Matthew 15:10-20

Matthew 15:10-20

And after calling the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand!  The thing that goes into the mouth does not defile the man.  But rather this thing that comes out of the mouth defiles the man.  Then the disciples came while saying to Him, “Have you known that the Pharisees who heard the word were being offended?”  And the one who answered said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots.  Forgive them.  The blind are guides of the blind.  And if the blind should guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”  And after answering, Peter said to Him, “Interpret this parable for us.”  And He said, “Are you all still without understanding?  Do you not perceive that everything that goes into the mouth moves on into the stomach and is being cast out into the place of defecation?  But that which comes out of the mouth goes out of the heart.  And this defiles the man.  For evil reason comes out of the heart: murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, blasphemy.  These are the things that defile the man.  But to eat by unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus gives us a great teaching that speaks directly forward to the inclusion of the Gentiles into the kingdom of God.  Jesus tells us that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person but rather what comes out is what defiles a person.  In other words, I cannot be corrupted by being in the presence of sinfulness.  I am not made sinful by being around people who are sinful.  Rather, what makes me sinful is the sin that dwells within me.  True, I can allow myself to become sinful by being in the presence of sin.  But that is still a problem within me, not an external problem.  I will be held accountable to that which lies within my heart and my being.

Have you ever been afraid of doing ministry because you might become sinful yourself?  Do you ever see Jesus act as though this train of thought is valid?  Was Jesus ever afraid to come in contact with sinful people?

Second Thought:

Peter comes to Jesus and once more asks Jesus to explain the parable.  Here we get another glimpse of the true discipleship pattern.  Jesus is teaching the crowd in parables – and only the Pharisees truly get what He is saying because they know that Jesus is contradicting them.  But the disciples don’t fully understand what Jesus is saying.  So they come to Jesus personally and ask.  This is what discipleship is all about.  The disciples don’t fully understand, so they come for a greater understanding.

Where do you go for understanding?  Do you ever go to get help on what you should understand?  How does Jesus deal when his disciples seem slow to understand?

Third Thought:

In the middle of this section, Jesus lowers a huge boom upon the Pharisees.  He calls them blind.  He calls the people who follow them blind.  He doesn’t really care that the Pharisees are offended.  What is it to Him if those who are not following the Father are offended by the truth?  Those who are in the Father need not fear the Father.  Those whom the Father did not plant will be pulled out of life by the Father – roots and all!  What I find deeply interesting is how Jesus says we should relate to such people.  The word that Jesus uses is aphiemi (ἀφίημι), which is the same word that Jesus uses as He is dying upon the cross and says, “Forgive them.”  {See Luke 23:34} Jesus doesn’t just say, “Let them be.”  Jesus tells Peter to “Forgive them.”

Why is it fair to call those who are offended by Jesus’ words blind?  Where in your life have you seen people being offended by those who seek to imitate Christ?  How do you typically respond to such people?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 15:21-28