| Barnes' Notes on the Bible For doctrines - For commands of God binding on the conscience. Imposing "your" traditions as equal in authority to the laws of God.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHowbeit, in vain do they worship me,.... This is the continuation of the citation out of Isaiah, as is also what follows: teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. As all these traditions mentioned were such; as washing their hands before they ate bread, and their whole bodies, when they came from the market, or from any court of judicature, or concourse of men, where they had been touched by the common people, and the washing of cups, pots, brazen vessels, and tables, or beds; these they taught the people, and enjoined them the observance of them: instead of instructing them in the doctrines of the Bible, respecting the Messiah, and salvation by him, the right fear, and true worship of God, his ordinances and statutes; wherefore their worship of him, though attended with a great show of sanctity and religion, was a vain thing, a mere empty thing, devoid of life, power, and spirituality, unacceptable to God, and of no real use, profit, and advantage to themselves: it neither issued in the glory of God, nor brought any true pleasure, or solid peace to themselves; and they would find, by sad experience, that their hope of being in the favour of God, and of enjoying eternal happiness on account of it, would prove a vain hope; See Gill on Matthew 15:9.
Geneva Study Bible{3} Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (3) The more earnest the superstitious are, the more mad they are in promising themselves God's favour because of their deeds.
Scofield Reference NotesMargin for doctrines as authoritative the precepts of men. Cf. v. Mk 7:5 See "Pharisees" Mt 3:7 See Scofield Note: "Mt 3:7" Cf. Col 2:8,16,18, Col 2:20,23
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary7:1-13 One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty. | 
