Matthew 15:10-20 Unwashed Hands

After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand.  It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what 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 statement?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.  Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."   Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us." Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?  Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?  But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.  These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." [Matthew 15:10‭-‬20 NASB]

To put this in context, the Pharisees had just accused Jesus' disciples of breaking tradition by not washing their hands. Jesus asked in turn why the Pharisees break the Law to honor traditions.

After calling them out for their hypocrisy, Jesus answers them, "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

Of course, Jesus isn't advocating poor hygiene. The washing of hands that the Pharisees are speaking of is a formal ritual of cleansing. It was not commanded in the Law, but was taught as tradition which, as Jesus has just demonstrated, the Pharisees held in higher esteem than the Law.

In effect, Jesus is telling the Pharisees that, not only do their traditions violate the Law, they don't even make sense.

I find the disciples' reaction to be humorous. They come to Jesus, get Him away from the crowd, and speak to Him as if they are telling Him something He doesn't know. For His part, Jesus doesn't mock them, but gives a serious answer.

First, He says, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted." He's referring to tradition. One day, all the traditions of men; every variety of religious teaching that is not from God will be done away with, leaving only the pure word of God.

Next, concerning the Pharisees, He says, "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind."

When we encounter traditions that are counter to the word of God, we are to reject the traditions in favor of God's word. Regarding the people who promote such traditions, Jesus said, "Let them alone." I take this to mean that we are not to argue with such people nor should we try to convince them.

Paul said, "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." [Romans 14:1 NASB] Those who are weak in the faith rely upon rules and tradition in its place. He goes on to say, "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s." [Romans 14:4-8 NASB]

As God, Jesus can judge. As men, we cannot. Rather, we are to accept one another as we find each other, and let God be the judge.

If you have grown up with a tradition of rules and church law, I would urge you to seek God for the faith to walk in grace. The Spirit of God guides us into freedom.