And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus points out the Pharisees' hypocrisy, revealing that their meticulous cleaning of the outside of cups and dishes was just a show. Their insides, however, were teeming with "greed and wickedness," showing their true impurity despite outward appearances. This highlights how easily we can focus on external religious acts while neglecting the heart's true state.
And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is dining with a Pharisee who is surprised that Jesus didn't perform ritual washing beforehand. In response, Jesus confronts the Pharisees' outward focus on religious purity, contrasting it with their inner corruption. He points out their meticulous cleaning of dishes while their hearts are filled with greed and wickedness, suggesting their hidden sin makes even their "clean" actions unacceptable.
Jesus pulls back the curtain on religious performance, revealing a stark contrast between outward actions and inward reality.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees with a biting metaphor: they meticulously clean the outside of their cups and dishes, fulfilling all the outward requirements of their traditions. But Jesus points out the hypocrisy in this—the inside of these vessels, and more importantly, their inner selves, are filled with greed and wickedness. This isn't just about cleanliness rituals; it's about the heart's true condition. The Pharisees were focused on appearing righteous to others, while their hearts were corrupted by sin.
The Danger of Outer Show
This intense critique highlights a perennial human temptation: to prioritize appearances over authenticity. We can become so focused on doing the 'right' things, or presenting a 'good' image, that we neglect the inner transformation God truly desires. Jesus exposes this disconnect, showing that external actions without internal reality are ultimately hollow and displeasing to God.
Jesus doesn't just condemn; He points to the true source of purity, shifting the focus from ritual to radical internal change.
Jesus’ critique of the Pharisees isn't just an accusation; it’s a call to a deeper understanding of what truly makes a person clean. He challenges their flawed logic: if God made both the outside and the inside of things, why would He be satisfied with an outward cleanliness that ignores the inner corruption?
From Ritual to Reality
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The core message is that true purity originates from the heart. The "cup and platter" are metaphors for our lives and our actions. While the Pharisees were focused on the visible, Jesus directs attention to the invisible—the motives, desires, and character that fill our inner being. What we give from our abundance, Jesus suggests in the broader context of Luke 11, is where genuine cleansing and righteousness are found, not in mere external rituals.
Understand the original words
Kyrios · Greek Noun
A title acknowledging Jesus' authority, sovereignty, and divinity; it is the primary Greek term used to address God or Jesus as the supreme Ruler and Master of one's life.
harpagē · Greek Noun
An inordinate, selfish desire for wealth, possessions, or status; it is condemned in Scripture as a form of idolatry that displaces trust in God.
ponēria · Greek Noun
A broad term for moral evil, depravity, or malicious intent; it represents a heart that is actively turned away from God's standards of righteousness.
aphrōn · Greek Adjective/Noun
One who lacks spiritual perception or ignores divine truth; in biblical usage, it refers to a moral and intellectual failure to acknowledge the reality of God and His requirements.
Early 1st century AD
Growth of Oral Law Traditions
During this period, the Pharisees and other Jewish sects developed extensive oral traditions and interpretations of the Law, which often took precedence over the written Law for many people.
c. AD 25-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and challenging the religious authorities, including the Pharisees, on their interpretations of the Law and their spiritual practices.
c. AD 29-30— this verse
Jesus Dines with a Pharisee
Jesus accepts an invitation to dine at the home of a Pharisee, despite his critiques of their practices. During the meal, Jesus confronts their hypocrisy regarding outward purity versus inner corruption.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Galilean and Jerusalem Teachings
Similar teachings denouncing the Pharisees' hypocrisy were delivered in different contexts, both in Galilee and later in Jerusalem, as recorded by Luke and Matthew.
This passage directly parallels Luke 11:39, also accusing the Pharisees of meticulously cleaning the outside of cups and dishes while their inner lives are filled with greed and self-indulgence.
Isaiah 29:13This Old Testament prophet speaks of a similar hypocrisy, where people honor God with their lips and outward actions but their hearts are far from Him, mirroring the Pharisees' outward show of piety.
Psalms 51:6In contrast to the Pharisees' focus on external purity, this psalm beautifully expresses a desire for inner truth and purity before God, highlighting the spiritual reality that God truly desires.
Romans 2:28-29The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment, contrasting outward Jewish identity with the true circumcision of the heart, emphasizing that true righteousness comes from within, not mere external observance.
barnesLuke 11:39: "And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness."
See Matthew 23:25 . "Ravening." Robbery, plunder. Here the sense is that the cup and platter were filled with what had been unjustly taken from others. That is, they lived by their wickedness; their food was procured by dishonesty and extortion. This was a most terrible charge; and as it was applied, among others, to the man wh…
vincentLuke 11:39: "And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness."
Platter (πίνακος)The word rendered charger in Matthew 14:8, on which see note. Compare, also, παροψίς, platter, Matthew 23:25.
Jesus points out the Pharisees' hypocrisy, revealing that their meticulous cleaning of the outside of cups and dishes was just a show. Their insides, however, were teeming with "greed and wickedness," showing their true impurity despite outward appearances. This highlights how easily we can focus on external religious acts while neglecting the heart's true state.
Jesus is dining with a Pharisee who is surprised that Jesus didn't perform ritual washing beforehand. In response, Jesus confronts the Pharisees' outward focus on religious purity, contrasting it with their inner corruption. He points out their meticulous cleaning of dishes while their hearts are filled with greed and wickedness, suggesting their hidden sin makes even their "clean" actions unacceptable.
Jesus is dining with a Pharisee who is surprised that Jesus didn't perform ritual washing beforehand. In response, Jesus confronts the Pharisees' outward focus on religious purity, contrasting it with their inner corruption. He points out their meticulous cleaning of dishes while their hearts are filled with greed and wickedness, suggesting their hidden sin makes even their "clean" actions unacceptable.
"And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?" — Jesus points out the Pharisees' hypocrisy, revealing that their meticulous cleaning of the outside of cups and dishes was just a show. Their insides, however, were teeming with "greed and wickedness,…
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Last reviewed October 2026