man's traditions vs God's commandments

At the end of chapter14 , we find Jesus healing  the sick all over the region.
So, of course we start chapter 15 with Religious leaders back in Jesus face,  complaining about the disciples transgressing  the traditions of the elders by ( now get this ) by not washing their hands.  I kind of think that maybe theses men had too much time on their hands. Jesus came back with, "Why do you transgress the commandments of God for the sake of your traditions."  Wow, I think  that Jesus trumped them and won that verbal battle. He called them Hypocrites and quoted the prophet Isaiah.

Jesus called the crowd to Him and told them to listen and try to understand that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out it.  The disciples ask Jesus if he knew that He had offended the  Pharisees. Jesus told them not to worry, God would uproot any  plant that He had not planted and that they were the blind leading the blind. He told them that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and that is what  defiles the man,  not unwashed hands.

After this encounter, Jesus goes back to healing multitudes and feeds 4000+ people and the crowd glorifies God

Chapter 16 has the Pharisees and Sadducees asking for signs. Jesus replied that they would not receive any signs except the sign of Jonah. Jesus again called them a evil and adulterous generation and warned the disciples to beware of the leaven or teaching of these leaders.

Peter's confession of faith is, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."....We must confess the same.

Jesus begins to tell the disciples about what is to happen to Him.