“Et advocans iterum turbam, dicebat illis : Audite me omnes, et intelligite.”
“And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:”
“Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand:”
“He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.”
“And he called to him the multitude again, and said unto them, Hear me all of you, and understand:”
2. He instructs the people concerning the principles upon which this ceremony was grounded. It was requisite that this part of his discourse should be public, for it related to daily practice, and was designed to rectify a great mistake which the people were led into by their elders; he therefore called the people unto him (v. 14), and bid them hear and understand. Note, It is not enough for the common people to hear, but they must understand what they hear. When Christ would run down the tradition of the Pharisees about washing before meat, he strikes at the opinion which was the root of it. Note, Corrupt customs are best cured by rectifying corrupt notions.
Verses 14-23 Our wicked thoughts and affections, words and actions, defile us, and these only. As a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so does a corrupt heart send forth corrupt reasonings, corrupt appetites and passions, and all the wicked words and actions that come from them. A spiritual understanding of the law of God, and a sense of the evil of sin, will cause a man to seek for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to keep down the evil thoughts and affections that work within.