Matthew 15:1-20
Then Pharisees
and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,
"Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For
they don't wash their hands when they eat bread." He answered them,
"Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who
speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother,
"Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted
to God," he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the
commandment of God void because of your tradition. You hypocrites! Well did
Isaiah prophesy of 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 do they worship me, Teaching as doctrine rules made by
men.'"
He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and
understand.
That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that
which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the
Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't
plant will be uprooted.
Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind
guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."
So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand?
Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the
belly, and then out of the body? But the things which proceed out of the mouth
come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed
hands doesn't defile the man."
Insight- Jesus knew that the Pharisees and scribes did not have a real
relationship with God; they were religious but their hearts were far from God.
Jesus emphasized that what a person ate did not defile him/her as much as that
which came out of the mouth, because that which came out of the mouth came out
of the heart and there were many evils there.
Question- Are there good things stored up in your heart or evil things
as the Pharisees and scribes had?
Think about it.
Prayer- Dear Father in heaven, grant me grace to worship you in truth;
let my heart be filled with good things and not evil. In Jesus name. Amen.
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