Matthew 15:12-20 · Bible study
Matthew 15:12-20 Commentary: The Heart’s True Defilement
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus redefines purity: it flows from the heart, not external rituals. See His response to offended Pharisees and the lessons for handling religious opposition.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Genuine defilement comes from the heart, not from external rituals or traditions.
- Key words: καρδία (kardia, heart), διαλογισμοί (dialogismoí, thoughts/reasonings), κοινόω (koinóō, defile, make common), ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν (eskandalisthēsan, were scandalized/offended), τυφλοί (tuphloí, blind).
- Main debate: Whether the “plant” (φυτεία) refers to the Pharisees’ teachings, their entire religious system as a body, or to false teachers in general. The metaphorical range is open, but all agree it represents something human that opposes God.
- Theological theme: Inner purity versus external religion; the heart as the source of both righteousness and sin.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of true holiness, the danger of human tradition overriding Scripture, and the gospel’s call to inner transformation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
12Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
15Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
16“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.
17“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?
18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
20These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.
14Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand?
17Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body?
18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
20These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
KJV King James Version 1769
12Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
15Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
12Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?
13But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.
14Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
15And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.
16And he said, Are ye also even yet without understanding?
17Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:
20these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
12Then his disciples having come near, said to him, `Hast thou known that the Pharisees, having heard the word, were stumbled?'
13And he answering said, `Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up;
14let them alone, guides they are--blind of blind; and if blind may guide blind, both into a ditch shall fall.'
15And Peter answering said to him, `Explain to us this simile.'
16And Jesus said, `Are ye also yet without understanding?
17do ye not understand that all that is going into the mouth doth pass into the belly, and into the drain is cast forth?
18but the things coming forth from the mouth from the heart do come forth, and these defile the man;
19for out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, false witnessings, evil speakings:
20these are the things defiling the man; but to eat with unwashen hands doth not defile the man.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
12Then his disciples, coming up, said to him, Dost thou know that the Pharisees, having heard this word, have been offended?
13But he answering said, Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up.
14Leave them alone; they are blind leaders of blind: but if blind lead blind, both will fall into a ditch.
15And Peter answering said to him, Expound to us this parable.
16But he said, Are ye also still without intelligence?
17Do ye not yet apprehend, that everything that enters into the mouth finds its way into the belly, and is cast forth into the draught?
18but the things which go forth out of the mouth come out of the heart, and those defile man.
19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies;
20these are the things which defile man; but the eating with unwashen hands does not defile man.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
12Then came his disciples, and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?
13But he answering, said: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit.
15And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.
16But he said: Are you also yet without understanding?
17Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?
18But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man.
19For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.
20These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 15:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this passage marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. The Pharisees have been offended by His teaching that defilement is moral, not ceremonial (v. 11). Adam Clarke notes that formalists and hypocrites are quick to take offense when their false props are questioned. Jesus disregards their anger. Calvin says He wants to keep distressed disciples from losing reverence for the doctrine. The “plant” in v. 13, the Greek φυτεία can mean “plantation”, is understood as a reference to the entire edifice of Pharisaic tradition, which, being not from God, will be uprooted (Gill, Clarke). Jesus’ command “Let them alone” (ἄφετε αὐτούς) dismisses obstinate opposition as unworthy of concern (Calvin, Wesley). The key point of consensus: outward religious acts cannot purify the heart. Only what proceeds from the heart, evil thoughts, murder, adultery, etc., actually defiles. The disciples’ slowness draws a gentle rebuke, but Jesus still teaches them, showing that even sincere followers need help grasping the radical shift from ritual to inner righteousness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- The plant as Pharisaic traditions: The immediate context (vv. 1-9) focuses on human traditions that nullify God’s commandments. The ‘plant’ is the body of oral law not rooted in Scripture (Clarke, Calvin).
- The plant as the Pharisees themselves: The Greek φυτεία can mean a ‘plantation’—the entire sect. Since the Pharisees opposed the kingdom, they will be removed (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- The parable of the blind guide as spiritual judgment: Jesus’ proverb (v. 14) extends beyond Pharisees to any teacher who lacks true spiritual sight. It warns against following leaders without discernment (all commentators).
