Matthew 15:18 Meaning and Explanation
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus teaches that what comes out of the mouth springs from the heart, and this is what defiles a person.
What Does Matthew 15:18 Mean?
Now Jesus names the true source. What proceeds out of the mouth, our words and the deeds they express, comes forth from the heart, and these are what defile a person. He traces speech back to its origin in the inner person. The mouth is only the outlet; the heart is the spring. What we say and do reveals the condition of what lies within.
This turns the whole question of purity inward. Cleanness is not maintained by ritual but by a heart made right. If defilement rises from within, then it is the heart that must be tended, cleansed, and changed. Jesus points us beyond outward observance to the deep work of God in the inner person, where alone true purity, and true defilement, begins.
Matthew 15:18 in the Original Language
kardia (καρδία), 'heart' -- the inward seat of thought and will from which words and deeds spring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 15:18
What does Matthew 15:18 mean?
Jesus teaches that what comes out of the mouth springs from the heart, and this is what defiles a person.