Exposition of Matthew (Matthew 15:10-20)

July 9, 2021 

(Jesus’ last days of earthly ministry)

Questions to be answered in this study

1. Why did Jesus ignore the washing rules of the Mishna? 
2. Why were the disciples fearful and concerned after Jesus confronted the Pharisees?
3. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to ignore the Pharisees since we are supposed to try and win unbelievers to Christ?
4. Why did the Pharisees not have the capacity to teach?
5. How can we determine a false teacher?
6. How can we tell what kind of person someone is without judging them?
7. Where is the origin of all personal sin?
8. What is one of the common ways we can identify with King David?
9. What was David’s first mistake when he committed adultery with Bathsheba?
10. What is the only way righteousness can be found?

Introduction

Today we continue our study on the errors of legalism as Jesus continues to answer the Pharisee’s question as to why He does not observe the rules of their Mishna. Jesus also has been training His disciples concerning the work of the kingdom in this section of Matthew. The confrontation with the Pharisees was an excellent opportunity to teach the disciples that the religious leaders they had grown up listening to were not correct in their theology, especially concerning works or, in their case, legalism. They did not know God; therefore, were wolves in sheep’s clothing. One of the Pharisee’s questions to Jesus concerned washing; washing before meals was a tradition handed down by the scribes and rabbis. Their washing rules were not rules given by God. Therefore, they were not binding on anyone and were in no way connected to righteousness. These rules were part of the routine by which the Pharisees claimed to be righteous. Jesus ignored their rules and taught His disciples to do likewise. In verses 10 and 11, Jesus continues to respond to the criticism of the self-righteous Pharisees:

Matthew 15:10-11, “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Jesus uses a parable to explain why the Pharisees’ teaching concerning washing was in error. He says, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Jesus is talking about food. It is not the food we eat; it is what we say that defiles us. It is even more profound than that; it is a sin within, which results in what we say or do. Also, we are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. The propensity to sin is already within each person from birth. The crowd once again did not understand what Jesus was talking about because Jesus continued to speak in code. Later in verse 15, Peter recognized this and asked Jesus what the meaning of the parable was.

Presently in verses 12-14, the disciples are concerned the way Jesus was describing the Pharisees:

Matthew 15:12-14, “Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Although Matthew doesn’t tell us, however, we know from Mark’s gospel this conversation occurred later in private. The disciples were concerned that Jesus had offended the Pharisees. Jesus accused the Pharisees of violating the Word of God by not honoring their parents by using the artificial Corban law; this was a new approach for the disciples because they had never seen the Pharisees being accused of dishonor. Always before, the Pharisees determined what was honorable. Violating their rules could impose the death penalty. No wonder the disciples were nervous. Perhaps they assumed that Jesus did not recognize that He was offending them. It seems they were being “politically correct” even in those days. In a indirect way, they were telling Jesus to tone it down. Jesus was not concerned with political correctness, nor was He worried about offending these offenders; He was involved with the truth. So should we today. Although it is not our purpose to invite trouble, our goal is to stand for the truth.

Jesus explains to the disciples why He was not concerned with the Pharisees by using still another parable: In verse 13, He says, “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” We saw this earlier in the parable of the wheat and the tares. The good seed that God planted survives while the bad seed sowed by the enemy is rooted up. The good seed represents true believers and the bad seed unbelievers. At harvest, the bad plants were gathered and burned. The equation is that believers enter the kingdom while unbelievers are cast into hell.

Jesus is saying that the Pharisees are unbelievers whose destiny is ultimately hell, and that should not have surprised the disciples since the lack of faith of the Pharisees was obvious. What Jesus says next is the most crucial point. In verse 14, Jesus commands His disciples to ignore them and let them alone. That is not something we should do today. We are to try and reach unbelievers, but this is different. The Pharisees had crossed over the line and committed the unpardonable sin. Jesus knew this, and that is why He says to ignore them; this is brought out in 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, “What we have received is not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ₁₃This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” We as believer need not be surprised when unbelievers consider us foolish for worshiping God.

The Pharisees were of the flesh and did not have the spiritual capacity to teach the truth. Today we are to ignore any teaching that is not in accord with God’s Word. To do that, we must first know the truth of God’s Word. We are not concerned about what others think when we speak the truth, even if it offends someone else or contradicts what they believe. It is not necessary to argue with them; ignore them and go on. The reason even some believers are pulled into a cult is because they are illiterate of the Bible. Two women approached me as I sat on a park bench and began to witness to me. I recognized immediately they were Jehovah Witnesses. I politely said I was not interested and that I was a Baptist. One of the women spoke up and said that she had been a Baptist but converted to Jehovah Witness. I had to then tell her what I believed was the truth. I said, the reason you converted was because you did not know what the Bible teaches to begin with, otherwise you would never would  have converted to a cult.

