Jesus was saying that words matter

JESUS WAS SAYING THAT WORDS MATTER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 12:36-37 36ButI tell you that everyone will
have to give accounton the day of judgment for every
empty word they have spoken. 37Forby your words
you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be
condemned."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCESVERSE 36
The Law Of GoodSpeech
Matthew 12:34
R. Tuck
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is in our Lord's
mind here to accountfor the bad speechof the Pharisees. It was the natural
expressionof bad minds, minds full of prejudice and malice. How could they,
"being evil, speak goodthings"? But a greatprinciple is involved in our
Lord's appeal.
I. WORDS MAY BE MERE WORDS. OurLord calls them "idle words."
Much that we saywe have not really thought. We often speak first and think
last. And such idle words, though they do not express our real selves, often
make sad mischief. Words glibly pass our tongues, and we forgetthem the
moment after they are uttered, but they are as scorpion-stings to those who
hear; they light up fires like the fires of hell. Therefore Christ warns so

severelyagainstwords that have no thought and no heart behind them, and
yet do their fatal work, saying, "Forevery idle word that man shall speak, he
shall give accountin the day of judgment." The first law of goodspeechis -
think before you speak.
II. WORDS MAY UTTER A BAD HEART. The skill of life is keeping bad
thoughts from gaining utterance. At the most, they only injure one personif
they are kept from utterance. There is no knowing how many they may injure
if they getexpressed. These Pharisees hadbad enough thoughts concerning
Christ. If they had kept them to themselves, they would only have ruined
themselves. Speaking their thought out, they started evil in other minds;
words were agencies forcommunicating thought to thought; so the mischief
ran, other souls were blockedagainstChrist, and his redeeming work was
hindered in men.
III. WORDS MAY UTTER A GOOD HEART. Think pure things, and you
need not restrain utterance;you will find pure words. Think kind things,
trustful things, God-honouring things, and then, out of the abundance of the
heart, the lips may freely speak. What you say will not be "idle things" with
nothing behind them; nor will they be evil things with malice behind them.
Let God make the soul-fountains of thought and heart fresh and sweetby his
Holy Spirit's regenerating and sanctifying, and there need be no fear - our
speechwill be goodspeech, "seasonedwith salt." - R.T.

Biblical Illustrator
That every idle word.
Matthew 12:36
Idle words
A. Watson, D. D.
The Pharisees badsaid, "This fellow doth not eastout devils, but by
Beelzebub the prince of the devils." Christ meets this objection in two ways.
I. He shows its UNREASONABLENESS. It is againstexperience that any
power, goodor bad, consciouslyseeksits own destruction. The powers of evil
and of goodare distinct, and eachpoweris ready to defend itself.
II. He condemns THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT WAS MADE, and brings out
the serious nature of the sin it involved. Why did Christ warn them against
this dangerous sin? Not because ofany actunmistakably wickedand cruel,
but because theycalled evil good, and goodevil, confounding the two, and this
from dislike to the truth when it reflectedon themselves. There lay the
danger; and there it lies still. The essenceofsin is being out of sympathy with
goodness.
(A. Watson, D. D.)
Evil will not conspire againstitself
A. Watson, D. D.
Just as it can be shown in nature that the law of gravitation in a drop of water
is the same law which binds the planets in their courses in the distant heavens,
and the same law which reigns through the whole universe of matter; so the

law which binds goodness to goodness, orwhich draws evil to evil, in the
instinctive feeling that they are in themselves one, is a law which holds goodin
the visible and invisible worlds. The powers of evil — so far as they know one
another — are all under one greatpower, and they will not conspire
consciouslyagainstthemselves.
(A. Watson, D. D.)
Idle words
H. W. Beecher.
They are words that issue out of a condition of idleness.
1. Tattling. Tattling dims the charity of the charitable mind as a spider dims
the light of a window, spinning his web over it.
2. Tale-bearing.
3. "Slang" conversation. Slang is to language what profanity is to reverence.
4. Boasting.
5. Swearing.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Words that dispel gloom
H. W. Beecher.
A child that is in trouble in the nurse's arms is sung to; some little song, the
whole of which does not give a single solitary particle of meaning; but the
movement of it, and the various associationsthat are connectedwith it, charm
the child awayfrom tears, and make him happier.
(H. W. Beecher.)

Conversationpleasurable though not profound
H. W. Beecher., T. Sherlock,D. D.
I think no musicalinstrument in the world is like the utterance of speechin
one whose voice is well trained, whose mind is rich with emotion, and who is
accustomedto describe in gracefuland appropriate language one's own
experience in life. The conversationthat flows in the quietude of a family, like
the tinkling of a brook under the shadow of greentrees; the conversationthat
flows like a river whose banks are efflorescent, and which holds its way deep
and tranquil — such conversationmay become a habit, not only in the sense
of not being hurtful but in the sense of having a beauty which is pleasurable.
(H. W. Beecher.)
I. IDLE WORDS. —
1. By idle words we may understand such words as proceedfrom vanity or
deceit, which comprehend the pretences and plausible speechesofthe
cunning, and the empty boastings ofthe vain-glorious man.
2. Idle words may comprehend the reports of envy and malice, by which our
neighbour suffers in credit or reputation.
3. Idle words may imply such as are the product of a loose and idle mind, such
as represent the impure conceptions ofa mind polluted with lust.
4. By idle words we may understand useless andinsignificant words which are
spent to no greatend or purpose, either goodor bad.
II. THE SCOPE OF OUR SAVIOUR'S ARGUMENT in this place.
1. He descends from the greaterto the less evils of speech;from blasphemy to
the other evils which are generatedin the heart, and from thence derived to
the tongue — "Out of the heart proceedevil thoughts, murders," etc. Not only
these but idle words will be punished. Jesting does not become the gospel.

