Matthew 15:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He clarifies that food does not linger in the stomach but rather exits, asserting that if it remained there, it would not defile the person; yet they struggled to grasp this. Therefore, the lawgiver permits them to remain unwashed while food is within, but once it is expelled, He instructs them to wash and be cleansed in the evening, according to the time required for digestion and elimination. Yet, He declares that the impurity of the heart persists within and defiles a person, not only when it is present but also when it is expressed outwardly. He first lists the evil thoughts that are particularly associated with the Jews, and rather than relying solely on the nature of things for evidence, He indicates that some originate in the womb and others in the heart, with some remaining in a person while others do not. What comes into a person from the outside is expelled once again, but that which arises from within him defiles him even once it has departed, and even more so. He presented this reasoning because the disciples, as I mentioned, were not yet ready to comprehensively understand it.

Unfortunately, these interpreters, in their attempt to highlight another's lack of understanding, inadvertently expose their own. Truly, even thinner fluids and liquid nourishment, once metabolized and absorbed within the body’s systems, are ultimately directed to the lower regions and expelled through subtle openings, referred to by the Greeks as πόρους.

First, such regulations were instituted by the Lord in response to the reckless and indulgent desires of the people. Engaged in feasting and revelry, they began to neglect God’s commandments, creating a golden calf at Horeb. As recorded, “the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play” (Ex. 32:6). These prohibitions were necessary so that the people, by refusing lesser foods and tempering their excessive cravings, might more willingly align themselves with God's authority. The enactment of this prohibition came only after their transgression with the golden calf. Therefore, the Lord, in his gentle and gracious manner, declared to them, “she shall be unclean to you.” This does not imply that the food itself is unclean, but rather that “it shall be” regarded as such. Moreover, He did not say “for all” but “for you,” indicating that the food was not intrinsically unclean or unclean for others. Additionally, this people warranted such a restriction, as they chose Egyptian delicacies, cucumbers, and melons over the heavenly manna provided to them.

As long as divine ordinances exist, their relevance remains; consuming food contrary to these laws renders a person impure, stemming from a heart that disregards the law and seeks to satisfy the flesh. The other aspect of the parable conveys that the origin of moral impurity resides in the human heart, thus those desiring to remain holy before God must cleanse their hearts. The Lord did not address the laws concerning clean and unclean foods, which were to conclude with the termination of the Old Testament system upon the advent of the New Covenant between God and humanity, and the implantation of the spiritual law in the hearts of the new Israel. Yet, He nonetheless illuminated to His disciples that these external laws are, even now, significantly inferior to the internal ones.

Or perhaps they themselves found challenge in His assertion regarding the lack of defilement from what is ingested (v. 11. λόγον v. 12 = παραβολην ταυτην v. 15), and sought to bring this matter to the Lord's attention regarding the Pharisees' offense, prompting Him to expound on His earlier statement (v. 11. λόγον v. 12 = παραβολην ταυτην v. 15).

The statement in verse 11 had ensnared the Pharisees; they were so entrenched in the belief of the importance of ritual hand-washing for spiritual cleanliness that they perceived Christ's words as a threat to their traditional observances. They were likely aggrieved that Christ had addressed the crowd, undermining their authority with His teaching. In response to the report of the Pharisees' temptation, Christ referred either to the Pharisaic doctrine, which was of human invention and not divine origin, and thus needed to be discarded, or to the Pharisees themselves, indicating they had strayed from God's guidance. Despite holding positions as leaders and instructors, they were not aligned with God's intentions, nor were they following His law, and thus lacked His special providence; they were destined for destruction (έκριζόω cf. 13:29-30). Therefore, He instructed His followers to disregard them. In this context, it meant to avoid their teachings to prevent falling into the same pitfalls, and in the second sense, to leave them to their own devices.

Subsequently, the Apostle Peter, representing the disciples, requested the Lord to clarify His teaching, which remained elusive to them, about defilement from what enters the mouth and what does not. The Lord straightforwardly explained that when He spoke of what enters the mouth, He referred to food, and what comes out of the mouth pertained to all malicious thoughts, desires, and intentions arising from the heart. These latter expressions reveal the moral corruption of the human spirit, demonstrating its true nature, while food, once consumed, simply passes through the body without affecting one's inner being.

The explanation of our Lord's words is clear and needs no further elaboration. Yet, some conclude from these statements that Christ dismissed the practice of fasting, a perspective we cannot endorse.

Fasting, whether through total abstinence from food or by consuming minimal amounts necessary for survival, has long been recognized as a significant means of resisting the fleshly desires. Individuals who aspire to lead a life of reason, rather than one of carnal indulgence, have typically sought to restrain their urges, aligning them with their spirit. They understand that excessive food intake and certain types of food, like meat and wine, tend to exacerbate passions and dull the conscience. Consequently, these individuals have often turned to complete fasting, refraining from specific foods, or adopting a notably moderate diet. Christ Himself encouraged His followers to combat the desires of the flesh and, as a model for us, He fasted for forty days in the wilderness. Thus, we cannot conclude from His assertion, "Not what goes into the mouth makes a person unclean," that He dismissed the importance and necessity of fasting. His emphasis was on the truth that what renders a person unworthy of the Kingdom of Heaven are evil thoughts and wicked actions, not the consumption of food without adhering to the ritual purity observed by the Pharisees. By stating that eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person, He clarified the genuine meaning of this dialogue and dispelled any confusion surrounding it.