Jesus said that “nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” I think that Jesus wants his disciples to be able to listen but not always repeat what they hear. Gossip is a good example for that. Gossip is repeating things that we have heard about another person not even knowing if what we heard is true or not. As a disciple of Jesus, can you be completely separated from gossip, envy, swearing, blaspheming, arrogance, folly? Of course not. However, Jesus urges us not to repeat the bad things we hear from others or which we experience. In this way we should understand Jesus’ words today -- nothing that we hear nor experience would defile us; only the bad things that come from our mouths or through our actions will defile us.
