Matthew 15:10–20 (ESV)
10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand:
11 It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding?
17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
Background and Context
The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for a Jewish audience to present Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah—the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. For many Jews, the image of the Messiah was a political liberator who would free them from Roman oppression and restore Israel’s national sovereignty. However, Matthew’s narrative consistently reveals that Jesus came not to establish an earthly kingdom, but to usher in a spiritual kingdom marked by righteousness, mercy, and transformation of the heart.
In Matthew 15, Jesus confronts the religious leaders—Pharisees and scribes—who accused His disciples of disregarding traditional ceremonial practices, specifically the ritual washing of hands before eating (verses 1–2). In Jewish tradition, ritual washing (ḥăṭîfâ) before meals was not a Mosaic Law but a rabbinic tradition to guard against defilement. In response, Jesus exposes their hypocrisy, quoting Isaiah 29:13 to show that although they honoured God with their lips, their hearts were far from Him. Jesus redirects the focus from external observance to internal transformation, emphasising that true defilement arises from within the human heart.
Explanation of the Text
1. An Invitation to True Understanding (Verses 10–11)
After rebuking the religious leaders, Jesus turns to the crowd and says, “Hear and understand.” The Greek word for understand (συνίημι, suniémi) means more than intellectual grasp—it implies perceiving with the heart and aligning one’s inner life with divine truth. Jesus is urging the people not to blindly follow religious traditions but to weigh His teachings carefully, to engage their minds and hearts, and to pursue authentic spirituality.
In verse 11, Jesus boldly challenges a deeply ingrained religious practice by saying, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out.” This statement was revolutionary, as dietary laws and purity rituals were central to Jewish identity. Jesus is shifting the paradigm—true defilement is not about what enters the body, but what emerges from the mouth, which reflects the condition of the heart. He is calling His listeners to self-examination and spiritual honesty, warning against a life of outward piety with inward corruption.
2. A Warning About Blind Leadership (Verses 12–14)
When the disciples inform Jesus that the Pharisees were offended by His words, He does not retract His statement. Instead, He intensifies His warning. In verse 13, Jesus declares, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.” This metaphor likely refers to man-made religious systems, doctrines, and practices not rooted in God’s truth. Anything that does not originate from the will of the Father—no matter how sacred it appears—will ultimately be uprooted and destroyed.
Jesus then says, “Let them alone,” which signifies that the Pharisees are beyond correction because of their pride and stubbornness. Calling them “blind guides” is a stark accusation—despite being considered spiritual leaders, they are spiritually blind themselves. Jesus warns that if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit. In essence, following leaders who do not have divine vision or understanding will only lead to destruction.
3. The Heart as the Source of Defilement (Verses 15–20)
In verse 15, Peter, still confused, asks Jesus to clarify His teaching. Jesus responds with gentle frustration, highlighting the disciples' slowness to grasp the truth. He explains the simple biology of digestion in verses 17–18 to make a spiritual point: food enters the body, is processed, and expelled. It does not touch or alter the soul. But words—what flows from our mouths—reveal what resides in the heart (Kardia).
In verse 19, Jesus lists the kinds of evils that emerge from within: “evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” These are not merely external actions but are born in the heart—our inner person. The heart, in biblical understanding, represents the seat of will, emotion, intellect, and moral character. Jesus teaches that sin is not merely an external behaviour to be managed, but a heart issue that must be transformed.
In verse 20, He concludes with clarity: “These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” In doing so, Jesus dismantles the traditional obsession with external purity and redefines holiness as a matter of the heart.
Illustration: The Dirty Spring
There was once a village nestled at the foot of a mountain. This village relied on a beautiful spring that flowed from the mountain's rocks—its waters were pure, refreshing, and life-giving. People from nearby villages would travel just to drink from it.
One day, the villagers noticed that the water began to taste bitter. Some people even fell sick after drinking it. Concerned, the elders called a group of workers to examine the stream. They searched the pipes, cleaned the containers, and even polished the ladles. But still, the water flowed dirty and dangerous.
Finally, a young boy suggested they hike up the mountain to find the source. After a long climb, they discovered the problem—not in the pipes or the containers, but in the spring itself. A large animal had died and decayed near the mouth of the spring, poisoning everything downstream. No matter how clean the cups were, if the source was polluted, the water could never be pure.
Spiritual Connection:
In the same way, Jesus teaches us that our hearts are the spring of our lives. We can clean up the outside—our church attendance, our public words, our behaviour—but if the heart is contaminated with pride, lust, envy, or anger, then everything flowing from us will eventually be tainted.
Like the villagers who had to go upstream to fix the source, we must go to the root of our spiritual lives—the heart. Jesus didn’t come just to polish our behaviour; He came to cleanse and renew our hearts.
Reflection and Application
This passage speaks powerfully to our modern Christian life. It challenges us to ask: Are we truly living transformed lives, or are we merely conforming to religious routines? Many believers today attend church faithfully, serve in ministries, and outwardly practice religion, yet their hearts remain untouched by the truth of God.
For example, some may attend church simply because it is a family tradition, a societal expectation, or a ritualistic habit. Attendance becomes a checkmark of religious duty—sometimes even tied to burial rights or cultural status—rather than a heartfelt expression of worship. Jesus calls us to much more. He desires lives that are inwardly changed, not merely outwardly compliant.
This passage is a divine wake-up call. It urges us to shift our focus from external acts to internal transformation. Are there areas in your life where you are performing rather than transforming? Are there habits, thoughts, or hidden sins in your heart that God is calling you to surrender?
Transformation begins with a simple but powerful step: prayerful self-examination and surrender to the Holy Spirit. We must ask God to reveal the unclean places in our hearts and give us the grace to walk in holiness, not through ritual, but through relationship.
Conclusion
In Matthew 15:1–20, Jesus draws a clear line between the religious traditions of men and the truth of God’s Word. He teaches that what defiles a person is not what enters the body, but what proceeds from the heart. The heart is the true measure of a person’s character, and it is from the heart that both good and evil spring.
This passage compels us to examine our lives—not by the rituals we observe or the appearances we maintain—but by the condition of our hearts before God. May we strive for inward transformation that reflects outwardly in love, truth, and righteousness. Let us walk in the way of Christ, not merely with our lips, but with lives that honour Him from the inside out.
Self-Examination Questions
- What currently flows from my mouth in conversations?
Are my words marked by encouragement, truth, and grace—or by criticism, gossip, or anger? - What thoughts or attitudes dominate my heart when no one is watching?
Do I harbour bitterness, jealousy, lust, or pride, even if they never manifest outwardly? - Am I more focused on appearing spiritual than actually being close to God?
Do I engage in religious practices (like attending church, praying, serving) more out of habit or duty than from a deep desire to honour God? - When confronted with truth from God’s Word, do I respond like the Pharisees (offended) or like the disciples (seeking understanding)?
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