III. THE END AND DESIGN OF SPEECH, which is the gift of God to
mankind. If we use our speechto serve any purpose contrary to the end
designedby God, we abuse His gift and must answerfor it.
1. Speechwas givenfor the communication of our thoughts to eachother, yet
all our thoughts are not to be brought into conversation.
2. The wants and necessities ofnature call for our help, and as these subjects
must employ greatpart of our thoughts, so likewise ofour speech, for we
cannot live without mutual aid.
3. Further, God has made us to delight in eachother's company, hence it is
lawful to employ speechfor improving mutual love and friendship. Men may
talk of many subjects which have no present instruction, Yet they may serve
this end.
4. Considerthe different degrees ofsense and understanding that men are
endowedwith. The tongue cannot speak better than the understanding can
conceive. Mustnot despise the conversationofweakermen.
(T. Sherlock, D. D.)
Idle Words
H. Melvill, B. D.
Many imagine that this sin is too insignificant to be remembered at a moment
when the vast things of eternity shall be waiting the allotment of the Judge. It
cannot be a small thing to disobeyGod, though it may be a small thing in
which I disobey Him. We maintain that sins of the tongue, if compared with
other sins, should be regardedas aggravated, ratherthan trivial. David
speaks ofthe tongue as of the best member which he had. And never should it
be forgotten that language is not a human invention; men left to themselves
could not have arrangedsuch a system for communicating their thoughts one
to the other. There was silence in creationtill man was made with the faculty
of expressing what he felt, and creationthrilled at the melody of speech.

1. We ought to considerthe faculty of speech, how eminent its power, before
we marvel at the criminality attachedto its abuse. Every one condemns the
prostitution of reason, because it is a high attribute; but "whatis language but
reasonwalking abroad? Can it be a light thing to use the tongue againstGod,
and dishonouring Him through that whence He lookedfor His chief glory?
2. If these remarks prove the " idle word" so criminal that of itself it might
justly procure the condemnation of the speaker, they will also prove that our
conversationmay evidence whether or no we have justifying faith. St. James
makes the power of the tongue equivalent to powerover the whole man. He
who is master of his chief faculty is little likely to be the slave of an inferior. It
is true that no sin is more easilycommitted than one of the tongue; hence the
non-commissionof it is a high attainment. It is just because the thing may be
so easily done, that the not doing it marks singular power and vigilance. But
this is evidence from their being no idle words; there may be positive as well
as negative witness, "the witness of what is uttered as well as of what is
repressed. If it be true that " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh," we may confidently reckonthat where there is genuine piety it will
give tone to the conversation. "Withthe mouth confessionis made unto
salvation." Hence there is a high duty to be performed by the tongue.
Therefore, whilst we admit that faith is the instrument of justification, we can
understand why words, which are the confessionofChrist before men, should
be given as securing salvation. They are but faith embodied. It was to a
particular descriptionof idle words that our Lord had respect — scoffing
words. What helps our laughter will soonlose our reverence.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Language too goodto be abused
H. Melvill, B. D.
Language is so curious, so costlya gift, so impregnate with Deity, so vastin
empire, that to misuse it, though in the leastparticular, may be likened to
sacrilege, the profanation of an august and infinite mystery.

(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Language too sacredto be profaned
H. Melvill, B. D.
It is grievous, for example, to think of God irreverently: the soul should be His
sanctuary: and to profane Him there, is to aggravate the contempt by offering
it at the shrine which He reared for Himself. But it is yet more grievous to
speak of Him irreverently. This is worse than dishonouring Him at the secret
shrine: this is taking the material of His costliesttemple — for is it not said,
that He " inhabiteth the praises ofIsrael?" as though words were the
columns, the walls, the domes, which combine for the noblest dwelling-place
of Deity — I say, then, that to speak irreverently of God, is to take the
material of His costliesttemple, and fashion it into a structure where He may
be openly contemped. The richness of the material enhances the dishonour.
Give me the stars with which to build, give me the treasures ofimmensity with
which to adorn, and the temple which I rear to an idol shall be so much the
more an insult to the one living God. And it is thus with speech. Words are as
the stars of heaven, fitted to illumine the yet dark places ofcreation. Burning
with truth, they may guide the wanderings, and be as messengers forthe
depths of eternity.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Language a heart reflector
H. Melvill, B. D.
Their words are more than exhibitions of the workings and movements of the
intellect, more than the displayed rushings and soarings ofthe imagination.
They are the discoverings of a heaven-born principle, a principle which
apprehends truths that are above the human intellect, and glories that defy
the human imagination. They are the signs, the evidences, ofa secondcreation
— the order, the symmetry, the beauty, the stateliness, ofa new and spiritual

world, demonstrated, unveiled, laid open, incorporated. If they be words of
prayer, they are the ascendings towards heavenof renovated affections:if of
praise, they are the vibrations of chords which a Divine hand has returned: if
of reproof, counsel, exhortation, they are but the soul, once "dead in
trespassesandsins," appearing as an armed man to fight the battle of the
Lord. Then words may justify, as incontrovertible proofs of a justifying faith,
and a renewednature. Actions furnish no better criterion: and when the great
white throne shall be set, and the earth and the sea shall have given up their
dead, the righteous and the wickedmay alike have their portions determined
by their use of the tongue: speech, forgottenspeech, maybe heard again,
piercing as the trumpet-peal, by which the graves have been rent; and there
will be no fear of erroneous decision, should there be no rule of judgment but
this, "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned."
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Our words to justify, or condemn
J. H. Norton.
Considersome of the ways by which words minister to our condemnation.
I. At the head of the list we must put PROFANE SWEARING.
II. Another way in which we expose ourselves to God's displeasure is by
FOOLISH WALKING (Ephesians 5:4).
III. Another example of the improper use of the gift of speechis an indulgence
in the PETULANT AND COMPLAINING LANGUAGE which so often
destroys the harmony of private life.
IV. A fourth illustration of our text is found in the case of
MISREPRESENTATION AND SLANDERS.
V. ANGRY WORDS may endangerour salvation.
(J. H. Norton.)

Innocent talk
J. H. Norton.
Happy are the friends of those whose conversation"ministers grace to the
hearers." It may not always be grave and serious;it may even dance and
sparkle like a mountain stream in the cheerful sunlight; but it is always
innocent and pure.
(J. H. Norton.)
Speechwithout words
F. W. Robertson, M. A.
You could not fastenupon any word or sentence, andsay that it was calumny;
for in order to constitute slander it is not necessarythat the word spoken
should be false — half truths are often more calumnious than whole
falsehoods. It is not even necessary that a word should be distinctly uttered: a
dropped lip, an archedeyebrow, a shruggedshoulder, a significant look, an
incredulous expressionof countenance;— nay, even an emphatic silence, may
do the work;and when the light and trifling thing which has done the mischief
has fluttered off, the venom is left behind, to work and rankle, to inflame
hearts, and to poison human societyat the fountain springs of life.
(F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Slanderous words
J. H. Norton.
There is a machine in the museum at Venice, by which some forgottenItalian
tyrant used to sheetpoisonedneedles at the objects of his hatred. How much
worse was he than the unscrupulous agentof slander to whom the greatJudge
of all is heard to say: "By thy words thou shalt be condemned"?

