Matthew 15:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord had shewn that the Pharisees were not worthy to aceuse those who transgressed the commands of the elders, seeing they overthrew the law of God themselves; and He again proves this by the testimony of the Prophet; Hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

When the Pharisees criticized the disciples for consuming food without first washing their hands, the Lord clarified that no food can render a person impure or defile him. If food itself does not contaminate, then neither does eating it without washed hands. True defilement of the inner self occurs only when one utters words that should remain unspoken. This serves as a reflection on the Pharisees, who tainted themselves by speaking from a place of jealousy. Observe the Lord’s wisdom: He neither outright prohibits eating with unwashed hands nor advocates for it as a necessity; instead, He instructs on a different path—guarding against evil speech that arises from within the heart.

This declaration of the Lord, Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth a man, is not contrary to the Old Testament. As the Apostle also speaks, To the pure all things are pure; (Tit. 1:15.) and Every creature of God is good. Let the Manichæans understand, (1 Tim. 4:4.) if they can, that the Apostle said this of the very natures and qualities of things; while that letter (of the ritual law) declared certain animals unclean, not in their nature but typically, for certain figures which were needed for a time. Therefore to take an instance in the swine and the lamb, by nature both are clean, because naturally every creature of God is good; but in a certain typical meaning the lamb is clean, and the swine unclean.

The word herea ‘makes a man common’ is peculiar to Scripture, and is not hackneyed in common parlance. The Jewish nation, boasting themselves to be a part of God, call those meats common, of which all men partake; for example, swine’s flesh, shell fish, hares, and those species of animals that do not divide the hoof, and chew the cud, and among the fish such as have not scales. Hence in the Acts of the Apostles we read, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (Acts 10:15.) Common then in this sense is that which is free to the rest of mankind, and as though not in part of God, is therefore called unclean.

What does not enter the mouth renders a person unclean; unclean here refers to a state of impurity. Thus, He asserts that it is not the impurity of unwashed hands, which mixes with food and is consumed, that makes an individual impure, as this does not affect the spirit, but rather it is sin that renders one unclean, harming the soul. This serves as the most straightforward interpretation of His statement. However, there is a deeper truth concealed within this teaching, that nothing originating from God can inherently be deemed unclean. As Moses states, "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). This profound understanding dismisses the meticulous dietary laws followed by the Jews.

Esaias saw before the hypocrisy of the Jews, that they would craftily oppose the Gospel, and therefore he said in the person of the Lord, This people honoureth me with their lips, &c.

Hypocrite signifies dissembler, one who feigus one thing in his outward act, and bears another thing in his heart. These then are well called hypocrites, because under cover of God’s honour they sought to heap up for themselves earthly gain.

The Lord spoke not out of disfavor toward fasting or because He deemed it unnecessary for us. Indeed, He Himself engaged in fasting, instructed His apostles on the practice, and instituted fasts within His holy Church. His intention was to emphasize that when we engage in fasting, it should not be limited to merely consuming less food or engaging in meager meals. Rather, we ought to focus on nourishing our souls through fasting, resisting our cravings and sinful inclinations. This is of utmost importance. Fasting provides a potent means to achieve this goal. When the flesh is weakened, the foundation of bodily passions is disturbed, causing their influence to diminish. To conquer these passions without fasting is akin to a miracle, much like remaining unscathed in a fire.

It is not the food or drink that enters the mouth that causes an individual to be unclean or guilty before God; rather, it is what exits the mouth—sinful thoughts, words, and the ensuing actions—that reveal the impurity of the heart. Those who are willing to listen should understand this (Mark 7:16). In the Kingdom of Heaven, having a pure heart is far more significant than having clean hands. The Savior teaches that if unclean hands touch food, it does not adversely affect the soul; eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person (Mt. 15:20).

After condemning the insincerity of the Pharisees, the Lord drew the crowd closer and taught them about what should truly be deemed impure, that which defiles a person and renders him culpable before God. In this context, He instructed that the guiding principle is that anything consumed does not make a person unclean, but rather the words that emerge from his mouth can lead to defilement. Following this teaching, the Lord (as recorded by Mark) entered a house, where His disciples approached Him with the report (only mentioned by Matthew) that the Pharisees were being led astray by His message.

The Pharisees, revealed in their deceit and rejection of the Law, choose to remain silent and do not respond to Jesus' inquiry. Not wishing to waste valuable insights on those unworthy, Jesus leaves them to their concealed resentment and refrains from further discussion. However, to avoid leaving the crowd, who stands behind the Pharisees in confusion, in a state of uncertainty, He offers clarification not aimed at the Pharisees but directed to the multitude. He explains that it is not what enters into a man’s mouth that renders him impure, but rather what emerges from his mouth that truly defiles him.

Not what is consumed through the mouth, whether food or drink, renders one unclean before God. Rather, it is the speech that emanates from the mouth that defiles a person because it is from the heart that evil actions arise (Matt. 15:18), revealing immoral character. Is the meticulous observance of dietary laws condemned in this context? Clearly not. The primary teaching here emphasizes that it is not what one eats that makes a person impure, but rather one’s moral conduct; specifics about types of food are not addressed. The crux of this message does not revolve around food itself, but rather the significance of handwashing (cf. Matt. 15:20).

Following this, the Lord chose to disengage from those who questioned Him, seeing them as ‘beyond healing,’ and turned His attention to the crowd to impart profound wisdom. Hear me all of you and comprehend! He commenced His address by revealing the essence of true defilement: ‘It is not what enters the mouth that makes a person unclean, but what proceeds from the mouth that defiles him. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!