Matthew 15:10-20

 ¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” ¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” ¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” ¹⁶ So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Commentary

Vs. 10-11 ¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

The Lord Jesus having rebuked the Pharisees now has the people come to Him, so that He might undo the Pharisees doctrines taught to them. In this Jesus simply explains that washing one’s hands ceremonially does not cleanse one’s heart and soul. For as the Lord Jesus says, what goes into one’s mouth does not defile a person, but what comes out of a person’s mouth, that defiles them, something which the Lord Jesus will elaborate more on in verse fifteen when Peter asks Him about this “parable”.

Vs. 12-14 ¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

The disciples now come to Jesus and tell Him that the Pharisees were offended at His saying. Nonetheless the Lord Jesus is not moved by their approval or disapproval by them. Indeed, the Lord Jesus says of them that, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” Indicating that though they were exercising authority over the people they themselves were not planted by God, and thus they (and all like them) will be uprooted and forever removed from their positions when Christ reigns. But until then the Lord Jesus tells the disciples to, “Let them alone…” leave them to teaching and their observing their foolish traditions, for as the Lord Jesus says, “They are blind leaders of the blind.” That is, they (and those like them) are only Spiritually blinded to Him, blind to the Life and True Freedom that He would bring to them, if they could see Him for who He is.
And so, they are only the “spiritual” leaders of those who are likewise Spiritually blinded to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, Lord Jesus Christ tells us all who believe in Him to leave such people alone, alone to their own “ceremonial” folly by which they think they make themselves right with God through observing. For as He says, “They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Indicating that following their way ends in one’s own harm and being trapped, enslaved to keeping and observing the doctrines and comments of men, something which the Lord Jesus Christ wants none of us who believe in Him to become, slaves of men (consider 1 Cor 7:23; 1 Peter 2:19).

Vs. 15-20 ¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” ¹⁶ So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

The Apostle Peter having heard the Lord Jesus sternly rebuke the Pharisees, now asks Him to explain the “parable”; that is His saying by which He said: “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” ^vs.11
Therefore, Jesus somewhat disappointed that Peter had not understood His saying (vs. 16) will now explain it both to Peter (and us all) as to just what defiles a man, and that is the inappropriate words that come out of our mouths, for as the Lord Jesus makes clear whatever we put into our mouths is digested and then ultimately eliminated (vs. 17). “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” ^{Vs. 18-20}
It is then the unsound speech, filthy language, and or evil words which come out of one’s own mouth that defiles a person, because as Jesus says these things precede from the heart, and thus are a true reflection of what is going on inside. And so, the Pharisees emphasises on proper hand washing before eating does nothing to cleanse the heart, mind, and soul, only repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ does. And that is of utmost importance to God our inner renewal and transformation which He works in us by His Spirit the moment we repent and believe in His Son.

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.