Hear and understand: 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, adulteries, 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, following His feeding of five thousand men, and more women and children, 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 all that 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.'"   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, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."  My study Bible explains that the tradition of the elders is a reference to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  Jesus refutes their views that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  Instead, it is the state of the heart that determines a person's purity.  Here also, Jesus shows that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by people's religious traditions. Devotion to God includes both obedience to God's commandments and service to others -- and these two things cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21).   

 

In today's reading, Jesus yet again emphasizes the state of the heart as the true state of a person, the place upon which we're judged.  But there is more to it than this simple statement.  The state of the heart is responsible for what comes out of the mouth, for the things we say, and thereby the evil things upon which we'll be judged.  Jesus gives examples, saying, "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, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."   This is why, in Christian practice and history, what's called the "guarding of the heart" (Proverbs 4:23) has been so significant.  In this sense, the inner life and the works we do are connected, but it is the guarding of the heart -- that is, an awareness of what we are doing and thinking, and taking steps to notice and to correct habits internal to us which put us in a bad place -- that ensures salvation, and a life lived on Christ's terms.  This is by no means the first time Jesus has addressed the connection between the reality of the heart and the ways we express ourselves, and what that has to do with judgment.  In the Sermon on the Mount, He equated the statute against murder with the effects of name-calling (Matthew 5:21-26).  He spoke of the statute against adultery and tied it to lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-30).  He also forbade the swearing of oaths, emphasizing, "Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No" be "No" (Matthew 5:33-37).  In chapter 12 of St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus was accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by the power of Satan. He said to them, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:33-37).   Again, the emphasis is on our language, what proceeds out of the mouth, as Jesus says in today's reading, and in particular how that is connected to the state of the heart.  We could compare today's reading to the habits people are very proud of mastering in today's world, such as fasting, and in particular weight loss.  We also observe many who feel they are helping the world and preventing cruelty to animals through vegan and vegetarian diets.  In many religious traditions, regulation of diet plays a role.  This remains true in Christianity particularly for Orthodox Christians, for whom vegan or semi-vegan fasting days officially form roughly half the days of the year on the Church calendar.  But as Christians, we're not called to follow rules legalistically; fasting is a practice "remember God" and to learn and apply self-discipline to all areas of our lives, including the guarding of the heart, how we treat others, and especially that which proceeds out of our mouths, to paraphrase Jesus.  It's important that we note Christ's condemnation of hypocrisy, for there are ways of showing things outwardly that mask the reality of the heart, as the quotation from Isaiah in today's reading indicates (Isaiah 29:13-14).  Perhaps the great damage done by hypocrisy in the world is directly attributable to the failure to take these teachings of Christ seriously and apply them to our lives.  We might think for a few moments of the horrors done in the world in the name of progress, purporting to follow theories that were supposed to make countries better places, even the world a place of greater equality, democracy, justice -- all resulting in mass deaths in the millions over the past century or so.  Christ cites the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees in today's reading, and He will go on to scathingly condemn them throughout a whole chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel prior to His death on the Cross, which includes the disastrous conclusion for Jerusalem due to the failure of its religious leadership (see Matthew 23).  When life becomes a series of memes, repetition of slogans, and theories purporting new solutions to old problems, we open the door to a hypocritical front masking all kinds of unsavory motivations and will to power at any cost.  Let us consider the importance of the guarding of both our hearts and lips, the prudence that asks of us sincerity and purity of the heart as true goals in life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man

 

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

    'This people honors Me with their lips, 

    But their heart is far from Me.

    And in vain they worship Me,

    Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."  

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

 

- Mark 7:1–23 

 

Yesterday we read that when evening came, the boat of the disciples, whom Jesus had sent on their way without Him, was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.

