Scribes and Pharisees visit Jesus. They censure him for eating with unwashed hands. He defends his acts and teaches a lesson on hypocrisy. Privately explains to the twelve his public teachings.
A company of scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem to learn wherein the power of Jesus lay.
2 But when they learned that he and his disciples heeded not the custom of the Jews, regarding washing of the hands before they ate, they were amazed.
3 And Jesus said, Hypocrisy is queen among you scribes and Pharisees. Of you Isaiah wrote:
4 This people honor me with lips; their hearts are far away. In vain they worship me; their doctrines are the dogmas and the creeds of men.
5 You men who pose as men of God, and still reject the laws of God and teach the laws of men,
6 Stand forth and tell when God gave unto men the ceremonial laws that you observe; and tell these people how the spirit life is sullied if one washes not before he eats.
7 His critics answered not, and then he said,
8 Hear me, you men of Israel! Defilement is a creature of the heart. The carnal mind lays hold of thought, and makes a monstrous bride; this bride is sin; sin is a creature of the mind.
9 That which defiles a man is not the food he eats.