Luke 11:37-44 Meaning: A Dinner That Reveals the Heart
37Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in and sat at the table.
38When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.
39The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
40You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also?
41But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.
42But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”
37And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
37Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first bathed himself before dinner.
39And the Lord said unto him, Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
40Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also?
41But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.
42But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces.
44Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not.
37And in his speaking, a certain Pharisee was asking him that he might dine with him, and having gone in, he reclined (at meat),
38and the Pharisee having seen, did wonder that he did not first baptize himself before the dinner.
39And the Lord said unto him, `Now do ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the plate make clean, but your inward part is full of rapine and wickedness;
40unthinking! did not He who made the outside also the inside make?
41But what ye have give ye as alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you.
42`But woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting.
43`Woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places.
44`Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye are as the unseen tombs, and the men walking above have not known.'
37But as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him that he would dine with him; and entering in he placed himself at table.
38But the Pharisee seeing [it] wondered that he had not first washed before dinner.
39But the Lord said to him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but your inward [parts] are full of plunder and wickedness.
40Fools, has not he who has made the outside made the inside also?
41But rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you.
42But woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb, and pass by the judgment and the love of God: these ye ought to have done, and not have left those aside.
43Woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye love the first seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market-places.
44Woe unto you, for ye are as the sepulchres which appear not, and the men walking over them do not know [it].
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jesus accept a hostile dinner invitation? He turned a ritual dispute into a lesson on inner purity vs. religious hypocrisy.
Context
Luke places this scene after Jesus’ teaching on the light within. A Pharisee invites Jesus to eat with him. Jesus accepts and reclines at the table without performing the customary hand-washing. The host is shocked. Jesus uses the moment to expose a deeper problem: the Pharisees’ obsession with outward cleanliness while their hearts are full of greed and evil. He pronounces three ‘woes,’ condemning their focus on minor rules over justice and love, their love of public honor, and their hidden corruption that defiles others unknowingly. The passage shows Jesus not avoiding confrontation but meeting it with truth, even at the dinner table.
Key Words
Two ordinary words carry surprising weight here. The Greek verb translated ‘washed’ is ebaptisthe, the same root as baptize. It means to dip or immerse. The Pharisee expected Jesus to undergo a ceremonial bath before eating. Jesus bypasses it to make a point: outward ritual cannot clean what is inside.
Then Jesus calls them ‘hypocrites.’ The Greek hupokritai originally meant actors on a stage, people playing a part. The Pharisees were performing religion, not living it.
Finally, Jesus says to give alms from what is within. The word ‘alms’ is eleēmosynē, which means mercy or charity in action. He is not commanding a new ritual but pointing to a transformed heart that overflows in generosity. When the inside is given to love, everything becomes clean.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a strong warning against hypocrisy. The Reformers like Calvin saw it as a call to genuine inner purity rather than ceremonies. Wesley and the Methodists emphasized the command to give alms as evidence of a cleansed heart. Catholic commentators often note that Jesus does not reject tithing or ritual but insists on justice and love as primary. Eastern Orthodox readers highlight the theme of the heart’s purification. Despite different emphases, all agree that Jesus calls for integrity: the outward life must match the inward reality.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think Jesus is dismissing the ceremonial washing laws as pointless. In fact, Jesus affirms that even small commands should be kept: ‘These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.’ The issue is not the ritual itself but using it to avoid the weightier matters of justice and love. The Pharisees tithed garden herbs but ignored God’s heart for mercy.
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to the gap between your public image and private thoughts. In what areas do you focus on looking right while ignoring what is truly inside? It might be how you speak at church versus how you speak at home. Or how you give to charity but resent a coworker. Jesus invites you to start with the inside. Let your heart be shaped by generosity and justice. When you give from what is within, everything becomes clean. You don’t need to perfect the outside first. Let the internal change flow outward.
Main takeaway: God sees the heart, so clean the inside first, and the rest of your life will follow.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus went to eat at a friend’s house. The friend was upset because Jesus didn’t wash his hands before dinner. Jesus said it’s more important to have a clean heart than clean hands.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus used a dinner invitation to teach a hard lesson. The Pharisees cared a lot about looking good on the outside, like washing cups and tithing tiny herbs, but their hearts were full of selfishness and pride. Jesus tells us to clean our hearts first, because what’s inside shows up in how we treat people.
Questions People Ask
Why didn't Jesus wash his hands before the meal?
Jesus wasn't rejecting hygiene. He was rejecting the tradition that made hand-washing a sign of spiritual purity. He wanted to show that external rituals cannot clean a heart full of greed.
What does it mean to 'give alms of such things as you have'?
This phrase is debated. Some translations say 'give what is within you as alms.' Jesus probably means to let the inner transformation produce generosity. When you give from a cleansed heart, all things become clean.
What are the 'woes' in this passage?
‘Woe’ is an exclamation of grief or judgment. Jesus pronounces three woes: one for tithing tiny herbs but neglecting justice and love, one for loving public honor, and one for being like hidden graves that secretly defile people.
Does Jesus condemn tithing here?
No. He says, 'These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.' He affirms tithing but insists that justice and love are more important. The problem is the priorities, not the practice.
Why did Jesus accept the Pharisee's invitation if he knew they were hostile?
Jesus often accepted invitations from Pharisees and used the opportunity to teach. He was not afraid to confront hypocrisy directly, even at the dinner table. His love for truth extended to all people, including his opponents.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study