What is in the Well Comes Up in the Bucket - Matthew 14-16

Matthew 15:10-20 (ESV)

And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

The above teaching is after Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders of the day, giving to the disciples and those who were following Him.   The disciples were bold enough to ask the question about the offended Pharisees.   The interaction with the Pharisees was their criticism the Jesus and His disciples did not wash their hands before they ate something.  However, the real issue was that the disciples (and Jesus) were not following their interpretation of the Law.   Jesus wants the listeners to understand that it is NOT what goes into the body that defiles a person, but what comes out of the person, from their heart.   The key insight Jesus wants us to know is verse 18:

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Jesus goes on to say the it is from the heart that evilness comes and then list several examples of evilness.   The religious leaders in Jesus’ day (like some today) were so concerned about what goes into the body, that they failed to recognize it is what comes out of the heart that causes defilement before God.   Man has a heart condition.  Jesus didn’t come to dictate what and how we eat.  Jesus came to change the heart condition of mankind.  That does not mean our intake is not needing correction.   But, we must start with our heartache first.   King David was so concerned about this problem of the heart that he wrote the following.  He knew that what is in the heart, comes up in the bucket:

Psalms 141:3-4 (ESV)

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!

Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

and let me not eat of their delicacies!