What is clear: Jesus teaches that moral defilement originates in the human heart, not from external foods or ceremonial acts, and that religious leaders who oppose God’s truth are to be left to their own fate.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| What defiles a person | All Christian traditions agree that sin originates from the heart, not from external foods or rituals. Jesus’ words are taken as a clear statement that moral purity matters more than ceremonial purity. | Traditions differ on the degree to which ceremonial laws (e.g., dietary restrictions) remain binding. Catholics and Orthodox hold that the New Covenant sets aside the ceremonial law while maintaining moral law; some Protestant groups view Old Testament food laws as fully abrogated. |
| The meaning of ‘plant not planted by the Father’ | Commentators agree that the phrase refers to something opposed to God’s will, whether the traditions of the Pharisees, the Pharisees as a sect, or false teaching generally. | Some (e.g., Adam Clarke, Calvin) see it as the whole Pharisaic system of tradition. Others focus on the idea that it represents any teaching or institution not founded on God’s revelation, which could include everything from worldly philosophies to corrupted church practices. |
| The authority of church tradition | All Christians affirm that human traditions must not contradict God’s revealed will in Scripture. Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees for nullifying the commandment by their tradition (v. 6) sets a boundary. | Catholics and Orthodox recognize a role for oral tradition that is guided by the Holy Spirit and passed through the apostles, while Protestants generally maintain sola scriptura (Scripture alone as the final authority). The passage is read in light of these differing frameworks but is agreed to warn against elevating human custom above divine command. |
| Disciples’ slowness to understand | Commentators note that the disciples’ confusion shows even devoted followers can be slow to grasp radical truths. | Some (Calvin, Wesley) emphasize Jesus’ gentle patience, He rebukes but still explains, while others (Clarke, Gill) stress the reproof itself as a sign that the disciples should have known better given their time with Him. The pastoral application: both correction and patience are needed. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The dispute in Matthew 15:1, 20 arises from a confrontation with scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem over handwashing traditions. These purity rituals were part of the “tradition of the elders,” an oral law that had grown over centuries to protect the written Torah. By Jesus’ day, such customs held near-scriptural authority for many Jews. The specific issue in vv. 1, 9 was “Corban”, a practice that allowed a person to dedicate property to the temple instead of using it to support parents, effectively nullifying the command to honor father and mother. Jesus calls this a human invention that undermines God’s law.
The disciples are alarmed that the Pharisees were offended (v. 12). In the social world of first-century Galilee, the Pharisees were influential religious leaders. Losing their approval could mean public censure or loss of standing. The disciples likely worried about the mission’s reputation or feared outright conflict. Jesus refuses to negotiate. He compares the Pharisees to a plantation not rooted by God, soon to be pulled up (v. 13). He then uses a vivid proverb: blind guides leading the blind into a pit (v. 14). This imagery draws on Israel’s prophetic tradition (Isaiah 42:18, 19) and implies both spiritual blindness and judgment.
When the disciples still do not grasp the point, Jesus takes them aside, Mark 7:17 notes they were in a house, and gives the explanation (vv. 15, 20). He uses a blunt biological fact: food goes in, is digested, and passes out. The real problem is what comes from the heart. The list of sins in v. 19 follows the order of the Ten Commandments (Cambridge Bible, Vincent), covering evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and slanders. This shows that Jesus grounds His ethic in the moral law rather than in human tradition. The passage thus challenges any system, whether ancient or modern, that elevates external conformity over inner transformation.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical data note no significant textual variants for Matthew 15:12-20. The Greek text is well established. Some manuscripts include a reading of φυτεία (plantation) instead of the simple “plant,” but this affects the metaphor’s scope, not the passage’s core meaning. The various translations supplied (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby, Douay) show minor differences in renderings but no substantive variations.
Reception History
This passage has shaped Christian understanding of purity from the early church onward. Patristic writers like John Chrysostom and Augustine used it to argue that holiness is a matter of the heart, not external observances. In the medieval period, the text was often cited in debates over monastic rules and ceremonial washings. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin appealed to these verses to challenge traditions they saw as human inventions overriding Scripture. In modern times, the passage speaks to every movement that emphasizes inner change over religious ritual, from evangelical revivalism to contemporary discussions about legalism versus grace. It is frequently read in Lenten and repentance-focused liturgies across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions, calling believers to examine the heart rather than rest in outward religion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Offense of Truth: The disciples worried about the Pharisees’ reaction (v. 12). Jesus shows that teaching which exposes hypocrisy will always offend those whose identity rests on human tradition. Pastors must not shrink from speaking such truth.
- The Doom of False Religion: The “plant not planted by the Father” will be uprooted. Human religious systems, no matter how ancient, cannot stand if they resist God’s word. Leaders who are spiritually blind will fall into the pit along with those they lead (vv. 13, 14).
- The Heart as the True Source: Defilement does not come from outside (food, rituals) but from within. Jesus lists nine sins that originate in the heart. Real purity begins with a transformed inner self, not with external rules (vv. 15, 20).
Five-Point Outline
- Disciples’ Fear of Religious Opposition (v. 12): They sensed danger. Many congregations face pressure to keep quiet about difficult topics.
