BEREAN.AI ← Ask a Question

Jesus Teaches About the Defilement of the Heart

Jesus taught that defilement originates not from external factors, but from the inner state of the human heart. This teaching is prominently featured in Matthew 15:18, where Jesus states, "But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man" [2]. This statement underscores a core biblical understanding of the heart as the central wellspring of human life and spiritual activity [4].

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah similarly describes the heart as "deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?" [1]. This ancient understanding aligns with Jesus' teaching, emphasizing that sin and defilement stem from an internal corruption rather than external rituals or dietary laws [11]. The heart, in biblical terms, is the "home of the personal life," encompassing one's wisdom, purity, uprightness, and piety [4]. Therefore, when Jesus speaks of the heart's defilement, he refers to a corruption of this inner core of a person's being.

The concept of deceit, for instance, is explicitly linked to the heart in both the Old and New Testaments. Torrey's Topical Textbook notes that deceit "comes from the heart" and is a "characteristic of the heart" [3]. This internal deceit manifests in various ways, including falsehood and the use of the tongue as an instrument of deceit [3]. Unbelief, too, is described as proceeding from "an evil heart" and "slowness of heart" [5]. These examples illustrate how the heart's condition directly influences a person's actions and spiritual state.

Sin itself is depicted as originating from the heart. Matthew 15:19, following Jesus' statement about defilement, lists various evils that come from the heart, such as evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander [7]. These are not merely external acts but are rooted in the internal disposition. The "imaginations of the unrenewed heart" are considered sinful [7].

The call to "circumcise the foreskin of their hearts" in Deuteronomy 10:16, as interpreted by Keil & Delitzsch, means to shed "all insensibility of heart to impressions from the love of God" and to cease "obstinate resistance to God" [8]. This spiritual circumcision is presented as essential for true fear and love of God [8]. This Old Testament concept foreshadows Jesus' emphasis on the internal condition.

Jesus' teaching on the defilement of the heart contrasts with external religious observances that might have been emphasized in his time. He consistently pointed to the inner person as the source of righteousness or unrighteousness. For instance, he condemned hypocritical judgment, stating that those who condemn others will be judged by the same standard, implying that judgment is an act of pride originating from within [9]. Similarly, his teachings on the cost of discipleship, including self-denial, highlight the necessity of an internal transformation and commitment [6, 12, 13]. The rich man's inability to humble himself and trust God, as noted in Matthew 19:23, further illustrates how internal attitudes hinder spiritual progress [10].

