning of our Lord's words is, that false doctrine, like that of the Pharisees, was a plant to which no mercy should be shown.

It was a "plant which His heavenly Father had not planted," and a plant which it was a duty to "root up," whatever offence it might cause.  To spare it was no charity, because it was injurious to the souls of men.  It mattered nothing that those who planted it were high in office, or learned: if it contradicted the Word of God it ought to be opposed, refuted and rejected.  His disciples must therefore understand that it was right to resist all teaching that was unscriptural, and to "let alone" and forsake all instructors who persisted in it.  Soner or later they would find that all false doctrine will be completely overthrown and put to shame, and that nothing shall stand but that which is built on the Word of God.

There are lessons of deep wisdom in this saying of our Lord, which serve to throw light on the duty of many a professing Christian.  Let us mark them well, and see what they are.  It was practical obedience to this saying which produced the blessed Protestant Reformation.  Its lessons deserve close attention.

Do not we see here the duty of boldness in resisting false teaching?  Beyond doubt we do.  No fear of giving offence, no dread of ecclesiastical censure, should make us hold our peace, when God's truth is in peril.  If we are true followers of our Lord, we ought to be out-speaking, unflinching witnesses against error.  "Truth," says Musculus, "must not be suppressed because men are wicked and blind."

Do we not see again the duty of forsaking false teachers, if they will not give up their delusions?  Beyond doubt we do.  No false delicacy, no mock humility should make us shrink from leaving the ministrations of any minister who contradicts God's Word.  It is at our peril if we submit to unscriptural teaching: our blood will be on our own heads.  To use the words of Whitby, "It never can be right to follow the blind into the ditch."

Do we not see, in the last place, the duty of patience, when we see false teaching abound?  Beyond doubt we do.  We may take comfort in the thought that it will not stand long:  God Himself will defend the cause of His own truth; sooner or later every heresy "shall be rooted up."  We are not to fight with carnal weapons, but wait, and preach, and protest, and pray.  Sooner or later, as Wycliffe said, "the truth shall prevail."