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Explanation for:
Matthew
15
:
17
Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?
12
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Throughout the Gospel texts, those who are misguided and morally corrupt experience many temptations. Some assert that the Lord, who does not have familiarity with natural laws, believes that all sustenance merely ends up in the stomach and is expelled afterward. However, the reality is that the food consumed is distributed through the various parts of the body, vessels, and even reaches the very depths of the bones. Consequently, individuals suffering from ailments of the stomach may find themselves frequently vomiting, even after consuming significant quantities of food. Despite their immediate expulsion of what has been ingested, they can still feel satisfied because liquid sustenance interacts with the body upon contact. 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."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He spoke out and admonished them to eliminate bias, and not satisfied with just this, He added more: Whatever enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled, but what emerges from the mouth originates from the heart—this is what defiles a person; for from the heart arise wicked intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander—this is what defiles a person; however, eating with unwashed hands does not render a person unclean (Mt 15:17-20). Do you notice the severity of His rebuke? Then He substantiates His statement by referencing a fundamental law of nature for their correction. By stating, \\"It goes into the belly and is expelled,\\" He addresses the sensitivities of the Jewish people. 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."},{"author-name":"Chromatius of Aquileia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a3df6d7a747a33b4f4a_Chromatius%20of%20Aquileia.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The Pharisees, as Peter affirms, perceived the Lord’s statement, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man,” as a challenge. In ancient times, God established through Moses that not all foods are pure: some are considered clean, while others are deemed unclean. This leads us to ponder why, in those earlier days, God prohibited the consumption of impure items. Since all that God intended for human nourishment was created and blessed by Him from the beginning, and since it retains its original nature, why did His law later allow the people of Judah to partake in certain foods deemed clean while forbidding others viewed as unclean? \\n\\nFirst, 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."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The nourishment does not stay inside; rather, it exits without tainting the spirit of humanity in any manner, since it does not linger within."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"This passage invites critical reflection. In Mark 7:19, the author notes that what goes into the stomach is expelled, indicating that it does not taint the soul, as he states, \\"destroying all the broach,\\" meaning the pure remains untouched. The impurity mentioned exits into the waste, while all that is pure stays within, as much as nature can hold."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The items that are consumed do not affect the spirit, in which true moral excellence resides; rather, food merely passes through the digestive system and is ultimately eliminated after serving to sustain the body. Consequently, it does not inherently render a person unclean. In this discussion, food is considered solely on its own merits, without any consideration of the moral condition of the person consuming it or the nature and amount of food taken."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Do you not realize that anything that enters the mouth, providing the essential sustenance for the body, ultimately passes through and is discharged? Thus, if an individual consumes food not for enjoyment, but merely to alleviate hunger, and does so in moderation—only as much as required—then that food cannot render him impure, even if it is touched by unclean hands. The impurity that resides in the heart defiles a person not just by its presence, but even more so when it comes forth from within."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"Do you also fail to comprehend?\\" Christ inquired. \\"Do you not realize that nothing from outside a person can make them unclean?\\" (Mark 7:18). Such external things do not render him unclean because they do not penetrate his heart but rather enter his stomach and are expelled, thus purifying all food (Mk. 7:19). What truly corrupts a person, however, are the words that emerge from the mouth, which stem from the heart; for from within, out of the human heart, arise evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, greed, wickedness, deceit, foul language, an envious gaze, slander, arrogance, and foolishness—all these evils come from within and defile a person (Mk. 7:21-23). Therefore, eating with unclean hands does not contaminate a person. 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. \\n\\nFasting, 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."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Saviour instructed both the crowds and his disciples that in the heavenly kingdom, the purity of one's heart holds greater significance than merely the cleanliness of one's hands. ‘For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.’ These are what truly ‘defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man,’ and such a stipulation arises from a common desire for cleanliness, lacking any absolute moral weight, contrary to the interpretations of the Pharisees, who are ‘blind leaders of the blind.’"},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The disciples’ inability to grasp the profundities of the Kingdom of Heaven, as they had been granted understanding, warranted criticism. In response, Jesus Christ challenged them, asking, “Are you also without understanding? Do you not realize that whatever enters a person from the outside cannot render them unclean, as it does not penetrate their heart but rather goes into their belly, and is expelled, cleansing all that is within? But what comes out of the mouth originates from the heart, and that is what makes a person unclean.”"},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After confronting the insincerity of the Pharisees, the Lord drew the crowd near and taught them about what truly contaminates a person, rendering them guilty before God. He emphasized a fundamental principle: that what is consumed through the mouth does not make a person unclean, but rather, it is what emerges from the mouth that can defile an individual. Following this declaration, the Lord entered a home where His disciples approached Him with the report (noted exclusively in Matthew) that the Pharisees were offended by His teachings. The Apostles may have been unsettled by the notion that Christ's words, meant to enlighten, had instead caused temptation among those they were intended to uplift. 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).\\n\\nThe 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. \\n\\nSubsequently, 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."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"What, then, is the significance of the cryptic statement, \\"It shall not enter into the mouth\\"? Does it nullify the Mosaic laws regarding clean and unclean foods, or does it not? If it does, how can this be reconciled with the Lord’s reverence for the law, which led Him to dismiss the Korban tradition? If it does not nullify these laws, what is its intended meaning? The disciples struggled to comprehend this and sought clarification from the Lord. Peter inquired about the interpretation of this parable. The Lord, taken aback by their lack of insight, explained that food itself, as a mere external entity, cannot create moral impurity within. However, this does not imply that all food is morally neutral. 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."}]}
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