Sources

  1. Jeremiah “Jeremiah 17:9 (LEB) — The heart is deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?”
  2. Matthew “But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. -- Matthew 15:18”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Deceit — Is falsehood -- Ps 119:118. The tongue, the instrument of -- Ro 3:13. Comes from the heart -- Mr 7:22. Characteristic of the heart -- Jer 17:9. God abhors -- Ps 5:6. Forbidden -- Pr 24:28; 1Pe 3:10. Christ was perfectly free from -- Isa 53:9; 1Pe 2:22. Saints Free from. -- Ps 24:4; Zep 3:13; Re 14:5. Purposed against. -- Job 27:4. Avoid. -- Job 31:5. Shun those addicted to. -- Ps 101:7. Pray for deliverance from those who use. -- Ps 43:1; 120:2. Delivered from those who use. -- Ps 72:14. Should beware of those who teach. -- Eph 5:6; Col 2:8. Should lay aside”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Heart — According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word "soul" could not ”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Unbelief — Is sin -- Joh 16:9. Defilement inseparable from -- Tit 1:15. All, by nature, concluded in -- Ro 11:32. Proceeds from An evil heart. -- Heb 3:12. Slowness of heart. -- Lu 24:25. Hardness of heart. -- Mr 16:14; Ac 19:9. Disinclination to the truth. -- Joh 8:45,46. Judicial blindness. -- Joh 12:39,40. Not being Christ's sheep. -- Joh 10:26. The devil blinding the mind. -- 2Co 4:4. The devil taking away the word out of the heart. -- Lu 8:12. Seeking honour from men. -- Joh 5:44. Impugns the veracity of God -- 1Jo 5:10. Exhibited in Rejecting Christ. -- Joh 16:”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Denial — Christ set an example of -- Mt 4:8-10; 8:20; Joh 6:38; Ro 15:3; Php 2:6-8. A test of devotedness to Christ -- Mt 10:37,38; Lu 9:23,24. Necessary In following Christ. -- Lu 14:27-33. In the warfare of saints. -- 2Ti 2:4. To the triumph of saints. -- 1Co 9:25-27. Ministers especially called to exercise -- 2Co 6:4,5. Should be exercised in Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. -- Ro 6:12; Tit 2:12. Controlling the appetite. -- Pr 23:2. Abstaining from fleshly lusts. -- 1Pe 2:11. No longer living to lusts of men. -- 1Pe 4:2. Mortifying sinful lusts. -- Mr ”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sin — Is the transgression of the law -- 1Jo 3:4. Is of the devil -- 1Jo 3:8; Joh 8:44. All unrighteousness is -- 1Jo 5:17. Omission of what we know to be good is -- Jas 4:17. Whatever is not of faith is -- Ro 14:23. The thought of foolishness is -- Pr 24:9. All the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are -- Ge 6:5; 8:21. Described as Coming from the heart. -- Mt 15:19. The fruit of lust. -- Jas 1:15. The sting of death. -- 1Co 15:56. Rebellion against God. -- De 9:7; Jos 1:18. Works of darkness. -- Eph 5:11. Dead works. -- Heb 6:1; 9:14. The abominable thing that Go”
  8. Deuteronomy (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Deuteronomy 10:16: Above all, therefore, they were to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, i.e., to lay aside all insensibility of heart to impressions from the love of God (cf. Lev 26:41; and on the spiritual signification of circumcision, see Gen 17:15-21), and not stiffen their necks any more, i.e., not persist in their obstinacy, or obstinate resistance to God (cf. Deu 9:6, Deu 9:13). Without circumcision of heart, true fear of God and true love of God are both impossible. As a reason for this admonition, Moses adduces in Deu 10:17. the nature and acts of God. Jehov”
  9. Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 6:37: 6:37-42 Do not judge others: Jesus condemned hypocritical judgment that denigrated another person. Those who condemn others will be judged by that same standard. God requires his people to love others by warning them of the dangers of sin (Gal 6:1; Heb 3:13). Exhortation is an act of love; judgment is an act of pride.”
  10. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 19:23: 19:23 Jesus draws a lesson for discipleship from the rich man’s tragic denial. It is hard for the rich to humble themselves, admit their need, and trust in God (see 5:3; Luke 6:24; 1 Tim 6:9-10). • Kingdom of Heaven is equivalent here to eternal life (Matt 19:16-17, 29) or to salvation as the result of God’s regenerating work (19:25-26).”
  11. Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things,.... This is the source of the idolatry and creature confidence of the Jews, sins which were the cause of their ruin; and though what is here said is particularly applicable to their hearts, yet is in general true of the heart of every man; which is "deceitful", and deceiving; and puts a cheat upon the man himself whose it is: it deceives him with respect to sin; it proposes it to him under the notion of pleasure; it promises him a great deal in it, but does not yield a real pleasure to him; it is all fancy and imagination; a ”
  12. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 16:21: 16:21-28 Jesus, now officially recognized by his disciples as the Messiah, begins to reveal a startling aspect of his mission: He must suffer before entering his glory (16:21-23), and those who follow him will meet a similar fate (16:24-28). 16:21 This is the first of three predictions of Jesus’ passion—his suffering through betrayal, crucifixion, and death (see also 17:22-23; 20:18-19). Each prediction gives a lesson on the cost of discipleship (16:24-27; 20:20-28). • That he would suffer was God’s sovereign and necessary purpose for the Messiah (see 17:12).”
  13. Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 16:23: Then said Jesus unto his disciples,.... Knowing that they had all imbibed the same notion of a temporal kingdom, and were in expectation of worldly riches, honour, and pleasure; he took this opportunity of preaching the doctrine of the cross to them, and of letting them know, that they must prepare for persecutions, sufferings, and death; which they must expect to endure, as well as he, if they would be his disciples: if any man will come after me: that is, be a disciple and follower of him, it being usual for the master to go before, and the disciple to follow af”
Ask Your Own Question
About Terms Privacy Contact

© 2026 BEREAN.AI. All rights reserved.