 

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."  My study Bible comments on this passage that the issue here is not the observation of Jewish customs or traditions, which Jesus most certainly never prohibits (Matthew 5:17-19; 23:23).   At issue is the setting of human traditions which are effectively contrary to the tradition of God.  The tradition of the elders is a body of interpretations of the Law. For the Pharisees and the scribes this became as authoritative as the Law.  In fact, it often superseded it, which is the point of the example Christ cites here.  According to this tradition, one could make an offering (called Corban) which could be promised to God in a way that personal property or earnings could still be used for oneself -- but not for anybody else, including elderly and dependent parents.  My study Bible comments that secondary traditions such as this obscure the primary tradition of the Law, which is contained in the commandments of God.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13.

 

 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."  My study Bible comments here that food cannot defile a person because it is created by God and is therefore pure.  Evil things are not from God, and these things Jesus names are what defile a person.

Today's reading is extremely pertinent to a Lenten perspective.  As it is traditional that during Lent we are to focus inwardly, and to work on practices of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, we see that Christ's teaching to His disciples directly impacts such practice.  Jesus first has a confrontation with the Pharisees and the scribes in which they criticize His disciples.  They don't follow the ceremonial washing as taught in the tradition of the elders.  The ritual washing seems to reflect a concern with eating anything deemed unclean or common in a spiritual sense.  But Jesus responds by calling out their hypocrisy, and quoting Isaiah the prophet to them in this regard.  This seems to be a very direct attack by Jesus, on a subject which gets its most full treatment in His final indictment of the religious leadership in Matthew 23.  He first uses the example of a religious gift or offering which would consist of promising one's goods to be given to the temple after death.  However, such a promise meant one could continue using property, but would be restrained from sharing it with others, such as needy parents -- and thus convening the command of the Law to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12).  But when Jesus speaks to the multitude (which He called to Himself), His focus shifts.  This time, He is not directly rebutting the criticism of the Pharisees and scribes directed at His disciples, but He is now preaching to the crowd, teaching them an important principle of spiritual life, and our connection to God and community.  What defiles, Jesus says, is not the things that come from the outside.  Instead, Jesus says, it is "the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man."  As is often the case, such as with His parables, Jesus explains this "riddle" privately to His disciples.  It is the things of the heart which can defile us, not the foods which our body eliminates.  Jesus teaches them, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."  That all of these evil things Jesus names come from within should give us all pause, because Lent is the time when our focus goes more strongly toward the inward things of the heart.  These are things which are not only good, such as compassion or the action of grace or the Holy Spirit, or even the faith we need in our lives.  But there are also things stored in the heart which can defile us, and that is what Jesus is talking about here.  Throughout His ministry, and especially in teaching directed at those who would be His disciples, Jesus asks us to focus on what is within, and to repent and change the things that need changing.  Repentance itself is a word that means to change in the Greek; it literally means "change of mind."  But this isn't simply an intellectual choice, which Jesus makes clear here.  This is a matter of the heart, an interior condition that may be deep within us, and which we probably need a particular level of awareness to discern about ourselves.  It's easy to be blind to our own flaws, as Jesus teaches when He asks, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" in Matthew 7:1-5.  As we can read in that passage, this concept is directly linked to hypocrisy.  This also is related to the things of the heart He speaks of in today's passage.  Twice in Matthew's Gospel, He likens this process of changing one's own interior to a sense in which one must remove a hand, or foot, or eye.  When preaching against adultery, He says, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  In Matthew 18, he warns the disciples about their own tendencies which would cause them to mislead the "little ones" in the Church:  "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. . . . If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire" (Matthew 18:6-9).   When we read these passages, we should consider that an eye looks in a covetous way, a hand reaches where it should not go, a foot trespasses.  The evil eye which Jesus speaks of in today's reading is associated with the way we see others, how we look or glimpse -- and in particular is associated with the harmful effects of envy and their tendency to malevolence.  This sense is one which can manifest the desire to take away or destroy the blessings of others.  Let us focus, then, on the inward things Jesus speaks about, and consider the heart.  For our prayer is meant not only to be a part of the mind, but in the historical teachings on prayer (especially in the Orthodox tradition), we're asked to pray with the "mind in the heart."  In this way, our prayers are meant to illuminate this interior place Christ asks us to focus on, so that we may cast off what truly defiles, and put our focus where it belongs.  

