10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
William Barclay: "If religion (meaning Christian faith) consists in external regulations and observances it is two things. It is far too easy... Further... it is quite misleading. Many a man has a faultless life in externals, but has the bitterest and the most evil thoughts within his heart, and the teaching of Jesus is that not all the outward observances in the world can atone for a heart where pride and bitterness and lust hold sway. It is Jesus' teaching that the part of a man that matters is his heart. 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matthew 5:8)...
"What matters to God is not so much how we act, but why we act; not so much what we actually do, but what we wish in our heart of hearts to do. 'Man,' as Aquinas had it, 'sees the deed, but God sees the intention.'
"It is Jesus' teaching--and it is the teaching which condemns every one of us--that no man can call himself a good man because he observes external rules and regulations; he can only call himself a good man when his heart is pure. And that very fact is the end of pride, and the reason why every one of us can only say, ' God be merciful to me a sinner.'" (Barclay in The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2, pp. 131-132).
William Barclay: "If religion (meaning Christian faith) consists in external regulations and observances it is two things. It is far too easy... Further... it is quite misleading. Many a man has a faultless life in externals, but has the bitterest and the most evil thoughts within his heart, and the teaching of Jesus is that not all the outward observances in the world can atone for a heart where pride and bitterness and lust hold sway. It is Jesus' teaching that the part of a man that matters is his heart. 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matthew 5:8)...
"What matters to God is not so much how we act, but why we act; not so much what we actually do, but what we wish in our heart of hearts to do. 'Man,' as Aquinas had it, 'sees the deed, but God sees the intention.'
"It is Jesus' teaching--and it is the teaching which condemns every one of us--that no man can call himself a good man because he observes external rules and regulations; he can only call himself a good man when his heart is pure. And that very fact is the end of pride, and the reason why every one of us can only say, ' God be merciful to me a sinner.'" (Barclay in The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2, pp. 131-132).
Oh my Lord,
Having prayed the sinner's prayer in faith, I know Your genuine forgiveness. You have granted me spiritual adoption into the Your family and regeneration to a new life in Jesus Christ. You have opened the door to intimate relationship with Yourself, Triune God. Your new life calls me to deeper holiness and wholeness--a transformed heart, Spirit fullness, unified motives, relational integrity, surrendered ambitions, and crucified rights. Only in the active and ongoing experience of the Spirit-filled life may I be sourced with Your power to meet Your requirements for pure motives from my heart.
Oh make me clean, Oh make me clean,
My eyes thy holiness have seen!
Oh send the burning, cleansing flame;
And make me clean, in Jesus name!
(Author Unknown)
Your inner holiness in me will offend those who insist that external rules and regulations define holiness. Fill me with Your irrefutable perfect love.
I love You. I need You. I trust Your cleansing and infilling grace to make me clean and unite my heart in Your holiness.
Amen.
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