Jesus called these false teachers blind guides who would eventually fall into a pit. If we are gullible enough to follow them, so will we. This pit is not hell; we know that all unbelievers will eventually enter hell, but in this case, it means a failure to succeed. The woman I spoke of above may be a believer, but she will never succeed in a cult. Blind guides are false teachers who lead people in the wrong direction. We see them described in 2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” False teachers may appear to be wise and knowledgeable but are not what they seem to be. How can we determine a false teacher? It is by who they are more than by what they say. 

A teacher who does not demonstrate the truth by how they live is to be ignored. True teaches have the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit residing inside and are distinguished by the fruit they bear. This fruit is of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We are never perfect in this life. Therefore, this is not a standard of perfection but a standard of Spiritual control. If a teacher’s life is a departure from the Bible in significant ways, we are not to follow them lest we also become like them. We know a tree by its fruit; by that same token, we can see a person by the fruit they bear. False teachers are of Satan who suppresses the truth and spreads lies.

We must be careful not to have our little list of rules to abide by, thinking they are what makes us righteous. The sermon on the mount was not about doing but about being; they are called the beatitudes, the attitude of being, not doing. The point is before we can do anything, we must be something. That something is our faith in Jesus as our Lord and savior. Serve Christ faithfully and trust Him for the outcome.

So, after Jesus exposes the Pharisees as unbelievers, Peter speaks up to ask Jesus to explain the parable:

Matthew 15:15-20, “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

Notice first that Jesus rebukes Peter for not understanding the parable. I’m afraid He would condemn many of us also for knowing so little about the Bible, especially after being a believer for years. Then Jesus moves to explain what the parable meant. As we discussed above, Jesus is not talking about a physical problem; He is talking about the innate sinful nature of man. What we say or the actions we take are prompted by the sin that is within. It is not the food we eat and whether or not that we wash our hands before eating. The problem is far more significant. Our very thoughts, words, and actions come from a sinful nature. All sin starts in the heart; then, it germinates and is manifested by action.

According to Scripture, David was a man after God’s own heart, but at the same time, he was a gross sinner. David realized he had a sin problem and confesses it before God: “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me,” Psalm 51:2-5 (KJV).

We can identify with David because there is never a day when sin is not present with us. We have the potential for committing unimaginable sins just as David when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed so he could have her as his wife. Even though we are subject to temptation and sin, God provides a way to escape: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death,” James 1:12-15.

David’s first mistake came when he looked and saw Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop, and he lusted after her. Lust conceived and brought forth sin, and death came; not David’s death but the first child’s death with Bathsheba. Sin and corruption results in eternal death if the blood of Christ does not cover it.

The Apostle explains sin and its results: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans,” 7:18-21 (KJV).

Something we need to learn well is, there is no good lurking within us. We need a savior who paid our sin debt and stood ready to forgive us and cleanse us of every sin; that’s why we need Jesus; we not only need someone to pay for our sin, we need a long-term solution to the source of our evil nature and taking away our condemnation. That is the only way God will accept us. Not only that, but He also imputes His righteousness to our account that we might be acceptable before God. Our righteousness does not measure up to God’s perfect standard.

The point Jesus is making is, righteousness does not happen because of the food we eat or anything else we do, including our good works, baptism, or church membership. It is in Him and Him alone. There is no set of rules or actions that brings salvation. If there where Jesus would not have died in our stead. No matter what we do, we are still sinners in need of forgiveness.

The law was given to expose our sins: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, Romans 3:20-23 (KJV).

Just as Jesus told the Pharisees, it is not what goes into the mouth that defies; it is what comes out of the mouth that shows us to be sinners. The only way righteousness can be found is to address the problem within by becoming a new person in Christ who gives us a new nature. The idea that keeping the law or living by a set of rules brings righteousness, as taught by the Pharisees, as well as others today, is what Jesus was condemning. We in Christ have been set free from the penalty of the law. We now have liberty in Christ. God’s plan for us is to grow in grace through sanctification, and one day when we stand before Christ, we will be like him.