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 

 

 Yesterday we read that, after feeding the multitudes 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."  My study Bible explains that the tradition of the elders refers to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  In today's reading, Jesus refutes their views that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  Instead, it is the state of the heart (see verse 8) that determines a person's purity.  

 

 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."   According to my study Bible, Christ shows here that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by the religious traditions of human beings.  It says that devotion to God includes both obedience to God's commandments, and service to others.  These two things cannot be separated.  In Jesus' example here, it can be clearly seen that the tradition cited by Jesus is, in fact and in outcome, contradictory to the commandment of God.  See also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21.  

 

 "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.

 

 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."  The Pharisees are scrupulous in their observance of their tradition.  For fear of consuming something unclean, they observe these practices.  But they are blind to the greater purposes of God as intended in the Law in the first place.  Thus, Jesus calls them blind leaders of the blind.  As hypocrites, their intentions are unfortunately not always pure; they care too much for their places, which Jesus will elaborate on in Matthew 23.  

 

Jesus' teaching, as my study Bible says, emphasizes the purity of the heart (Matthew 5:8).  What do we nurture in our hearts?  What do we turn away from?  These are the questions we ask ourselves in obedience to the teachings of Christ.  For Jesus points to the heart as the center of a person, where is stored our desires, compulsions, even thoughts.  He says, "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."  Elsewhere Jesus teaches, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45).  Out of these teachings proceed the practice of "guarding the heart."  That is, to be aware of what is going on inside of our own hearts, and not entertaining the things which Christ says are not good for us.  All kinds of thoughts and desires will pass through the heart, but  our job is to be aware of what we entertain and nurture within the heart, and what we discard and turn away from -- and towards Him.  This is part of the purpose of fasting, to teach us this kind of discipline, that it is possible to turn away from thoughts and compulsions that do us no good, and are not a part of what it means to love God.  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5) is, according to Jesus, the first and greatest commandment of all (see Matthew 22:36-38).  The Pharisees, in their legalism, seem to have lost all sight of this guiding principle for all the rest of what we do to honor God and to live our lives is a good and fruitful and spiritual healthful way.  Let us note that these men, the Pharisees in today's reading, have come from Jerusalem.  No doubt they come to scrutinize Jesus and His ministry, and they begin with their questions and criticisms.  But Jesus is ready to stand up for what He is here to do and to teach and to live, for all of us.  Note how He seeks to protect His disciples when they are criticized for not practicing ceremonial washing.  Let us take note how Jesus teaches us to be, in defiance of those with authority in the Pharisees, and follow our Lord's teaching and all the practices of the Church designed to help us to guard the important place of the heart, that our good treasure may be there in a good and pure heart.

 

 

 

Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not  above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against the house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

- Luke 6:39-49

We have been reading through Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, in Luke's Gospel.  (We began reading the Sermon in Friday's reading.)  On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.   But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not  above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  Here is a plea for discipleship, for what it means to be "perfect," and to truly learn and follow the Teacher, for good discipline.  My study bible quotes Cyril of Alexandria, who writes that "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."  Jesus' teaching makes it clear that if we are to grow in discipleship, it is the only true preparation for helping others to do so.  It's also a highly profound psychological insight, and a teaching on the benefits of humility and self-knowledge -- next-to-impossible without the work of discipleship.  Such work of acknowledging our own imperfections -- and working to correct them -- is the only standard by which we grow in mercy to truly help others, rather simply practicing bad judgment.  We can see at any time an abundance of finger-pointing by those apparently unaware of their own far deeper flaws than the one whom they accuse.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."   Here is a comment on what it is to be "pure" or "pure in heart."  It's about a kind of consistency from the inner to the outer, and starts with what we truly love, what our treasure is.  Everything flows from there.  Therefore it is the care of the heart that is the true measure of a disciple.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against the house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study bible says that hearing the gospel alone isn't enough.  Salvation isn't based on hearing alone nor faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24).  That is, our faith also determines our acts, what we do, what we choose.  Faith asks us to follow through.  We think, we change, we adjust, we grow.  A life lived on the basis of His commandments is one built on the rock of Christ -- a true safety and security running deep within the self, the heart.