(J. H. Norton.)
Cheerful words not idle
A. Watson, D. D.
I do not call words idle simply because they cannot be registeredand
measuredby a matter-of-fact standard. How often has an airy word of
pleasantry fallen on the ear and pierced the shield of prejudice or passion!
How often has the cloud, no biggerthan a man's hand, but which would soon
have overspreadthe whole sky, been dispersed by a momentary gleamof
bright sunshine, and by a word which in itself was only fugitive, and hardly to
be remembered. You cannot callthat an idle word which is the outflow of
simple cheerfulness, if it dissipates anangry thought.
(A. Watson, D. D.)
The reflex influence of idle words
Dr. Thomas.
The man who indulges in frivolous and idle talk damages his own mental
faculties and moral sense. In such speechthere is no demand for the reflective
powers, and they become impotent; no development of the sentiments of truth,
benevolence, and religion, the very stamina of our moral nature, and they
become more and more inoperative and dead. In idle talk the soul in every
way is injured; its rich soil, capable of producing trees of knowledge and life,
is wastedin flowery, it may be, but still noxious weeds.
(Dr. Thomas.)
The eternalinfluence of idle words
Dr. Thomas.

Science affirms that every movement in the material creationpropagates an
influence to the remotestplanet in the universe. Be this as it may, it seems
morally certain that every word spokenon the ear will have an influence
lasting as eternity. The words we address to men are written, not on
parchment, marble, or brass, which time may effiace, but on the
indestructible pages ofthe soul. Everything written on the imperishable soul is
imperishable. All the words that have ever been addressedto you by men long
since departed, are written on the book of your memory, and will be unsealed
at the " Day of Judgment," and spread out in the full beams of eternal
knowledge.
(Dr. Thomas.)
Words without interest
J. Ford.
The meaning may best be gatheredfrom the metaphor whence it appears to
be taken — that of money, not employed, but lying dead in the hands of the
possessor. Our words are as precious in their proper use as gold and silver;
but they become "idle" words when they yield no interest, when they bear no
goodfruit to the glory of God, the edification or comfort of our neighbour, the
salvationof ourselves and of those who hear us.
(J. Ford.)
Little agencies destructive
O. Feltham.
Idle words are deemed of little consequence. There are more deaths
occasionedby unperceived irregularities of diet, than by open and apparent
surfeits. If venial sins be less in quality, they are more in quantity; and their
multitude makes them equal to the other's magnitude. The aggregationof

atoms made at first the world's huge mass;and the aggregationofdrops did
drown it, when it was made.
(O. Feltham.)
Accounts for eternity
An infidel once remarked jestingly to a clergyman, "I always spend the
Sunday in settling my accounts." "Youmay find, sir," was the solemn reply,
"that the Day of Judgment is to be spent in exactlythe same manner!"
Conversationwith grace
Matthew Henry.
Our conversationneednot always be of grace, but it should be with grace.
(Matthew Henry.)
Faith and works
H. Melvill, M. A.
I. THE CONNECTIONBETWEENFAITH AND WORKS WHICH
CAUSES THE JUSTIFICATION DERIVED FROM THE FORMER,
OFTEN TO BE SPOKEN OF AS DERIVED FROM THE LATTER. Turn
awaythe mean and despicable notion of a faith, which doth not cordially
embrace Christ, and concentrate allthe affections of the soul in Him as in one
centre, like as a thousand rivers pour forth their mighty waters into the
bosom of the ocean, or as the scatteredrays of the midday sun, gatheredby
the optic glass, meetin one bright focus. Wheneverthere is true faith in
Christ, works of righteousness and.peace are the inevitable consequences of
her dominion. Wheneverjustification is in Scripture ascribedto works, it is
not for their own sake, but for the sake of that faith whence they spring.

II. How THE PARTICULAR FRUIT TO WHICH OUR TEXT ALLUDES IS
A JUST CRITERION OF OUR FAITH, AND A FITTING STANDARD FOR
THE AWARDS OF FINAL TRIUMPH. "Forby thy words," etc. Such is the
law, and its justice will be evinced by our referring to the fruit of the lip as an
indication of the faith of the heart. God may be denied by words and thoughts,
hence both may fairly decide the greatassize. Fromthe tenor of a man's
conversationwe may estimate his conversion. Various methods by which this
law might be vindicated — words of prayer and praise. Absence of these leads
to condemnation. Faith speaks throughthese — "If any man offend not in
word, the same is a perfectman."
(H. Melvill, M. A.)
Talking of religion without possessing it
H. Melvill, M. A.
I believe a man may speak of heaven who shall never behold its mansions, just
as he may speak ofIndia who will never sail towards its distant shores. It is
one thing to decide that a man has justifying faith merely because his tongue
may give utterance to matters connectedwith religion; and it is another to
declare that where there is faith, it will callforth religious conversation, and
excite a Divine aspiration.
(H. Melvill, M. A.)
Unconscious influence
Clement Bailhache.
I. Forgoodor ill, the life of every one of us is an incessantinfluence.
II. Deduce from this fact some important lessons.
1. Our unconscious influence is spontaneous, and has no premeditation or
calculationabout it.

2. Our unconscious influence is a perpetual emanationfrom ourselves.
3. This unconscious influence is necessarilysimple.
4. Our unconscious influence is the more powerful because it excites no
suspicion.
III. In what sense and on what grounds are we accountable for this kind of
influence?
1. It is conditioned by our character.
2. It is by this we actmost on those who are nearestto us.
3. Our indirect influence is our truest. It best represents us.
4. By these unconscious exhibitions of characterthe world is constantly
judging us. Learn
(1)The importance of eachactin our life;
(2)The necessityof conversion.
(Clement Bailhache.)
Idle words
N. Lardner.
I. What does our Lord callan idle word? Some understand unprofitable
words; others false, reproachful, hurtful words; and this latter meaning may
be preferred.
II. How can men be justified by their words, if they are good;and condemned
by them, if evil?
III. The reasonablenessofjustifying or condemning men by their words. One
reasonis, that a greatdeal is in the power of the tongue. Another is, that as
men's words are so are their hearts.

