Heart Disease | Matthew 15
Matthew 15
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Chapter Notables:
What’s inside that counts - verses 1-20
Jesus alludes a woman as a “dog” but declares her astounding faith - verses 21-28
Jesus feeds 4,000 with 7 loaves of bread and several fish - verses 29-39
Inside Job | Lemuel Ayudtud
Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death in the U.S. (and likely around the world as well). While heredity plays a role, the management of heart disease largely depends on exercise and diet. A quick search online reveals that fatty and oily foods, along with increased sodium (salt) intake over time, can exacerbate anyone’s natural predisposition to heart disease. To offset the increased risk, people must be intentional about what they choose to eat.
Now, as much as the medical community emphasizes the importance of diet, Jesus tells us that what truly matters isn’t what goes into a man’s mouth, but what comes out. Yup! There’s a different kind of “heart disease” that Jesus is concerned about. When we weigh the two, the heart disease Jesus warns us about has holistic—and eternal—consequences. Sure, eating salted, fried pork daily is a surefire way to shorten your life in a miserable way. But Jesus’ warning about what comes out of the mouth rather than what goes in carries eternal weight.
At the beginning of this chapter, the good ol’ Pharisees are at it again, accusing the disciples of doing something “unlawful.” What was it this time? Eating with unwashed hands. Nothing wrong with that, right? Especially with our current understanding of microbes—it’s a good sanitary practice. But back then, it wasn’t about microorganisms; they didn’t know about that. This was about ritual purity. And if we look deeper, it probably wasn’t even about the ritual itself anymore. The Pharisees were likely just trying to discredit Jesus in any way they could, attempting to portray Him as a lawbreaker before the people. Their hope was that if they could prove He was against the “traditions of the elders,” the crowds would stop following Him, and they would regain the spotlight. Unfortunately for them—again—Jesus saw right through their facade.
After their attempt to correct Him, Jesus responded by teaching that it’s not what enters a person’s mouth that defiles them, but what comes out. This was not an external issue; it was an internal one—an inside job. Jesus explained to His disciples that out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lies, slander. These sins cannot be cleansed by washing your hands. Only God can deal with that kind of impurity. Clean hands don’t matter if you have a dirty heart. You might be able to fool people with outward cleanliness, but God sees the festering condition inside.
Most people suffer from a kind of heart disease that has nothing to do with what they eat. Yes, eating poorly may damage your physical health, but it will eventually pass through. On the other hand, what comes out of the mouth—what’s in the heart—can have eternal consequences. Why? Because it reveals what’s inside! While poor eating habits might lead to heart failure, harboring evil in your heart leads to spiritual failure.
Which one should concern you more: what you eat or what you constantly think about? Dieting and exercising might give you good bloodwork and reduce your risk of high blood pressure or other heart conditions. But what’s the point if your heart is full of unforgiveness, envy, hatred, lust, and anger? While you’re taking care of your body to avoid a stroke or heart attack, you should be equally—if not more—concerned about your soul suffering from heart disease caused by bitterness, anxiety, malice, prejudice, and other toxic conditions. A physically healthy heart might keep beating for many years, but a spiritually unclean heart can destroy your life while you're still breathing.
As we read this chapter, we see Jesus deliver a Canaanite woman’s daughter from a demon and then perform another miracle—feeding thousands with just a few loaves and fishes. At first glance, these stories may seem unrelated. But when we anchor them to Jesus’ teaching on the heart, we begin to sense the pulse of the chapter.
The woman’s faith transcended any obstacle her Gentile background might have posed. Her heartfelt expression of faith revealed the true condition of her heart. Though considered “a dog” by the Jews of that time, her faith directly responded to Jesus’ words—and as a result, her prayer was answered. What she displayed was inner health. Her associations may have been seen as “unclean,” but her mouth spoke what her heart believed. Her heart health was shown through her faith—faith greater than family connection. (She was not Jewish.)
In contrast, Jesus’ disciples once again doubted Him. In the previous chapter, they had witnessed Jesus feed over 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes. In this chapter, there are 4,000 people, seven loaves, and several small fishes. Yet when Jesus instructed them to feed the crowd, they questioned Him again. What do we see here? Unlike the “outsider” Canaanite woman, who wasn’t even expected to have her request granted, the disciples—those closest to Jesus—couldn’t see past their limitations. Their faith was being blocked by doubt—clogging the arteries of their spiritual heart.
Yes, physical heart disease that affects muscles, vessels, and blood flow is serious. But the heart disease that only God can heal has eternal significance. Sure, some people can work out for an hour straight, run a marathon, or even complete a triathlon without keeling over. But what’s the use of a strong, healthy heart if your spirit is diseased? What’s the point of having clean hands if your heart hasn’t been washed by the Spirit of God?
Over the course of 15 chapters, Jesus has dealt with religiosity, limiting beliefs, improper perspective, lack mentality, among others. It’s apparent that since the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He had been dealing with the true, debilitating conditions of the heart. From the time He started preaching repentance, He was establishing the cure for the spiritual heart disease. The cure the world needs to know and is dying to receive!
Lord, help me to surrender my heart. Help me to value my physical health, but in doing so, Lord, please, help me to truly make my spiritual health a priority. Father, give me the grace to understand that Your love for me is beyond skin deep. You want me first healthy on the inside. I yield my spirit to You. Clean me of my heart disease. In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen!
