Matthew 15:10-11

[10] And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand [11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, defileth a man.

What is the context of Matthew 15:10-11?

Defilement Is from Within (Matthew 15:10-20 true)
What Defiles a Person (Matthew 15:10-20 true)
Defilement from Within (Matthew 15:10-20 true)
Tradition and Commandment (Matthew 15:1-14 true)
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity (Matthew 15:1-20 true)
Defilement Comes from Within (Matthew 15:1-20 true)
That Which Defiles .( A .) (Matthew 15:1-20 true)
Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders (Matthew 15:1-20 true)

What does Matthew 15:10-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jesus had been responding to the question of His critics so far. Now He taught the assembled crowds the same lesson and at the same time gave a direct answer to the Pharisees and scribes. He responded with a parable ( Matthew 15:15). He did not utter this one to veil truth from the crowds, however. He urged them to hear and understand what he said ( Matthew 15:10). This parable (proverb, epigram) was a comparison for the sake of clarification. Yet some did not understand what Jesus said ( Matthew 15:15-16).

Jesus was speaking of ceremonial (ritual) defilement when He said that eating certain foods does not make one unclean. ^[1] This was a radical statement that went beyond even the Mosaic Law. Mark noted that when He said this Jesus declared all food clean ( Mark 7:19). As Messiah, Jesus was terminating the dietary distinction between clean and unclean foods that was such a large part of the Mosaic system of worship (cf. Acts 10:15; Romans 14:14-18; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:15). Matthew"s concern, however, was not to highlight this termination but to stress the point of Jesus" teaching. The point was that to God what proceeds from the heart is more important than what enters the mouth. Motives and attitudes are more significant than food and drink.