 

 

 

These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile 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, adulteries, 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, immediately after the feeding 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 all that 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."  The tradition of the elders is a reference to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  Jesus will refute this charge by emphasizing the Law itself, and its intentions.

 

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."  My study Bible emphasizes that Christ shows that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by human religious traditions.  Devotion to God includes both obedience to His commandments and also service to others; and these two cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21).  Jesus cites the commandments in the Law found at Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:17.  In Mark 7:1-23, this tradition is identified as the practice of offerings (called "Corban") which, according to my study Bible, could be promised to God in such a way that property could be promised to God in such a way that earnings could still be used for oneself, but not for anybody else, including one's parents.

 

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.'"  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13, which, as He says, describes the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees and their practices.  Here Jesus places emphasis on the state of the heart as that which determines a person's purity, which He will further elaborate in His teachings to the disciples that follow.

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, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."   Here Christ elaborates on the state of the heart, and how that affects what people do.  This is similar to His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, in which He emphasized those habits that begin in the heart, and build to outward actions such as murder, adultery, and other abuses (see Matthew 5:21-30).

 

So, if we follow Jesus carefully, He's asking us to take care that we understand our faith, and that in what we do we're not just following forms, but fulfilling the will of God.  He's telling the scribes and Pharisees that, despite the fact that they are the experts in the law, they are more concerned with the minutiae  of the traditions that have been built up around the Law rather than the aims of the Law itself.  Indeed, when Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees for their practice, He puts two elements of the Law together to make God's aims clear.  It is most definitely not acceptable to use tradition to create harmful outcomes for parents and for one's relationship and obligation to elderly parents.  This displays, on Jesus' part, a familiarity and knowledge of Scripture that those sticking to the letter of tradition are either dismissing or don't know for themselves.  Indeed, Jesus gives us a second quotation from Scripture, that of the Prophet Isaiah, that again teaches us what insightful reading of Scripture is about, as opposed to the rigid authoritarian enforcement of tradition expressed by the scribes and Pharisees in order to criticize Christ's disciples.  So Jesus gives us three quotations, two from the Law, and one from the Prophets, to illustrate what precisely is wrong with the way that the scribes and Pharisees are using their authority in expressing a perspective on what it means to be faithful to the God of Israel.  While the scribes and Pharisees cling to a very limited picture of what it means to be devout, Christ has a more telescopic understanding of the faith.  Of course, we would expect that if we understand who Christ truly is, and accept His identity as Son and Lord.  But in the context of the scribes and Pharisees, He is someone who has come to the notice of the public, attracted multitudes to His ministry, is now known for miraculous works and healings, and has followers they don't really approve of.  In terms of authority, He has none that is apparent to them:  He's not prominent in this sense and does not come from the high priestly classes, and He's not one of them -- and neither are His supporters for the most part.  Their criticism implies the disciples' not-so-prominent social class status, but Jesus takes up the challenge in defending them vigorously and thoroughly.  So what are we supposed to learn from this, and to take from this?  Certainly in our own lives we can see such dramas play out, when we can see "outsiders" put down for their lack of familiarity with certain traditions, or perhaps we may be faced with various other types of snobbery in our churches.  There will hopefully always be new people coming into a Church, and often they may have to deal with entering into a particular culture of the group that's already formed among the membership or a particular group of parishioners.  Such a problem will always seemingly be with us and among us and in our churches.  But let us consider that Jesus is teaching, in a broader context, the compassion and aims of the Law, and that we also know Him to be the Giver of the Law.  The Law -- as is exemplified in this problem of caring for elderly parents -- is meant to enshrine and build ways of right-relatedness within a society, among the people of God.  In this ultimate aim of the Law, and of Christ's Church, particular forms of observance like performing ablutions may have meaning, but they are no substitute for the depth of the heart in reaching toward God and God's goals for us, and what kind of people we are in the living out of our faith.  Let us consider the humble, whom Jesus loved and exalted, and let us consider the outsiders we may be tempted to exclude, for when we are at Church we are not in our own home or under our own rules.   We're in God's house, we're in Christ's home, and are expected to act as part of His Body, which includes caring for the other members.   If we're truly zealous for God, then we must be zealous for the things which Christ defends and preaches, and know His word as still informing us what we are to be about.  Let us endeavor to live it, with each new challenge that will come. 

