The Meaning of Matthew 15:11 Explained

Matthew 15:11

KJV: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

YLT: not that which is coming into the mouth doth defile the man, but that which is coming forth from the mouth, this defileth the man.'

Darby: Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man; but what goes forth out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

ASV: Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Not  that which goeth  into  the mouth  defileth  a man;  but  that which cometh  out of  the mouth,  this  defileth  a man. 

What does Matthew 15:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 15:10-20 - What Really Defiles
It is good to study our Lord's list of the sources of soul-pollution. Evil thoughts come first. We cannot prevent an evil suggestion being presented to our minds, but we can refuse to dwell on it. To resist the inclination to dwell on it strengthens us in the opposite direction; to yield to it is to commit the sin in our heart, which, in God's sight, is equivalent to the outward act. Notice that railing, that is, unkind and uncharitable speech, is in this black-list.
The heart, rather than the body, is the source of sin. Out of the heart! The body is the dial-plate on which the soul registers its improvement or deterioration. Do not find fault with your members: look to your heart and keep it beyond keeping, for out of it are the issues of life. Ask God to create in you a clean heart. See that you distinguish between the first Adam and the second. Deny what you inherit of human weakness and sin, and affirm all that is of Christ's imparting. The cross of Calvary and the uprising of the living Christ are facts of perpetual experience. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 15

1  Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees
7  for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions;
10  teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man
21  He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan,
29  and other great multitudes;
32  and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men

Greek Commentary for Matthew 15:11

This defileth the man [τουτο κοινοι τον αντρωπον]
This word is from κοινος — koinos which is used in two senses, either what is “common” to all and general like the Koiné Greek, or what is unclean and “common” either ceremonially or in reality. The ceremonial “commonness” disturbed Peter on the housetop in Joppa (Acts 10:14). See also Acts 21:28; Hebrews 9:13. One who is thus religiously common or unclean is cut off from doing his religious acts. “Defilement” was a grave issue with the rabbinical ceremonialists. Jesus appeals to the crowd here: [source]
Hear and understand [ακουετε και συνιετε]
He has a profound distinction to draw. Moral uncleanness is what makes a man common, defiles him. That is what is to be dreaded, not to be glossed over. “This goes beyond the tradition of the elders and virtually abrogates the Levitical distinctions between clean and unclean” (Bruce). One can see the pettifogging pretenders shrivel up under these withering words. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 15:11

Matthew 15:15 Declare unto us the parable [πρασον μιν την παραβολην]
Explain the parable (pithy saying) in Matthew 15:11, not in Matthew 15:14. As a matter of fact, the disciples had been upset by Christ‘s powerful exposure of the “Corban” duplicity and the words about “defilement” in Matthew 15:11. [source]
Mark 7:14 Hear me all of you and understand [ακουσατε μου παντες και συνιετε]
A most pointed appeal to the people to see into and see through the chicanery of these ecclesiastics. See note on Matthew 15:11 for discussion. [source]
Colossians 3:8 Out of your mouth []
Construe with the preceding word. As Colossians 2:20-22suggests Christ's words in Matthew href="/desk/?q=mt+15:11&sr=1">Matthew 15:11, Matthew 15:18. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 15:11 mean?

Not what is entering into the mouth defiles the man but that going forth out of the mouth this
οὐ τὸ εἰσερχόμενον εἰς τὸ στόμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ τοῦ στόματος τοῦτο

εἰσερχόμενον  is  entering 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
στόμα  mouth 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
κοινοῖ  defiles 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κοινόω  
Sense: to make common.
ἄνθρωπον  man 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τὸ  that 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐκπορευόμενον  going  forth 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἐκπορεύομαι  
Sense: to go forth, go out, depart.
ἐκ  out  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
στόματος  mouth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.