THE HEART OF OUR PROBLEM

The religious police of Christ’s day—the Pharisees—were intent on enforcing their legalistic standards of ceremonial washings and purifications. While, I am sure Jesus has no issue with personal hygiene, and that washing your hands and bathing are commendable practice, He tells us there are more crucial spiritual concerns.

He begins with an exclamation.  “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.’” (Matthew 15:10-11). The response of the Pharisees was fast and furious, “Then His disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?’” (v.12).  They knew that God had forbidden, under the Mosaic covenant, for certain things to go into your mouth, so how can you reconcile the two?

Jesus offers an example. “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.’” (v.13-14). The religious leaders were not wheat, but weeds.  Consider, the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matt.13:24-30. Someone may claim to be God’s son—even have some outward indications—and yet, truly be Satan’s spawn. The Pharisees were ceremonially clean, but morally corrupt.  They, were as those, “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim.3:5a). Worse still, they were blind guides leading blind people.  How ludicrous!  There are many voices today that claim to speak for God.  We better be discerning.   

Peter wasn’t. He was confused. “Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’” (v.15).  At least he turned to the right source for clarification. 

Jesus gives the explanation. ‘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.’” (v.16-20). For example, if a Jew ate pork, since God had forbidden it, the issue was not the food in his mouth, but the filth in his heart—he was rebelling against God.  Later, when God said that we were free to eat bacon, to do so would no longer be rebellion—and I’m glad!

The truth is that the heart of our problem is the problem of our heart.  Before there are outward actions, there is an inward disposition. It is not religion we need, for it can only change the surface.  What we must have is regeneration, for only God can change the soul.