IV. Application:
1. No one may hence infer that he may be saved by a fair professionof religion
without goodworks.
2. Here is a mark which may be of gooduse for determining our sincerity or
insincerity.
3. The doctrine of the text teaches us to be carefulof our words.
4. We may hence discernthat the Lord Jesus was a most excellentperson —
"Neverman spake like Him."
(N. Lardner.)
Christianity judged by its words
Clement Bailhache.
Think of the streams of holy speechwhich have been flowing through the
world for ages, andof the life which they have conveyedto thirsty souls.
Think of these streams as they are flowing to-day in tens of thousands of
Christian congregations, and in innumerable Sabbath-schools. Compare their
influence with that of the dark utterances of heathenism, and the disturbing
teachings of unbelief. Think of the countless rills of Christian speechwhich
are flowing to-day from the lips of those who love the Saviour, and who are
endeavouring to make Him known in the home, in the sick-chamber, in the
prison-house, and in their various intercourse with those around them.
Compare their influence with that of the idle, thoughtless, impious, profane
talk of the millions who are living without God; and then say whether
Christianity may or may not be judged by its words!
(Clement Bailhache.)
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(36) Every idle word that men shall speak.—The teaching, thoughgeneralin
form, still looks back to the hard, bitter words of the Phariseeswhich had
been the starting-point of the discourse. Our Lord does not speak, as we might
have expected, of “every evil word,” but of “every idle—i.e., useless and
purposeless—word,” the random utterances which, as being more
spontaneous, betraycharactermore than deliberate speech. Suchan “idle
word” had been the passing taunt, “He castethout devils by Beelzebub.” It is
not said, however, that for every such random speecha man shall be
condemned, but that he shall give an accountfor it. It will enter into that great
total which determines the divine estimate of his character, and, therefore, the
issues of the great“day of judgment.”
BensonCommentary
Matthew 12:36-37. But I sayunto you — You may perhaps think God does
not much regardyour words, but I assure you, that not only for blasphemous
and profane, malicious, false, slanderous, and reviling words, but for every
idle word which men shall speak:for all light, vain, trifling expressions;for all
useless, unprofitable conversation, andall discourse uttered without
seriousnessand caution, and which does not conduce to the glory of God and
the goodof mankind; that men shall speak — At any time, or on any occasion,
they shall give an accountin the day of judgment — “I cannot think,” says Dr.
Doddridge, “that our Lord here uses αργον, idle, merely to signify
mischievous. We are certainly accountable for useless as wellas wicked
discourses, andthey will be takeninto that last survey which is to determine
our characterand state:which they whose life is one continued scene ofwhim,
or sneering raillery, would do well seriouslyto consider. And it was to our
Lord’s purpose to observe it here, as it inferred, by the strongestconsequence,
the dangerof such vile and criminal discourses as those ofthe Pharisees in
this case. Butdiscourse tending to exhilarate the spirits is not idle discourse;
as the time spent in necessaryrecreationis not idle time; nor does a wise and
gracious Godexpect from men the life of angels. If any are dissatisfiedwith

the accountof things here given, I would beg leave to ask them whether
unprofitable talk be not a sinful wasting of time? and whether that must not
render a man in some degree criminal before God?” Forby thy words —
That is, by the evidence of thy words, as well as of thy tempers and works,
thou shall be justified, &c. — Shalt be either acquitted or condemned; since
by the tenor of these the disposition of thy heart is shown, and thy true
characterdiscovered. Therefore these shallbe produced in evidence for or
againstthee at the great day, and by this evidence thou shalt then stand or
fall.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
12:33-37 Men's language discoverswhatcountry they are of, likewise what
manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams.
A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and
unpleasant streams. Nothing but the saltof grace, castinto the spring, will
heal the waters, seasonthe speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An
evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil things.
Lusts and corruptions, dwelling and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure,
out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonour God,
and hurt others. Let us keepconstantwatchover ourselves, that we may
speak words agreeable to the Christian character.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
But I sayunto you ... - Christ closes this address to his malignant and wicked
hearers by a solemn declarationthat for these things God would bring them
into judgment. Therefore. Theywho had spokenso malignantly againsthim,
could not escape.
Idle word - This literally means a vain, thoughtless, uselessword;a word that
accomplishes no good. Here it means, evidently, "wicked, injurious, false,
malicious, for such" were the words which they had spoken.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
36. But I sayunto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall
give accountthereofin the day of judgment—They might say, "It was

nothing: we meant no evil; we merely threw out a supposition, as one way of
accounting for the miracle we witnessed;if it will not stand, let it go;why
make so much of it, and bear down with such severity for it?" Jesus replies,
"It was not nothing, and at the greatday will not be treatedas nothing:
Words, as the index of the heart, howeveridle they may seem, will be taken
accountof, whether goodor bad, in estimating characterin the day of
judgment."
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Matthew 12:37".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
But I sayunto you,.... This form of speaking is used, the more strongly to
asseverate the truth of what is after said; and the rather, because men are apt
to indulge a liberty with their tongues;fancying no greatcrime is committed,
when only words are spoken, and no facts done;
that every idle word that a man shall speak, they shall give accountthereofin
the day of judgment. By an "idle word" is meant, what the Jews call, , "light
conversation", and, "vain discourse", as the Hebrew Gospelof Munster
reads it here; frothy language, unprofitable talk, which, though it does not
directly hurt God or man, yet is of no use to speakerorhearer; and yet even
this, in the last generaland awful judgment, if not forgiven, and repented of,
must be accountedfor; and much more such horrid blasphemies the Pharisees
had vented againstChrist, and the Spirit of Christ. The Jews (d) have a saying
pretty much like this,
"Thateven , "for any light conversation", whichpasses betweena man and
his wife, he shall "be brought to judgment".''
(d) R. Jonah apud L. Capell. in loc.
Geneva Study Bible
But I sayunto you, That every {e} idle word that men shall speak, they shall
give accountthereofin the day of judgment.