What is true spiritual discipline?  Clearly, as Christ's words tell us, it is one that is built from the heart and is reflected through one's behavior and choices.  This isn't about impressing others, or about the picture that is reflected back at us through others' eyes and judgments.  Jesus Himself was harshly judged!  Instead, Jesus is talking about a real purity of the heart that comes from discipleship, and it is what is truly in the heart that bears the fruit that is important.  What do we nurture?  What do we treasure?  Do we take His words seriously?   Do we try to find insight as to the ways in which we may apply these things in our own lives and through our own choices?  Again, a prayerful kind of "work" in doing so constitutes a good form of discipleship.  One may also discuss the teachings one hears with a more experienced and learned follower, a pastor, someone with the grace and mercy that reflects discipleship and inspires trust.  What is important is what we nurture within us, what we ponder, what we treasure.  Discipline is the acknowledgement that this is something we always have more to learn about, that it must touch on our own choices and behaviors, and that there will always be new insights about applying His teachings to our lives, our habits, our choices.  This is a constant, ongoing work.  We're not born as perfect instruments of love and justice and good judgment.  We're not born with the discernment of merciful and humble discipleship.  We grow in these things.  It is what we nurture in the heart that helps us to put into action: words, deeds, even thoughts, that reflect true a discipleship to Christ.  So how do we approach our faith?  Quite obviously, His word is clear on the necessity of good discipleship, on the practice of discernment, and more particularly of the value of mercy and the quality of the heart.  He cautions us about humility and awareness of our own flaws, and asks us to work on them so that we may help others in this growth in the proper way.   He teaches about training, what it means to be a perfectly trained disciple, or "learner."  How do you set yourself on that road today?  What is the lesson you have to learn?  Where your foundation, your true heart?  And how do we truly see and escape our blindness?

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 Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away who had been fed from five loaves and two fish.  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 refers to interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  My study bible tells us that Jesus refutes their views that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  Rather, His emphasis is on the state of the heart as that which determines a person's purity.

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."  So here is the thing that outweighs all else:  commandments of God  can't be superseded by religious traditions (in this case, traditions built up around the Law).  My study bible tells us that devotion to God includes obedience to His commandments and service to others -- one can't be separated from the other.   Here in particular, Jesus names two commands from Scripture regarding honoring parents (see Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 21:17).   But the tradition indicated that wealth could be consigned as gift to the temple, while still in use by the living owner.  However, it meant it could not be transferred to others such as 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.'"  Again, Jesus quotes from Scripture (Isaiah 29:13).  This time, Isaiah captures Jesus' expression of the difference between loving God with the heart and traditions that come down far away from the word of God.  It's important that we see this thought already expressed in the existing spiritual literature, in which these men are supposed to be experts.  But these men hardly expected these words to be directed at them.  Christ has the authority to do so.  In a Christian context, the Son as Lord and Word is the giver of the Scripture.

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."  Peter requests an explanation of the parable:  Jesus' saying about plants which will be uprooted if they haven't been planted by the Father.  The emphasis is once again on the word of God versus the traditions of men.  Jesus isn't condemning religious tradition.   Rather He's condemning that which effectively contradicts and obscures the word of God.  Too much emphasis on the external distracts from the truth:  that where we are pure is in our love of God and of neighbor, what we love in our heart and seek to grow into through a life of devotion and faith.  Too much emphasis on the external is a temptation to do away with that which is most important, essential.  In the case of the Pharisees who criticize both Jesus and John the Baptist, such an imbalance has led to their condemnation of great works of the Spirit, revelations of God.  Jesus elaborates the "dirt" or corruption which may hide in the heart where only the external is emphasized.

