Matthew 15:11

Matthew 15:11

9 And in vain they worship Me,
^aTeaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 ^aWhen He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:

11 ^aNot 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, ^a“Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

14 Let them alone. ^aThey are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 ^aThen Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, ^a“Are you also still without understanding?

17 Do you not yet understand that ^awhatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

18 But ^athose things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.

19 ^aFor 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.”

A Gentile Shows Her Faith

21 ^aThen Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, ^aSon of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Matthew 15:12 >>

This defileth the man (touto koinoi ton anqrwpon). This word is from koinov which is used in two senses, either what is "common" to all and general like the Koin‚ Greek, or what is unclean and "common" either ceremonially or in reality. The ceremonial "commonness" disturbed Peter on the housetop in Joppa (Acts 10:14). See also Acts 21:28; Hebrews 9:13. One who is thus religiously common or unclean is cut off from doing his religious acts. "Defilement" was a grave issue with the rabbinical ceremonialists. Jesus appeals to the crowd here:

Hear and understand (akouete kai suniete). He has a profound distinction to draw. Moral uncleanness is what makes a man common, defiles him. That is what is to be dreaded, not to be glossed over. "This goes beyond the tradition of the elders and virtually abrogates the Levitical distinctions between clean and unclean" (Bruce). One can see the pettifogging pretenders shrivel up under these withering words.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 15:11:**

Matthew 15:15
Mark 7:14

<< Matthew 15:10

Matthew 15:12 >>

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