(e) Vain and unprofitable trifles, which for the most part, men spend their
lives in searchof.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 12:36 f. Nominative absolute, as in Matthew 10:14;Matthew 10:32.
ἀργόν] meaning, according to the context, morally useless, whichnegative
expressionbrings out the idea more pointedly than πονηρόν, the reading of
severalCurss., would have done. Comp. λόγοι ἄκαρποι in Plato, Phaedr. p.
277 A.
ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου, κ.τ.λ.]Foron thy words will be founded thine
acquittal, on thy words will be founded thy condemnation in the Messianic
judgment. The connectionrequired that this matter of a man’s accountability
for his words should be prominently noticed; and, seeing that the words are to
be regarded as the natural outcome of the disposition, such accountabilityis
quite consistentwith justice;nor does it exclude responsibility for his actions
as well, though this does not come into view in connectionwith the subject
now under consideration. With reference to the bearing of this saying on
justification by faith, Calovius appropriately observes:“Quid enim aliud
sermones sancti, quam fides sonans?”and vice versâ.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
36. idle] Rather, useless, ineffectualfor good. Words must be not only not evil,
but they must be actively good. The same principle rules the decisionatthe
final judgment (ch. Matthew 25:45).
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 12:36. Ῥῆμα, word) A nominative absolute, as in Luke 21:6; John
17:2; Acts 7:40; Revelation3:12; Revelation3:21, and in the S. V. of Psalms
17(18):31.—ἀργὸν, idle)not only evil. Goodness oftreasury does not produce

even anything idle.[579]—ἀποδώσουσι λόγον, theyshall render account)i.e.,
they shall pay the penalty of. A metonymy of the antecedentfor the
consequent.
[579]I can hardly think that it can be proved by the Arabic idiom, that this
precept of our Lord ought to be restrictedto lies; for the words λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν
not obscurelyintimate that the language ofChrist moves in a descending
climax, and that from evil words, mentioned in Matthew 12:35, He goes down
also to idle words. Compare the similar Epitasis (successive increase inthe
force by the descending climax) in αἰσχρότης, μωρολογία,εὐτραπελία,
Ephesians 5:4. Let us weighwell the cautionwhich is found in Matthew 5:19,
and which can never be too much recommended to all Critics, Teachers,and
SacredOrators, whenabout to enter on the investigationof the force of
expressions and phrases, especiallyin morals.—E. B.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 36, 37. - Matthew only. Verse 36. - But (δέ); and (RevisedVersion).
The adversative particle hints at the contrastof ver. 35 to their ordinary ideas
about the importance of words. I say unto you, That every idle (ἀργόν); i.e.
effecting nothing, morally useless;2 Peter 1:8 (cf. καταργεῖ, Luke 13:7). Word
(ῤῆμα); see ver. 37, note. That men shall speak, they shall give accountthereof
(ἀποδώσουσι λόγον:cf. 1 Peter4:5) in the day of judgment (Matthew 10:15,
note).
Vincent's Word Studies
Idle (ἀργὸν)
A goodrendering. The word is compounded of ἀ, not, and ἔργον, work. An
idle word is a non-working word; an inoperative word. It has no legitimate
work, no office, no business, but is morally useless andunprofitable.

BIBLEHUB RESOURCESVERSE 37
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(37) By thy words thou shalt be justified.—Stripped of the after-thoughts
which have gathered round it in the later controversies oftheologians, the
word “justified” means, as its position here shows, the opposite of
“condemned,” the being “acquitted” either on a specialcharge oron a general
trial of character. In this sense we are able to understand (without entering
into the labyrinth of logomachies inwhich commentators on the Epistles have
too often entangledthemselves)how it is that men are saidto be justified by
faith (Romans 3:28 et al.), justified by works (James 2:24), justified—as
here—by words. All three—faith, works, words—arealike elements ofa
man’s character, making or showing what he is. Faith, implying trust and
therefore love, justifies as the rootelement of character;“words,” as its most
spontaneous manifestation;works, as its more permanent results. Of the
words and the works men can in some measure judge, and they are the tests
by which a man should judge himself. The faith which lies deeper in the life is
known only to God, and it is therefore by faith rather than by works that a
man is justified before God, though the faith is no true faith unless it moulds
the characterand therefore enables the man to pass the other tests also.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
12:33-37 Men's language discoverswhatcountry they are of, likewise what
manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams.
A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and
unpleasant streams. Nothing but the saltof grace, castinto the spring, will
heal the waters, seasonthe speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An

evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil things.
Lusts and corruptions, dwelling and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure,
out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonour God,
and hurt others. Let us keepconstantwatchover ourselves, that we may
speak words agreeable to the Christian character.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
By thy words thou shalt be justified ... - That is, "words" are the indication of
the true principles of the heart; by "words" the heart shall be known, as the
tree is by its fruit. If they are true, proper, chaste, instructive, pious, they will
prove that the heart is right. If false, envious, malignant, and impious, they
will prove that the heart is wrong, and will therefore be among the causes of
condemnation. It is not meant that words will be the only thing that will
condemn man, but that they will be an important part of the things for which
he shall be condemned. See James 3:3-12.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
36. But I sayunto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall
give accountthereofin the day of judgment—They might say, "It was
nothing: we meant no evil; we merely threw out a supposition, as one way of
accounting for the miracle we witnessed;if it will not stand, let it go;why
make so much of it, and bear down with such severity for it?" Jesus replies,
"It was not nothing, and at the greatday will not be treatedas nothing:
Words, as the index of the heart, howeveridle they may seem, will be taken
accountof, whether goodor bad, in estimating characterin the day of
judgment."
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 36,37. Some understand by idle words here, lying and deceitful words;
others, contumelious and reproachful words. But the best interpreters here
extend the sense further, not only from the sense ofthe word argon, here used,
but because theyjudge our Saviour is here arguing from the less to the
greater, convincing the Phariseeswhata dreadful accountthey had to give for
their blasphemous and reproachful words, when all must give an accounteven

