Back to THE TORAH CONNECTION Table of Contents<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Bodily discharges (specifically from sexual organs) made a person unclean. Anything he touched, used, sat on, or laid on was unclean. Anyone who touched any of these things was also unclean. It is significant to note that the waste products of normal digestion (urine and feces) did not make a person unclean, although they were to be properly disposed of in order to maintain the cleanliness of the camp (Deu 23:13). Christ made an important statement to clarify this after an encounter with the religious leaders regarding defilement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mat 15:1, 2, 10-20 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, <\/span><\/span><\/span>Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. . . . And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are <\/span><\/span><\/span>the things<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mar 7:1-5, 14-23 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their<\/i> hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come<\/i> from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as<\/i> the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? . . . And when he had called all the people unto him,<\/i> he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you,<\/i> and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it<\/i> cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What is taken in from the outside passes through and is eliminated, but what is produced in the person can be a problem. The discharges of the body indicate its physical condition\u2014infection, disease, etc. Because these discharges can infect others, God told the people how to properly and safely deal with them\u2014quarantine, bathe, launder, etc. The things that originate in a person’s inner being\u2014thoughts, plans, attitudes, words, etc.\u2014indicate the spiritual condition of the person. They are the fruits by which the tree is known. The issues of the heart can also infect others and we are told to guard this carefully and cleanse the inner person.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are<\/i> the issues of life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mat 7:16-20 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can<\/i> a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mat 12:34, 35 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mat 23:25, 26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou<\/i> blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is<\/i> within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Rom 1:29-31 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;<\/i> Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you<\/i> in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Tit 1:15, 16 Unto the pure all things are<\/i> pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is<\/i> nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him,<\/i> being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jas 3:6 And the tongue <\/span><\/span><\/span>is<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n