Jesus turns the dispute about tradition in a completely unexpected direction. The washings mentioned in the text were one of those expanded interpretations...
Jesus turns the dispute about tradition, about handed-down practice, in a completely unexpected direction. The washings mentioned in the text were one of those expanded interpretations of the norms and rules of ritual purity, of which many appeared in the Second Temple period. A cleansing washing, even of the hands alone after returning from the marketplace, was one of these newly established rules.
There was a desire here for a kind of "super-purity": anything could happen in the marketplace, all kinds of people are encountered there, and there is enough uncleanness of every sort. So it was better, just in case, to perform a washing, even a partial one, even only of the hands, before sitting down at the table where one would have to break, and therefore bless, the bread. Meanwhile all these traditions, as Jesus testifies, could not prevent essential distortions connected with spiritual life, with such fundamental things as keeping the commandments. The Savior Himself gives an example of such a violation: promise to donate to the Temple what is needed to help elderly parents, and you no longer have to help them, since God is more important.
Formally everything is correct and pious, but in substance it is a violation of the fifth commandment. How is that possible? Jesus gives the answer immediately, reducing it to an aphoristic formulation: a person is defiled not by what enters him, but by what comes out of him. Other Gospels speak directly of a person's mouth. The point is evidently, on the one hand, the food that enters a person and, on the other hand, words. Of course, behind words there are always intentions, and it is those intentions that defile a person. In the Kingdom this is really so, because the fallen world and its elements no longer have their former power over a person.
Why, then, do people so often shift the emphases of spiritual life from what is primary to what is secondary? Jesus answers this question too. He says that what a person eats does not defile him. On the contrary, if a person lives a normal, full spiritual life, he is able to sanctify any food that enters his body. As for what comes out of the body, the intentions and words, that is exactly where the question is decided: will a person preserve purity or be defiled? This is understandable. Physically, a person is what he eats, but only physically; spiritually, he is what his soul desires and strives for. Where the treasure is, there the heart is also. If a person does not have a normal spiritual life, then of course every kind of uncleanness will cling to him. In that case, however, no cleansings will help, just as no medicines help someone who has no immunity at all. Jesus reminds the people listening to Him of all this as of things fundamental to spiritual life.
10 The queen of Sheba's interview with Solomon, Ki1 10:1-10.
His riches, Ki1 10:11-15.
Targets, ivory throne, vessels, Ki1 10:16-23.
Presents, chariots and horses, tribute, Ki1 10:24-29.
10:1 Sheba - Of that part of Arabia, called Shabaea, which was at great distance from Jerusalem, bordering upon the Southern Sea; forthere, much more than in Ethiopia, were the commodities which shebrought, ver. Ki1 10:2, Ki1 10:10. Name of the Lord - That is, concerning God; the name of God beingoften put for God; concerning his deep knowledge in the things of God.For it is very probable she had, as had divers other Heathens, someknowledge of the true God, and an earnest desire to know more concerninghim. Questions - Concerning natural, and civil, and especially, Divinethings.
10:2 All her heart - Of all the doubts and difficulties wherewith her mind was perplexed.
10:4 House - Or, the houses, the temple and the king's house, in both which there were evidences of singular wisdom.
10:5 Sitting - The order and manner in which his courtiers, or other subjects (who all were his servants in a general sense) sat down atmeals, at several tables in his court. Attendance - Upon the king, bothat his table, and in his court; and when he went abroad to the temple orother places. Apparel - Both the costliness of it, and especially theagreeableness of it to their several places and offices. Went up - Fromhis own palace. See Ki2 16:18, but the ancients, and some others,translate the words thus, and the burnt - offerings which he offered up inthe house of the Lord; under which, is the chief, all other sacrificesare understood: when she saw the manner of his offering sacrifices to theLord; which doubtless she would not neglect to see; and in the ordering ofwhich she might discern many characters of excellent wisdom, especially whenshe had so excellent an interpreter as Solomon was, to inform her of thereasons of all the circumstances of that service. No spirit - She wasastonished, and could scarcely determine whether she really saw thesethings, or whether it was only a pleasant dream.
10:8 Happy, etc - With much more reason may we say this of Christ's servants: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be alwayspraising thee.