`Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be

clean also' (Matt. 23:26).

The clean in heart, not the ceremonially and externally clean, not as the whitewashed sepulchres, these and

these alone should see the kingdom. So superficial had become the ideas of men at the time of Christ, that He

early disturbed the self-righteous complacency of those who thought that they were safe:

`Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That

whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart' (Matt.

`The tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of

the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh' (Matt. 12:33,34).

Thus the Lord would teach that just as the fruit of a tree indicates the nature of the tree itself, so the fruit of

the lips will show the nature of the heart which gives that fruit origin. Once again, in answer to the Lawyer's

question, the Lord puts the heart in the first place:

`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind' (Matt.

Heart first, mind last. The mere intellectualism which always accompanies a pharisaical spirit is placed by

its advocates foremost, while the heart is placed last. Not so, in the Lord's estimate. He does not call upon us to

quibble over the petty details which occupied the little minds of these formalists, but urges love of heart first and

The words of the Revised Version of Mark 7:19, `This he said making all meats clean', should be noted.

These words are the inspired comment upon the Lord's teaching. It indicated the trend of His teaching, and the

effect of His work. It lifted the one who believed Him above the sphere wherein such observances were of

service. It entirely discountenanced the teaching of the Pharisees. The spirit of the lesson is echoed in an

apocryphal addition to Luke 6:5 found in the Codex Bezae:

`On the same day, seeing one working on the Sabbath, He said to him, O man, if indeed thou knowest what

thou doest, thou art blessed, but if thou knowest not, thou art accursed, and a transgressor of the Law'.

Let us now examine the list of sins which the Lord said did defile a man, coming as they did out of the heart.

EVIL THOUGHTS.- The word `thought' is dialogismos:

`When Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts' (Luke

`The scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an

accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts' (Luke 6:7,8).

So also Luke 2:35; 9:46,47; 24:38; and James 2:4.

The word `evil' is poneros:

`Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?' (Matt. 9:4).

`O generation of vipers, how can ye (Pharisees, see verse 24), being evil, speak good things? for out of the

abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh' (Matt. 12:34).

`An evil and adulterous generation' (Matt. 12:39).

It seems fairly clear that the Lord had the Pharisees and Scribes in view when He uttered the words in the

parable concerning evil thoughts.

MURDERS (phonos).- The word occurs in connection with Barabbas in Mark 15:7 and Luke 23:19,25.

`Destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city' (Matt. 22:7). Refer back to the related parable in

Matthew 21:38,39 for the full force of this passage. Note verses 45 and 46, and 22:15, and see how the

Pharisees realize that the Lord meant to indicate them under this awful title. Matthew 5:22 has already made it

clear how `murder' may be charged against these plotting enemies of the Lord. The Pharisees and Scribes are

again charged with this foul crime in Matthew 23:31-39.