- God’s Sovereignty Over Human Systems (v. 13): Every plant not planted by the Father will be rooted up. Confidence in God’s ultimate judgment frees us from fear of human disapproval.
- The Danger of Blind Leadership (v. 14): False teachers cannot lead to the light. Both guide and follower are lost. The church must discern whom it follows.
- Jesus’ Patience with Slow Learners (vv. 15, 16): He rebukes disciples but still explains. Spiritual dullness is not final; Jesus continues to teach those who ask.
- The Catalog of Heart Sins (vv. 17, 20): Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, slander, these define true impurity. External compliance does not cleanse them. Only the gospel can purify the heart.
Illustration Hooks
- A pastor preaches a sermon on generous giving. A wealthy tither leaves the church, offended. The pastor must decide whether to soften the message or trust God with the outcome.
- A parent tries to keep their teenager from bad influences, only to discover that bitterness and pride are already festering in their child’s heart, and in their own. The problem is not the friends; it is the heart.
- A church focuses heavily on dress codes and food rules but ignores gossip and racial division among members. This passage flips that priority.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If I get angry but don’t act on it, does that still defile me? (Yes, Jesus includes “evil thoughts” in the list.)
- What do I do when a leader in my church or family is spiritually blind but refuses to admit it?
- How can I know if my faith is just outward habit or real inner change?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges every external measurement of holiness. The Pharisees had built a system around handwashing and traditions. Jesus dismantles that by tracing all impurity back to the heart. As you study together, ask yourselves: What do we rely on to feel clean before God? Where might we be more focused on appearances than on the condition of our hearts?
Discussion Questions
- What made the disciples think Jesus should be concerned about the Pharisees being offended? How do we sometimes share that same fear of human disapproval?
- Jesus says every plant not planted by the Father will be uprooted. In your own words, what does the “plant” represent? Why is Jesus so confident that it will not last?
- Read v. 14 again: “They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” How can we distinguish a true guide from a blind one? What warning does this give to those who teach?
- Peter asks for an explanation of the “parable.” Was their confusion understandable? What makes it hard for even close followers of Jesus to grasp His teaching about inner purity?
- Jesus lists sins that come from the heart: evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, slander (v. 19). Which of these do you find easiest to excuse? Which one seems least “serious” but still defiles?
- If eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person (v. 20), then what about other outward religious practices like liturgy, fasting, or dress codes? How do we keep them from becoming empty rituals?
- What is one practical step you can take this week to address the “heart issues” behind a recurring sin in your life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 22:13 | The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.” |
| I Kings 22:14 | Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak.” |
| Matthew 17:27 | But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.” |
| I Corinthians 10:32 | Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; |
| I Corinthians 10:33 | even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. |
| II Corinthians 6:3 | We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, |
| Galatians 2:5 | to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you. |
| James 3:17 | But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that Jesus redirects attention from outward rituals to the heart as the sole source of defilement. He catalogs each sin—evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, thefts, and more—as originating from within, with evil thoughts as
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the passage is not about rooting out human traditions or false teachings, but about how the gospel itself becomes deadly to reprobate people bent on their own destruction. He distinguishes sharply between weak believers who stumble through ignorance and obstinate scoffers who take willful offense. The latter, he says, we are simply to leave alone.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary frames these verses as the New Testament's central conflict between external religion and heart religion, linking it directly to Paul's contrast of law-righteousness and faith-righteousness. It notes that "every plant" refers not to wild flowers but to a cultivated vine, representing the carefully tended but false doctrine of the Pharisees.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Jesus deliberately spoke truth that offended the Pharisees, not as a mistake but as a necessary exposure. Such false teachers are plants the Father never planted and must be rooted out. Their anger proves their hypocrisy, and Christ's words are justified because they reveal the heart's true defilement.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Jesus dismisses the Pharisees' offense as irrelevant, for their corrupt teaching is already doomed like a plant the Father has not planted. The disciples' slowness to grasp this grieves Jesus, who then teaches that true defilement comes only from the evil stirring within the heart, not from anything external.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Jesus first overturned the authority of the elders' tradition, then overturned its entire rationale. The point is not just that food does not defile, but that the disciples had done nothing evil in itself. Jesus called the crowd back because the proud Pharisees had dismissed them, and he wanted the common people to hear this directly.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent connects Jesus' teaching to Plato, noting that both locate the source of all good and evil in the soul, which then overflows into outward life. He also specifies that the Greek word for thoughts means reasonings or disputings, like the Pharisees' argumentative questions.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley interprets "every plant" as every doctrine, and "let them alone" as a direct command not to concern ourselves with blind leaders of the blind. He also praises the sacred historians for candidly recording their own faults, and notes that the Greek word for railings covers all reviling, backbiting, and evil speaking.