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ParablesParable of The Heart of Man:

Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23 Defilement Comes from Within-

The scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem approached Jesus and questioned Him about why His disciples were not following the traditions of the elders. They pointed out that the disciples were eating bread without washing their hands first.

In response, Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees why they were ignoring God's commandments in favor of their own traditions. He reminded them that God commanded to honor your father and mother, and that anyone who curses their parents should face serious consequences. However, the scribes and Pharisees had a loophole, saying that if someone declared their support as a gift, they didn’t have to honor their parents, effectively nullifying God's command through their traditions.

Jesus called them hypocrites and referenced a prophecy from Isaiah, saying that they honor God with their words but their hearts are far away from Him. Their worship is meaningless because they teach human rules instead of God’s commandments.

Then, Jesus gathered the crowd and told them to listen and understand: it’s not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes them unclean, but what comes out of it that truly defiles them.

Later, the disciples informed Jesus that the Pharisees were upset by His words. Jesus replied that any plant not planted by His Father will be uprooted, advising them to leave the Pharisees alone since they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into a pit.

Peter then asked Jesus to clarify the parable. Jesus responded, questioning their understanding: don’t they realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth originates from the heart, and that is what makes a person unclean.

He explained that evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, and slander come from the heart. These are the things that defile a person, while eating with unwashed hands does not.

This parable teaches us that while washing our hands before meals is important, it's even more crucial to recognize that the words we say can harm us.

Have you ever lost your temper with someone you care about and ended up yelling hurtful things? We’ve all been there. We’ve also experienced it when someone we love gets angry and lashes out at us. How did that make you feel? Isn’t it true that everyone feels hurt in those situations? So, what can you do to prevent saying hurtful things?

Jesus told his disciples that what comes out of our mouths reflects what’s in our hearts, and that can corrupt us. Evil thoughts can arise from the heart, leading to doubts and questioning what’s true. When Jesus talked about murder, it was clear what he meant. He also mentioned adultery, which involves betrayal and dishonesty. Fornication relates to adultery and includes forbidden sexual behavior. Theft is straightforward, and false witness refers to lying or giving misleading testimony. Lastly, blasphemy involves damaging someone’s reputation through harmful speech.

These actions are what truly corrupt a person. Not washing your hands before eating only affects your stomach; it doesn’t taint your inner self.

(Matthew 15:10-20) "Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides.[a] If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”Parable of The Heart of Man: Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23 Defilement Comes from Within- The scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem approached Jesus and questioned Him about why His disciples were not following the traditions of the elders. They pointed out that the disciples were eating bread without washing their hands first. In response, Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees why they were ignoring God's commandments in favor of their own traditions. He reminded them that God commanded to honor your father and mother, and that anyone who curses their parents should face serious consequences. However, the scribes and Pharisees had a loophole, saying that if someone declared their support as a gift, they didn’t have to honor their parents, effectively