for those words which they speak to no goodpurpose, but vainly, without
respecteither to the glory of God, or the goodof others, or their own
necessaryand lawful occasions. Hence the apostle doth not only forbid
filthiness, foolish talking, and jestings, Ephesians 5:1, and corrupt
communication, Ephesians 4:29, but in the same verse commandeth that
Christians’ speechshould be to the use of edifying, that it may administer
grace to the hearers;and to the Colossians,Colossians 4:6, Let your speechbe
alwaywith grace, seasonedwith salt. Nor will this seemtoo strict to those who
consider, that any thing is abusedwhen it is not used to the right end and use.
God hath not given unto man his faculty of speechto fill the world with idle
tattle and impertinent discourse, but that by it;
1. We might bless God, by prayers and praises, talking of his words and
wondrous works.
2. That we might communicate our minds to men, in their or our own
concerns, and so be mutually helpful one to another.
For by thy words thou shall be justified, &c.: what justified here signifies,
appears by the word condemned, to which it is opposed. Godwill pronounce
sentence for or againstmen in the last day, not only according to their other
actions, but accordinglyas they have used their tongues. If there were no
other text in the Bible to prove that we have need of another righteousness,
than any of our own, wherein to stand before God, this text alone would be
enough, for if a man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, Jam 3:2.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For by thy words thou shalt be justified,.... Theophylactseems to take these
words to be a passageofScripture cited by Christ, in proof of what he had
said, but does not point to any; nor is any such Scripture to be found. They
are rather proverbial expressions, in common use among the Jews;or refer to

the usual methods of proceeding in courts of judicature, upon the
acknowledgments and confessions ofpersons.
"Says ReshLakish(e), such an one and such an one, they justify; and such an
one and such an one, they condemn. R. Eliezer replies, , "by their words such
an one and such an one are justified".''
The gloss upon it is,
"upon hearing the difference there is betweenthem, and betweentheir words,
they are justified.''
Our Lord's meaning is, that not only works and actions, but words of all sorts,
will come into accountin the day of judgment, and will be evidences for, or
againsta man, to acquit or condemn him:
and by thy words thou shalt be condemned: according to these, the sentence of
justification, or of condemnation, will be pronounced; as these will appear to
be evidences for, or againsta man's being in a state of grace and
righteousness:thus for instance, a man that has spokenfor Christ, and has
freely confessedthat all his hope of justification before God, and acceptance
with him, is solelyupon the accountof the righteousness ofChrist imputed;
such a man will be declareda justified man according to the tenor of his own
words: on the other hand, a man that has spokenhard speechesagainst
Christ, and his righteousness;declaring he has no dependence on it, expects
no justification by it; he will be convincedof these ungodly sayings, and out of
his ownmouth will be condemned. Some have thought, that Christ here
strikes at a notion which obtained among the Jews, that little or no account
would be takenof a man's words in the day of judgment; provided his life and
actions were good, and regular; but whateverwere the sentiments of the
Pharisees,orof any of Christ's presenthearers, it is certain, that it is the
opinion of Jewishwriters, that words, as well as actions, will be accountedfor
hereafter:they say (f),
"When a man dies, he lifts up his eyes and sees two come to him, and write
before him all that he has done in this world, , "and all that has proceededout
of his mouth", , "and he gives an accountfor all"; and a little after, , "all the

words" of a man in this world, are prepared before him, and not one of them
lost; and in the hour he goes to his grave, they are all set before him.''
(e) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 30. 1.((f) Zohar in Num. fol. 53. 2.
Geneva Study Bible
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 12:37. ἐκ γὰρ τ. λόγων σου. Judgment by words here taught; in
Matthew 25:31-46 judgment by the presence orabsence ofkind deeds. No
contradiction, for words are viewedas the index of a goodor bad heart: bad
positively, like that of the Pharisees, who spoke wickedly;bad negatively, like
that of the thoughtless, who speak senselessly. Onthe teaching of this passage
cf. James 3.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
37. by thy words] i. e. thy words shall be the ground of thy acquittal or
condemnation. Charactershews itselfby words. We often sayof a friend, “We
know what he will say when he hears this or that.”
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 12:37. [580]Ἐκ, κ.τ.λ., by, etc.)Words exhibit the righteousness or
unrighteousness, whichis in the heart.
[580]Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, in the day of judgment) Oh! what a greatday!—V.
g.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 37. - For by (ἐκ) - referring to, as it were, the source of the verdict - thy
words (τῶν λόγοι σου); thy, individualizing. Ob-nerve the change from ῤῆμα

(ver. 36), which might in itself refer to the utterance of a madman, or to a
parrot-like quotation. But by here using λόγοι our Lord shows that he is
thinking of utterances of the reason. sentences spokenwith a knowledge of
their meaning, and forming parts of what are virtually, though not literally,
discourses. Aῤῆμα may be the merely mechanicalutterance of the lips, λόγοι
imply consciousness. The presence of λόγονin the preceding clause is
probably entirely accidental. Thou shalt be justified (Matthew 11:19, note) -
'Quid enim aliud sermones sanctiquam tides sonans" (Calovius, in Meyer) -
and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (ver. 7, note).
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Matthew 12:36 “But I tell you that every carelesswordthat people speak, they
shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
NET Matthew 12:36 I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give
an accountfor every worthless word they speak.
GNT Matthew 12:36 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσινοἱ
ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσινπερὶ αὐτοῦ λόγονἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως·
NLT Matthew 12:36 And I tell you this, you must give an accounton
judgment day for every idle word you speak.
KJV Matthew 12:36 But I sayunto you, That every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give accountthereofin the day of judgment.
ESV Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give
accountfor every carelessword they speak,

NIV Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that men will have to give accounton the
day of judgment for every carelesswordthey have spoken.
ASV Matthew 12:36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give accountthereofin the day of judgment.
CSB Matthew 12:36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to
accountfor every carelesswordthey speak.
NKJ Matthew 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may
speak, they will give accountof it in the day of judgment.
NRS Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give
an accountfor every carelesswordyou utter;
YLT Matthew 12:36 'And I say to you, that every idle word that men may
speak, they shall give for it a reckoning in a day of judgment;
NAB Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an
accountfor every carelesswordthey speak.
NJB Matthew 12:36 So I tell you this, that for every unfounded word people
utter they will answeron Judgement Day,
GWN Matthew 12:36 "I canguarantee that on judgment day people will have
to give an accountof every carelesswordthey say.
BBE Matthew 12:36 And I say to you that in the day when they are judged,
men will have to give an accountof every foolish word they have said.
every carelessword:Ec 12:14 Ro 2:16 Eph 6:4-6 Jude 1:14,15 Rev20:12
A VERY SOLEMN
WARNING!
Expositor's Greek Testament - speechbeing the outcome of the heart, no word
is insignificant, not even that which is argos, ineffectual, insipid, "idle". It is
an index of thoughtlessnessif not of malice. This verse contains an important
warning,

