What is the meaning of Matthew 15:18?

But the things that come out of the mouth

- Jesus shifts the focus from external rituals to spoken words.

- Our words reveal what is truly happening inside us. Matthew 12:34 confirms, “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

- James 3:10 reminds us that praise and cursing should not flow from the same mouth, underscoring the seriousness of speech.

- Practical takeaways:

• Pause before speaking (Proverbs 10:19).

• Aim for words that build up, not tear down (Ephesians 4:29).

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come from the heart

- In Scripture, the “heart” is the control center of thoughts, desires, and will.

- Proverbs 4:23 counsels, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.”

- Jeremiah 17:9 exposes the problem: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”

- Only God can give a changed heart (Ezekiel 36:26; Psalm 51:10).

- Therefore, transformation begins internally, not with outward rule-keeping.

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and these things defile a man

- “Defile” means to make unclean before God. The issue is moral impurity, not ceremonial dirt.

- Jesus repeats this in Mark 7:20-23, listing evil thoughts, immorality, theft, and slander—all heart-born sins.

- Isaiah 64:6 shows that even “righteous” acts are filthy apart from God’s cleansing.

- Christ offers that cleansing through His blood (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:14).

- Daily renewal follows: confess, repent, and let the Spirit produce pure speech and conduct (Galatians 5:22-23).

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summary

Matthew 15:18 teaches that words expose the true condition of the heart, and that heart-rooted sin—not external factors—makes a person unclean before God. Transformation requires a new heart from the Lord, guarded diligently so that pure, life-giving words replace defiling speech.