If we look closely at Jesus' words about what defile a person, we get some good hints about His repeated teachings in His ministry.  He tells Peter, "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."   We have had repeated encounters, in Jesus' ministry, with teachings about the importance of our words (see for example here, here, and here).  In today's reading, He gives us a very clear indication that the words that come out of our mouths reflect the things of the heart -- and as such reveal what defiles:  "evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."  Watching our speech can be a real clue as to the things that we need to deal with which are within ourselves!  Jesus' emphasis on purity is clearly on the state of our internal lives, as reflected by what comes out of the mouth, and the spiritual fruits we bear in the world.  It's kind of an amazing psychological insight, as He is the Word -- and He connects the words we use in encountering others to the state of our being and relationship to God (including the kinds of sin He names here) and the state of our relationships in the world, with community.  In this angle, words indicate a kind of union between spirit, soul, body -- and God and community.  They link all together, and they have the power to reveal a break within every aspect of self and relationships.  This is a very powerful spiritual and psychological revelation for us, and I wonder nowadays how much we take this seriously.  All one has to do is look around at the state of the world and what is reflected in the media, over the internet, in popular culture via media of all kinds including entertainment, politics, and all forms of public speech.  We know very well that abuse of the type Jesus describes in calling a "brother" a name (Matthew 5:22) is something we see as bullying in certain contexts, as domestic abuse, or child abuse.  Jesus teaches it as being akin to a violation of the law against murder, and if we think about how words can have lasting destructive effects on both persons and relationships, He's quite right and leaves us with an early understanding of the power of psychology and its effects on everything else we experience and produce.  He speaks of how carefully we must choose our words when teaching against swearing oaths ("Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No,' 'No'" - see Matthew 5:33-37) and we can see the effects of such speech in everything from political sloganeering, to false promises, to persuasive speech that stirs crowds to all sorts of actions.  That would include things Jesus names here such as false witnessing, adultery and other types of betrayal (as well as facile "intimate" relationships), even thefts in concealed clauses or duplicitous words, blasphemy, and murder in many forms such as through policies that slip under the radar concealed in phony intentions and bad social policies.  And do we have to mention movements couched in words of religion that are excuses for murder, slavery, genocide?  If we but look around, we can see all kinds of ill effects and evils manifest in the world through the ways in which we use words, revealing the ills of the heart, the things that break societies and communities, those things that indicate a false "bottom" in our relationship to God and conceal even from ourselves the reality of the heart.  Here's the great foundation of faith, its underpinning of spiritual and psychological reality, its depth in the trueness of relationship to God in the heart first and by extension to others.  This purity is the definition of integrity and wholeness.  And Jesus gives us this, whether we want to realize it or not.  It all starts in the heart, that great spiritual summing up of what it is to have depth of center, the place where we make or break all else, from which we take true identity and that produces whatever it is we are going to produce.  Let us pay attention!

A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit

And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall to the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

- Luke 6:39-49

In yesterday's reading, we read the continuation of what is called the Sermon on the Plain, because Luke's Gospel tells us that it was delivered by Jesus as He "stood on a level place" and spoke to the crowd of His disciples.  This is similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount which is found in Matthew's Gospel.   We began the Sermon on the Plain in Monday's reading, with both Beatitudes and Woes.  Yesterday, we read, as Jesus continued, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall to the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."  My study bible tells us, "Spoken to the disciples, these words are an exhortation to discernment and imitation of Christ in their training for the apostolic ministry."  It is a teaching that one cannot simply parrot words or teachings, but must follow them and bear their fruits as part of ministry to others.  We must be "like Him" in all ways that we can.

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  Here is part of real training and discipleship.  How do we learn what we need to do, and how do we learn to help others?  The only way is to grow ourselves in spiritual discipline, before we are able to help others in any way!

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Here is the essential teaching about the heart, about what it truly means to be a disciple to Christ.  We are not to have the attitude that discipleship is finished, over at any time -- not at our baptism nor at any time in our subsequent walk with Christ.  We enter into baptism in order to continually grow in Him, to "die daily" with Him as we take up the cross with Him.  In this way then, what comes from the heart bears the fruit of spiritual discipleship.  Jesus is teaching us that as we seek to continually "remove the plank from our own eye" so our spiritual fruits bear witness of that heart that will seek its own purity and cleansing, and truly reflect His discipleship.

"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study bible notes here:  "Hearing the gospel is not enough, according to Jesus.  We must do what He says.  Jesus did not preach that faith alone is all God requires for salvation.  Spiritual foundations are made secure with both faithful hearing and faithful doing of the words of Christ."

What is our secure foundation?  Let us consider Jesus' words about the house built upon the rock that stood up to the flood and the stream that beat vehemently against it.  Following upon words about discipleship, Jesus is telling us about the importance of His commandments, about the day to day work in discipleship.  We're not simply saved at one point and then we have nothing left to think about.  Instead, day by day, life will present us with challenges, and He indeed wants us to be prepared for those great challenges that might come like the stream that beats against the house.  With a careful sort of awareness about that plank that is in our own eye, our own work we have to do of discipleship, how can we truly grow in His faith?  How can we really be prepared for the floods that may seem to overwhelm us at times, or even to help others who may be going through their own spiritual struggle?  To help others requires of us our own spiritual struggle, and the fruits of that struggle, so we may help our brothers and sisters along the way who are in that journey of faith together with us.  Let us remember Jesus' great emphasis on purity of heart, true humility that sees our lives as we stand before God that there are still ways ahead of us in which we, too, grow like little children being taught by our loving Father about the things we can't see (like the plank in our own eye) and yet need to grow into and mature.  Let us remember that the point of all this is to grow in becoming like Him, like our teacher, and that the greatest commandments He gave us are, finally, all about love.  So, how can we, then, open our hearts to God, offer up our willingness to work at that plank in our eye, so that we can grow to be like Him, like the Teacher, and learn to bear the fruits of the heart He asks for?