Light words weighheavy in God's balance.
-- Thomas Manton
But - Term of contrast.
I tell you - This adds weight to what follows!
That every careless wordthat people speak - Now Jesus does not restrictHis
comment to the Pharisees but here generalizes it with phrase that people
speak. Thatopens the application not just to unbelievers but believers and
helps understand why this is such a solemn warning! A carelesswordis a
spokenwithout any thought being given to what was said. Every carelessword
we speak will be like "verbalboomerangs" whichwill meet us again at the
judgment, either at the Bema Seat(Believers)orGreat White Throne
(Unbelievers)!
Careless(692)(argosfrom a = without + érgon= work) literally means without
work, without labor, doing nothing, as one not working the ground and so
living without labor. As employed in the New Testament, argos always
describes something inoperative or unserviceable. Argos describes that which
is not working, ineffective, barren, yielding no return or worthless, not
accomplishing anything. Argos was used to describe money that was yielding
no interest or of a field lying fallow. All 7 NT uses - Matt. 12:36;Matt. 20:3;
Matt. 20:6; 1 Tim. 5:13; Tit. 1:12; Jas. 2:20;2 Pet. 1:8
Zodhiates on argos - Argós sometimes connotes indolence, slothfulness, or
laziness (1 Tim. 5:13; Titus 1:12; 2 Pet. 1:8), but this should not be confused
with the conceptof "slow" since we are commanded to be "slow [bradús
{1021]to speak" (James 1:19). There is a slownessin laziness and
presumption, but there is also a slownessin strategy. In the realm of words,
unbelievers care little about what they speak. Theyspeak foolishness,for they
do not believe their words will be judged: "A fooluttereth all his mind: but a
wise man keepethit in till afterwards" (Pr. 29:11). We believers, on the other
hand, while fully capable of thinking nonsense, should restrain ourselves from
displaying it. We should measure our words before we broadcastthem to the

public. To think before we speak takes time;thus, the command to be "slow to
speak." (ExegeticalCommentary on Matthew)
THOUGHT - Are our words "working" (ergon)words, words that are
productive and which edify? "Notworking" words include those that are
flippant, irresponsible, hypocritical or in any way inappropriate. cf Eph
4:29+.
Glen Spencer- Becauseour words give such a true evaluationof our hearts, it
is our words that we answerfor. This ought to help us control our tongues.
There is no fasterway to destroy our lives or the lives of others, than with
words. (Ibid)
Henry Morris - the words men speak will have a bearing on their degrees of
reward in heaven, or degrees ofsuffering in hell. (The Defender's Study Bible)
Expositor's Bible Commentary - Jesus is saying that every spokenword
reflects the heart's overflow and is known to God. Therefore words are of
critical importance (cf. Eph 5:3-4, 12; Col 3:17; James 1:19;3:1-12).
Zodhiates - Most people think that God is not interestedin details,
particularly idle chatter, which, they assume, He overlooks. Yethere we learn
not only that such useless words existbut they also are being recordedfor
review on the day of judgment. The Lord wants us to measure our words
before we speak. He wants us to speak valuable words that justify His
presence in our lives and advance His kingdom. (ExegeticalCommentary on
Matthew.)
Disciple's Study Bible - A sin-dominated personwill utter evil; the good
person devoted to and savedby God will utter good. On judgment day our
words spokenin our lifetime will truly reflectwho we are.
A greatprayer to utter frequently...
Ps 141:3 Seta guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watchover the door of
my lips.
Greatwisdom regarding words...

Pr 10:19 When there are many words, transgressionis unavoidable, But he
who restrains his lips is wise.
Pr 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from
troubles.
WORD(s)IN PROVERBS -Prov. 1:6; Prov. 1:23; Prov. 2:1; Prov. 2:16; Prov.
4:4; Prov. 4:5; Prov. 4:20; Prov. 5:7; Prov. 6:2; Prov. 7:1; Prov. 7:5; Prov.
7:24; Prov. 10:19;Prov. 12:6; Prov. 12:14;Prov. 12:25;Prov. 13:13; Prov.
14:7; Prov. 15:1; Prov. 15:23;Prov. 15:26;Prov. 16:20;Prov. 16:24; Prov.
16:27;Prov. 17:27; Prov. 18:4; Prov. 18:8; Prov. 19:7; Prov. 19:27;Prov.
22:12;Prov. 22:17; Prov. 22:21; Prov. 23:9; Prov. 23:12; Prov. 25:11;Prov.
26:22;Prov. 29:19; Prov. 29:20; Prov. 30:1; Prov. 30:5; Prov. 30:6; Prov.
31:1;
They shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment - They would refer
to both believers and unbelievers. There is day of reckoning, a day of
retribution regarding the words we have spokenin our lifetime! In fact Jesus
says this accounting will be for every carelessword. That means Godhas a
"word bank" in Heaven and every worthless word will be duly recompensed!
For believers our words are coveredby the blood of Jesus so we will not be
punished for our worthless words. But Paul speaking to believers states "we
MUST (dei = SPEAKS OF COMPULSION, NECESSITY!IT IS NOT A
POSSIBILITYBUT A CERTAINTY!) all appear before the judgment seatof
Christ, so that (PURPOSE)eachone (EACH INDIVIDUALLY) may be
recompensed(RECEIVE BACK) for his deeds in the body, according to what
he has done, whether goodor bad (phaulos = worthless, "pertaining to being
low-grade or morally substandard!" = BDAG). " (2 Cor 5:10+)And some of
the "bad" may be (probably will be) EVERY CARELESS WORD!And for
those we may lose some of our eternal reward! Woe!Unbelievers of course
will give an accountbefore Almighty God at the Great White Throne
Judgment for such words (see notes below).
"And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes
judgment."
(Heb 9:27)

