Out of the Heart

“There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:15, 21-23

The Pharisees taught that there were certain times that water must be poured over the hands, and there were specific instructions for how it should be done. These rituals were not performed for the purpose of personal hygiene, but rather for fulfilling tradition. When the Pharisees saw that some of Jesus’ disciples had eaten without first performing the ceremonial pouring of water over the hands, they immediately asked Jesus why the disciples were not keeping the tradition of the elders. In His answer, Jesus made a distinction between physical and spiritual cleanliness. Our Lord explained that the food that we eat, regardless of whether or not we have washed our hands before we have eaten it, passes through our bodies with no effect on our spirituality. Of course, Jesus knew the value of the hygienic handwashing we practice today, but He also knew that hygiene was not a part of the Pharisee’s complaint. They believed that the disciples were becoming spiritually unclean because of their lack of observing this tradition. Jesus’ answer shows us that it is not what goes into our mouths, but what comes out of our hearts that reveals our spiritual condition.