Matthew 15:15-20

Ver 15. Then answered Peter and said unto him, "Declare unto us this parable." 16. And Jesus said, "Are ye also yet without understanding? 17. Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the 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 unwashen hands defileth not a man."

Remig.: The Lord was used to speak in parables, so that Peter when he heard, "That which entereth into the mouth, defileth not a man," thought it was spoken as a parable, and asked, as it follows; "Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable." And because he asked this on behalf of the rest, they are all included in the rebuke, "But he said, Are ye also yet without understanding?"

Jerome: He is reproved by the Lord, because He supposed that to be spoken parabolically, which was indeed spoken plainly. Which teaches us that the hearer is to be blamed who would take dark sayings as clear, or clear sayings as obscure.

Chrys.: Or, The Lord blames him, because it was not from any uncertainty that he asked this, but from offence which he had taken. The multitudes had not understood what had been said; but the disciples were offended at it, whence at the first they had desired to ask Him concerning the Pharisees, but had been stayed by that mighty declaration, "Every plant, &c."

But Peter, who is ever zealous, is not silent even so; therefore the Lord reproves him, adding a reason for His reproof, "Do ye not understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?"

Jerome: Some cavil at this, that the Lord is ignorant of physical disputation in saying that all food goes into the belly, and is cast out into the draught; for that the food, as soon as it is taken, is distributed through the limbs, the veins, the marrow, and the nerves. But it should be known, that the lighter juices, and liquid food after it has been reduced and digested in the veins and vessels, passes into the lower parts through those passages which the Greeks call 'pores,' and so goes into the draught.

Aug., de Vera Relig., 40: The nourishment of the body being first changed into corruption, that is, having lost its proper form, is absorbed into the substance of the limbs, and repairs their waste, passing through a medium into another form, and by the spontaneous motion of the parts is so separated, that such portions as are adapted for the purpose are taken up into the structure of this fair visible, while such as are unfit are rejected through their own passages. One part consisting of faeces is restored to earth to reappear again in new forms; another part goes off in perspiration; and another is taken up by the nervous system for the purposes of reproduction of the species.

Chrys.: But the Lord in thus speaking answers His disciples after Jewish infirmity; He says that the food does not abide, but goes out; but if it did abide, yet would it not make a man unclean. But they could not yet hear these things. Thus Moses also pronounces that they continued unclean, so long as the food continued in them; for he bids them wash in the evening, and then they should be clean; calculating the time of digestion and egestion.

Aug., de Trin., xv, 10: And the Lord includes herein man's two mouths, one of the body, one of the heart. For when He says, "Not all that goeth into the mouth defileth a man," He clearly speaks of the body's mouth; but in that which follows, He alludes to the mouth of the heart; "But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile a man."

Chrys.: For the things which are of the heart, remain within a man, and defile him in going out of him, as well as in abiding in him; yea, more in going out of him; wherefore He adds, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts;" He gives these the first place, because this was the very fault of the Jews, who laid snares for Him.

Jerome: The principle therefore of the soul is not according to Plato in the brain, but according to Christ in the heart, and by this passage we may refute those who think that evil thoughts are suggestions of the Devil, and do not spring from our proper will. The Devil may encourage and abet evil thoughts, but not originate them. And if he be able, being always on the watch, to blow into flame any small spark of thought in us, we should not thence conclude that he searches the hidden places of the heart, but that from our manner and motions he judges of what is passing within us.

For instance, if he see us direct frequent looks towards a fair woman, he understands that our heart is wounded through the eye.

Gloss., non occ.: And from evil thoughts proceed evil deeds and evil words, which are forbidden by the law; whence He adds "Murders," which are forbidden by that commandment of the Law, "Thou shalt not kill;" "Adulteries, fornications," which are understood to be forbidden by that precept, "Thou, shalt not commit adultery;" "Thefts," forbidden by the command, "Thou shalt not steal;" "False witness," by that, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour;" "Blasphemies," by that, "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain."

Remig.: Having named the vices which are forbidden by the divine Law, the Lord beautifully adds, "These are they that defile a man," that is, make him unclean and impure.

Gloss., non occ.: And because these words of the Lord had been occasioned by the iniquity of the Pharisees, who preferred their traditions to the commands of God, He hence concludes that there was no necessity for the foregoing tradition, "But to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man."

Chrys.: He said not that to eat the meats forbidden in the Law defiles not a man, that they might not have what to answer to Him again; but He concludes in that concerning which the disputation had been.