Inner Purity
Matthew 15
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”
13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”
16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
So...what must we do, among other things, if we would love life, and see good days?
"For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." 1 Peter 3:10.
What words has Paul left on record concerning corrupt communication, foolish talking and jesting?
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth." Eph. 4:29.
"Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks." Eph. 5:4.
What did the Saviour say about idle words?
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12:36.
From what does he who keeps his mouth and tongue, keep his soul?
"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." Prov. 21:23.
How is he who holds his peace, under certain circumstances, regarded by people of good sense?
"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." Prov. 17:28.
What influence have kind words and a wholesome tongue upon others?
"A soft answer turneth away wrath." Prov. 15:1. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life." Prov. 15:4.
What is the effect of grievous words?
"Grievous words stir up anger." Prov. 15:1. "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword." Prov. 12:18.
Contrast the abiding future of the truthful, with the brief continuance of such as speak falsely?
"The lip of truth shall be established forever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Prov. 12:19.
Are words a sure index of the heart?
"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matt. 12:34.
What is said of the man who offends not in word?
"If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." James 3:2.
What is said of the professed Christian whose language is unbecoming?
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, ... this man's religion is vain." James 1:26.
Will our words have weight in the judgment?
"For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. 12:37.
By these forcible scriptures, what startling truth is established?
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Prov. 18:21.
What should be the constant prayer of each heart?
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Ps. 19:14.
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”
13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”
16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
So...what must we do, among other things, if we would love life, and see good days?
"For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." 1 Peter 3:10.
What words has Paul left on record concerning corrupt communication, foolish talking and jesting?
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth." Eph. 4:29.
"Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks." Eph. 5:4.
What did the Saviour say about idle words?
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12:36.
From what does he who keeps his mouth and tongue, keep his soul?
"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." Prov. 21:23.
How is he who holds his peace, under certain circumstances, regarded by people of good sense?
"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." Prov. 17:28.
What influence have kind words and a wholesome tongue upon others?
"A soft answer turneth away wrath." Prov. 15:1. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life." Prov. 15:4.
What is the effect of grievous words?
"Grievous words stir up anger." Prov. 15:1. "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword." Prov. 12:18.
Contrast the abiding future of the truthful, with the brief continuance of such as speak falsely?
"The lip of truth shall be established forever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Prov. 12:19.
Are words a sure index of the heart?
"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matt. 12:34.
What is said of the man who offends not in word?
"If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." James 3:2.
What is said of the professed Christian whose language is unbecoming?
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, ... this man's religion is vain." James 1:26.
Will our words have weight in the judgment?
"For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. 12:37.
By these forcible scriptures, what startling truth is established?
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Prov. 18:21.
What should be the constant prayer of each heart?
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Ps. 19:14.
posted by Michael A. Redwine at Tuesday, January 23, 2007
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