 

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile 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, adulteries, 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 immediately following the feeding of the five thousand 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 all that 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."   The tradition of the elders is a reference to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  My study Bible comments that Christ shows the commandment of God cannot be superseded by man's religious traditions.  Devotion to God includes both obedience to His commandments and service to others -- these two cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21).   Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13.   The example Jesus gives was a way in which one could declare worldly goods the product of the temple, destined for donation upon one's death.  But in His scenario, this was used as an excuse not to share with dependent parents during one's lifetime.

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, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."  Jesus refutes the viewpoint of the scribes and Pharisees that ritual purity depends on outward actions (in the specific cases discussed, the following of the tradition of the elders regarding ritual washing before eating).  Rather it is the state of the heart that determines a person's purity.  

In the reading for Friday last week, we read about the feeding of the five thousand, and in our commentary remarked on the choice we have for what we consume, what we take in, what we dwell upon.  Ironically, in today's reading which concerns the specific violation of tradition regarding washing before eating, Jesus contrasts the things we eat with the state of the heart; that is, He contrasts whatever enters the mouth with the things that proceed out of the mouth which come from the heart.  But in this case as well, we are prompted to remark upon the case in today's reading, that the things which proceed out of the heart actually seem to be things over which we have some degree of control, more so even than that which enters the mouth.  We don't always know that every morsel of food we take in agrees with us, or doesn't have some germ or microbe or virus that might disturb us (moreover, our digestive system is capable of change, developing digestive problems, allergies, etc.).  These things that define purity according to the tradition are outward in their emphasis.  But that which comes out of the heart is something over which we actually have a greater degree of control.  Once again, there are choices to make over that which we will nurture in ourselves.  Christ asks us repeatedly to consider -- as do the traditions of the Church -- how we will respond to our passions, desires, emotions.  Are we simply led by them, or do we discern our own behavior in responding to them first?  The fasting traditions of the Church are not meant to declare foods pure or impure.  Rather, the whole point is to learn discipline:  that we have the power to choose what we will do regardless of impulse or emotion or passion or temptation.  Whether that temptation is to eat something we've decided we'll fast from for a period of time, or to indulge in our extreme rage or envy or contempt or covetousness, the point is the same.  Christ's discipline asks us to choose how we will express ourselves, what we nurture in the heart, the things we cherish and treasure, and the things we will decide that we would be better off without.  There seem to be many people who simply wish to declare that they are incapable of change; they are either too set in their ways, or "too old," or perhaps they feel they are simply "hard-wired" for certain behaviors.  But neither Christ's teachings, nor the tradition of the Church, seem to indicate this at all.  The whole point of Christ's teaching here is to get us to take note of our own behaviors and the things which we collect, nurture, develop, and treasure in the heart -- for it is some of these things, such as "evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" which defile us.  And they are therefore, things which we're expected to do something about, to notice, to try to change, and to supplant with good treasure instead (see Matthew 12:34-35).  Christ asks us for discipline over the things we have the capacity to change; indeed, the Greek word for repentance literally means "change of mind."  Depending on our circumstances we might not always have control or a choice over precisely what we eat, or even how our body responds.  But when it comes to thinking about developing an awareness and discipline about the things we entertain, and the ways we will choose to act in the world -- even, as Jesus points out, the things that "proceed out of the mouth from the heart" -- these things we can begin to develop and exercise choice about.  We can make an effort to be aware of what we do and our habitual patterns of thinking and response.  Let us consider Jesus' focus and His teaching, and take it seriously when He speaks about what defiles a person.  For that is truly where a capacity for choice and control must be given to discipleship.

Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies

 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, "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, adulteries, 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

 Yesterday we read that after feeding the five thousand in the wilderness, immediately 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 all that 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?"  The tradition of the elders, my study bible tells us, refers to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  Jesus refutes their views that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  Rather it is the state of the heart that determines a person's purity (verse 8).

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."   What Christ is expressing here is that the commandment of God can't be overridden by the religious traditions of human beings.  A devotion to God, my study bible tells us, includes both obedience to God's commandments, and service to others.  They cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21).  Jesus here is specifically criticizing the practice of allowing someone that declare their wealth a gift to the temple.  Thereby this would allow them to continue to use their wealth during their lifetime for themselves, but effectively enabled dereliction of care for needy or dependent elderly parents. 

"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.' "  Jesus quotes from the prophesy of Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13) to illustrate His criticism of the hypocrites.

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, "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."  Here is an indication of the open rift Jesus will have with the Pharisees, who will later plot to kill Him.  He calls them blind leaders of the blind -- and prophesies their eventual downfall stemming from their misguided priorities. 

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, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."  Jesus explains His teaching to the multitude earlier in the text ("Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man," verse 11).  This is the basis for the Christian emphasis on the care of the heart, the monastic discipline of awareness of our interior life and thoughts.  Jesus also taught in the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (5:8).

How do you or I think about hypocrisy?  In context of today, that would mean making a show of one's righteousness -- possibly in a political sense -- but in truth fostering practices that really don't help anyone, or are in fact quite harmful.  Jesus doesn't just go on the defensive when His disciples are criticized.  He goes on offense -- He tells the Pharisees exactly what He thinks of their practices.  They conspicuously observe fasting rules and criticize His disciples, but in their own practices through their traditions allow the commandments to be effectively broken.  Jesus takes this criticism a step further when He speaks in front of the multitude, and expands on teaching regarding fasting.  Like many good practices meant for worthy effects, this can be abused for outward show and enable hypocrisy without a correct perspective.   (Thus the blind may lead the blind.)  A correct understanding of the purpose of fasting places a real emphasis on the heart.  Jesus says, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."  Once again, as in the Sermon on the Mount, He is teaching us that all of these bad and unrighteous acts begin in the heart, and if we don't put emphasis there, we risk our lives becoming hypocritical as well, with our hearts far from God, and our worship being in vain.  So how do we translate this into modern understanding?  We have a culture, especially via social media, of what is called "virtue signalling."  That is, we are able to post things through social platforms on the internet that declare our support for one way of thinking or another.  It is a time in which slogans pass frequently through our awareness, and especially that of our children.  We can easily allow such "sloganeering" to substitute for a true commitment to God's righteousness in our hearts.  We can say to ourselves that we don't have to watch our own hearts for thoughts of violence or envy, covetousness or manipulative lies, false gossip, even blasphemy.  In modern terms we might justify violent revenge, or the harm of innocents, as if they correct an injustice.  Especially in a time when we are beset by current events that take up our time, lives, and attention, where we cannot separate fact from fiction, and where our perceptions are so easily manipulated through media of all kinds, let us take the time to sit back and listen to Christ talk about how important it is that we stop placing so much emphasis on the outside -- and pull back to the inside to see where and how we are aligned with God in what we do and in what we see.  And that means especially how we see, what lens we're using.  We need the lens of the perspective of Christ, the one He offers to us and helps us to acquire and understand.  We need to remember where our first loyalty is, and who our true guide is.  That is the one way we can stay away from the blind guides who may be, like apparently many of the leadership of His time were, out for themselves and even their own wealth.  Let us remember we have a good guide, and call on Him and His allies -- the saints and the angels and our living fellow faithful, the good shepherds we know -- for help in keeping our hearts in the right place.  For our own righteousness in the end is all we really have, and worth the price of awareness.