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The Things that Truly Defile

Text: Matthew 15 : 1 - 20

Once again, the scribes and Pharisees lost a debate! Again, Jesus applied His knowledge of the Written Law to great advantage! There was no gain saying the Holy Scriptures. Quietly they withdrew from the Presence of Jesus. The multitudes must have watched with intense concern the debate between Jesus and their religious leaders on the sidelines.

“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

1. The focus on external rites

The scribes and Pharisees had taught and reinforced their teachings till they had made a wide impact on Israel. Jesus’ position must have been seen as an attack on their belief-system. He had just discounted the significance of a belief system that majored on rituals such as hand-washing in order not to be defiled.

2. The focus on internal features

What was the focus of Jesus? He was most concerned about what was in the heart of a person! The true state of the heart is revealed by what a man speaks! What comes out of a man, if that is wrong and wicked, that defiles him!

By application, Jesus must mean that the scribes and Pharisees were defiled. They were actively promoting their doctrines, which He dismissed as the commandments of men, and these were contradictory to the clear teachings found in the Written Law. They were in fact guilty of breaking the commandments of God! Thus they were transgressors of the Law and they stood defiled in the sight of God!

THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES OFFENDED

Did the multitudes understand the words of Jesus? They too must be concerned about the state of their heart! Did the scribes and Pharisees understand Jesus? They most certainly did!

“Then His disciples came and said to Him,
‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended
When they heard this saying?'”
MATTHEW 15:12

The disciples were picking up their skills in discerning how people responded to the teachings of Jesus! They must have seen the anger written on the faces of the scribes and Pharisees. Perhaps they caught their mumbles and grumbles against Jesus. They were deeply concerned that their Teacher had offended the Pharisees.

ABSOLUTELY FEARLESS

Jesus was not perturbed in the least. He knew that His teachings would indeed offend certain quarters, nevertheless He must proclaim the truth.

“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.'”
MATTHEW 15:13-14

1. Reminiscent of the ministry of Jeremiah

The words of Jesus remind us of what God said to Jeremiah at the onset of his prophetic ministry.

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth,
See, I have this day set you over the nations and
over the kingdoms
To root out and to pull down,
To destroy and to throw down
To build and to plant.”
JEREMIAH 1:9-10

Did the scribes and Pharisees feel that Jesus was uprooting their whole system? This would be true only if that system was not from God!

2. “Leave them alone”

These words of Jesus must have sounded quite harsh! If Jesus were to leave the scribes and Pharisees alone, how would they be saved? We must know that Jesus spoke from a perspective that we do not enjoy. He knew exactly the true state of the human heart! He knew that the scribes and Pharisees had so closed their hearts to God that they were not interested in the salvation that was offered to them! The Messiah Himself was speaking to them but instead of listening to Him, they resisted His teachings!

3. “Blind leaders”

The state of those who physically suffer visual impairment is heart-rending! Thus Jesus always took time to minister to them. Lovingly, He would lay His hands on them and gave them back their sight!

However, spiritual blindness was another matter altogether! There is nothing to pity about those who are spiritually blind. Imagine the audacity of those who are blind offering leadership to others! These blind leaders would cause their equally blind followers to fall into a ditch!

PLEADING FOR A DEEPER COMPREHENSION

The multitudes and the disciples of Jesus must have been astonished by what Jesus said! The implications were staggering! Imagine the proud scribes and Pharisees being called “blind leaders of the blind”! Was God Himself using Jesus to uproot the false teachings of the scribes and Pharisees?