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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hail, King of the Jews!

 

 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.  You see to it."  And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."  Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.  

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.  And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand.  And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. 

 

- Matthew 27:24-31 

 

On Saturday, we read about Jesus brought to trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.   Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you  want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"   

 "When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.  You see to it."  And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."  Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.  My study Bible has a comment on verse 25, regarding the people's answer, "His blood be on us and on our children."  It notes that this verse has been used by certain groups to try to justify persecuting Jews, which is a grave and terrible sin.  It notes that what was seen by many as a curse is in fact a blessing which is invoked unwittingly, for Christ's blood is the source of everyone's redemption.  These words are implicitly spoken by anyone who sins.  My study Bible adds that St. John Chrysostom teaches that even those these particular Judeans under the coercion of the religious leaders "acted with such madness, so far from confirming a sentence on them or their children, Christ instead received those who repented and counted them worthy of good things beyond number."  Additionally, St.  Chrysostom goes on to note the thousands who were converted in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) as evidence of Christ's mercy.  

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.  And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand.  And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.  My study Bible states that every king is proclaimed by his soldiers.  Although the intention here is mockery, it is again prophetic that Jesus should be crowned and hailed as King by soldiers of the governor (see also John 11:49-51, where Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies of Christ's redemptive work).  This mockery shows Christ as the One despised and rejected by human beings and bears the iniquity of all of us (see Isaiah 53:3-9).  My study Bible notes also that Jesus is clothed in scarlet, which represents both His royalty and also the sins of humanity which He has taken upon Himself. 

My study Bible comments on verse 25, containing the curse "His blood be on us and on our children."   First noting that it's a great and terrible sin to use this as an excuse to persecute Jews, it adds importantly that this is an unwitting blessing.  It's important, to begin with, that we understand the important thing here is not exactly who is to blame for crucifying the innocent Christ.  Pilate seeks to wash his hands of the mess, but he can't evade his responsibility as governor for this decision.  Neither can the people who shout for Christ's crucifixion nor the religious leaders who exhort them to do so, and have presented Jesus to Pilate as a kind of fait accompli to have Him executed as a criminal.  All of them know that He is, in Pilate's words, a just Person.  What becomes really important is, first of all, everyone's capacity for repentance and thereby the receipt of Christ's saving grace.  What is also strikingly notable about this passage is a sort of crazy inversion of truth -- or perhaps we might call it truth hiding in plain sight.  What is meant as a curse is actually an invocation of a blessing, an unwitting statement of the power of Christ's blood to redeem and to save, to cast away sin and grant life.  His is the blood of the Passover but magnified to an eternal and truly universal sense of saving life.   The mocking scarlet robe given to Christ, and also the soldiers' ridiculing salute, "Hail, King of the Jews!" are also examples of the strange inversion of truth.  What is meant in derision is actually profound truth, again hiding in plain sight, obscured by terribly evil circumstances.   And the horrific evil we witness, of the ultimate Innocent knowingly unjustly condemned, abandoned, and given to torture and the most heinous form of punishment, is also a kind of strange inversion of truth.  For if we take it at its face value, and without the Resurrection that will follow, then all we see is a terrible monstrous evil.  But God will use even this as the foundation for the salvation of an entire created order, a whole universe, and grace abounding in all and through all things, and for all time.  This Christ knows and so willingly has gone to His death, with full knowledge He may be a stumbling block, and knowing the free will of people to reject what He has done and so reject their salvation.  But where He goes, He goes for us -- and in so doing, He proclaims the love of God for all.