Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man

 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 'then he need not honor his father or mother.'  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulterers, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

- Matthew 15:1-20

On Saturday, we read that, after feeding five thousand men (and more women and children) in the wilderness, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into the all the surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.


 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 'then he need not honor his father or mother.'  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "  My study bible explains that the tradition of the elders refers to the interpretations of Mosaic Law by Jewish teachers.  In this case, the teachings referred to are the teachings regarding ritual purity.  It notes, "Jesus sharply refutes their views that ritual purity depends on what a person does or doesn't do.  Rather, He points to the heart as the source of evils which defile a person."  Regarding the commandment to honor one's father and mother, it notes that this is one of the Ten Commandments which deals with human relations.  It says, "A work of service or devotion to God is of no value if in carrying it out one ignores personal responsibility to others.  Right human relationships are a necessary element of Christian devotion."  The tradition of the gift to which Jesus refers is one by which people could dedicate property or possessions to the temple, and continue to use it during their lifetimes.  Thus, elderly or dependent parents would not be entitled to the same.

 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulterers, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."  Two things strike us in these verses.  First of all, Jesus calls the leadership "blind leaders of the blind."  Referring back to the parables we've just been taught (see especially the explanation of the parable of the tares of the field), Jesus notes their mistaken notions which really refer back to the place of the heart.  This is especially clear if we take into account Jesus' quotation from Isaiah.  There are ways of being far from God although we pay lip service to this ideal.  We remember Jesus saying in chapter 12, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."   Noteworthy here is Jesus' faith that that which is not "planted by my heavenly father" will be uprooted.  He teaches us confidence in spiritual truth.  And secondly, of course, is the point of the discourse -- that it is the state of the heart, the inner person, that truly shapes what and who a person is.

In recent readings, especially when we discussed the parables taught throughout chapter 13 of Matthew's gospel (beginning with the parable of the Sower) Jesus introduced the idea of the end of the age and the Judgment that is to come.  In doing so, He taught about the plants that grow side by side, good wheat and the tares (or weeds) sown by "an enemy."  This is a picture of the world, the state in which we live.  Here in today's reading, He contrasts those with a false doctrine that hides the true -- and teaches via His faith that the true doctrine will endure while the false will not.  In this we are to have confidence.    The element of Judgment is further delved into by His emphasis on the heart, on the state of the heart.  He's trying to focus His disciples on what they must be about.  That is, how do we shore up within ourselves true doctrine, right relatedness, an understanding of the good seed and where and how it is planted in us?  This is Jesus' emphasis.  Although the scribes and Pharisees challenge Him, and He vigorously defends His disciples, His emphasis once again comes down, in private with them, to teaching.  They can "let them alone."  If we would be His disciples, we have to focus on the state of our own hearts, and not so much on "the outside."  It's not all about what everybody else thinks:  the first consideration how we relate to God.  Of course, in that primary relationship are the expressions of God's love we make or fail to make in the world.  Being known for a great gift isn't really such a great thing if those at our doorstep who really need our help are ignored.  And this is a new thing to consider:  what are the weightier matters in our lives?  How can form obscure truth rather than expressing it?  What good does it do if we fast, for example, from certain foods, if we bully others by calling them names, or abuse our positions?  Jesus sums up very clearly and succinctly (as He brilliantly does, so frequently in Scripture) how we are to think about the state of the heart:  "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."  If we carry an awareness of the end of the age and Judgment, if we really care about being in right relationship with God, this is what we need to think about.  What do we carry inside of ourselves, how do we treat others?  All of this is tied up, in Jesus' teaching, with what we love first.  And this is what enables us to truly see.