Zodhiates adds "There will also be a scaledjudgment of works (Matt. 11:20-
24). For believers, heavenis our reward for justification in Christ by faith, but
we will also receive gradationalrewards for service and faithfulness (2 Cor.
5:10). (ExegeticalCommentaryon Matthew)
J C Ryle - There are few of our Lord's sayings which are so heart-searching as
this. There is nothing, perhaps, to which most men pay less attention than
their words. They go through their daily work, speaking and talking without
thought or reflection, and seemto imagine that if they do what is right, it
matters but little what they say. But is it so? Are our words so utterly trifling
and unimportant? We dare not sayso, with such a passageofScripture as this
before our eyes. Our words are the evidence of the state of our hearts, as
surely as the taste of the wateris an evidence of the state of the spring. "Out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." The lips only utter what the
mind conceives. Ourwords will form one subject of inquiry at the day of
judgment. We shall have to give accountof our sayings, as wellas our doings.
Truly these are very solemn considerations.If there were no other text in the
Bible, this passageoughtto convince us, that we are all "guilty before God,"
and need a righteousness betterthan our own, even the righteousnessof
Christ. (Phil. 3:9.) Let us be humble as we read this passage, in the
recollectionoftime past. How many idle, foolish, vain, light, frivolous, sinful,
and unprofitable things we have all said! How many words we have used,
which, like thistle-down, have flown far and wide, and sownmischief in the
hearts of others that will never die! How often when we have met our friends,
"our conversation," to use an old saint's expression, "has only made work for
repentance." There is deep truth in the remark of Burkitt, "A profane scoffor
atheisticaljestmay stick in the minds of those that hear it, after the tongue
that spoke it is dead. A word spokenis physically transient, but morally
permanent." "Deathand life," says Solomon, "are in the power of the
tongue." (Prov. 18:21.)Let us be watchful as we read this passageabout
words, when we look forward to our days yet to come. Let us resolve, by
God's grace, to be more careful over our tongues, and more particular about
our use of them. Let us pray daily that our "speechmay be always with
grace." (Coloss. 4:6.)Let us say every morning with holy David, "I will take
heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue." Let us cry with him to the

Strong for strength, and say, "Seta watchover my mouth, and keepthe door
of my lips." Well indeed might James say, "If any man offends not in word,
the same is a perfectman." (Psalm. 39:1, 141:3; James 3:2.) (Ryle's
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels)
Illustration of "careless word": In 1980, Lee Atwater, a political campaign
manager, inflicted terrible pain with his words. His staff learned that an
opposing congressionalcandidate from South Carolina had once experienced
severe depressionand undergone electric shock therapy. When Atwater
releasedthe information to the press, it humiliated the candidate and cast
doubt on his ability. In anguish, the man questioned Atwater's campaign
ethics. Atwater responded by saying that he had no intention of responding to
a man "hookedup to a jumper cable." Tenyears later, Atwater was afflicted
with an incurable brain tumor. He was confined to bed, attachedto machines
and tubes and wires. Before he died, he wrote the candidate a letter and asked
to be forgiven. He saw how cruel and heartless his words had been. Our words
can be just as devastating. And it seems that it's our children or family or
fellow believers whom we hurt the most. As believers in Christ, we have an
obligation before God to evaluate the impact of our words. Idle, angry, hateful
words can inflict great harm, for which we will be held accountable (Mt
12:36-37).
Ask God for help. Before hurtful words come pouring out of your mouth,
think first—then leave them unsaid. —D C Egner(Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission.
All rights reserved)
Use words of kindness, filled with love,
That heal and nourish life
Instead of hurling angry words
That wound and stir up strife.
—Sper

Think before you act;think twice before you speak.
Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words
you will be condemned.”
NET Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your
words you will be condemned."
GNT Matthew 12:37 ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων
σου καταδικασθήσῃ.
NLT Matthew 12:37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn
you."
KJV Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned.
ESV Matthew 12:37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your
NIV Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your
ASV Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned.
CSB Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your
NKJ Matthew 12:37 "Forby your words you will be justified, and by your
NRS Matthew 12:37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your
YLT Matthew 12:37 for from thy words thou shalt be declaredrighteous, and
from thy words thou shalt be declaredunrighteous.'
NAB Matthew 12:37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words
you will be condemned."

NJB Matthew 12:37 since it is by your words you will be justified, and by
your words condemned.'
GWN Matthew 12:37 By your words you will be declaredinnocent, or by
your words you will be declaredguilty."
BBE Matthew 12:37 For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and
by your words you will be judged.
For by : Pr 13:3
justified: Jas 2:21-25
YOUR WORDS DETERMINE
YOUR ETERNALDESTINY
Aren't you a bit shockedby the words of Jesus? If we take this passageout of
the contextof the rest of the teaching of the NT, we would be forced to agree
with every other "religion" and every cult that we are justified by works, in
this case the "works ofour tongue" so to speak!
John MacArthur gives an excellentexplanation of the contextto help
understand Jesus'declarationin this passage -
First there was doubt, then there was criticism, then there was indifference,
then open rejection, and finally blasphemy. They’re no longerjust wondering,
they’re no longer indifferent, they’re no longer just rejecting Him, they are
turning on Him in overt vile blasphemy. And that is what we read in Matthew
12:22-32. Thatis the recordof the blasphemy of the Jewishleaders against
Jesus Christ. And the substance of their blasphemy is in Mt 12:24, and it is
really the key to understanding our passage fortoday. Forin that they say,
“This fellow,” referring to Christ, “doeth no castout demons but by
Beelzebub, the prince of demons.” And of course that is a name for Satan. So
they watchedJesus castthe demons out of a man who was blind and dumb
and no doubt deaf, in Mt 12:22. They saw the amazement of the people in Mt
12:23, and the people beganto wonder if Jesus might not be the Messiah, the
Son of David. And they were immediately threatened by the musings of the
people. They were threatened by the thought that they might assume Jesus to

be the Messiah, so they hurriedly and publicly affirmed that He did what He
did by the powerof the Devil – by the powerof the Devil. And thus they spoke
againstJesus Christthe most terrible words that have ever been spokenin
human history, the most terrible words that ever fell from human lips, to have
calledJesus Christ satanic, to have said of the lovely spotless giftof heaven
that He was from hell. They had concluded the very antithesis of the truth and
they had blasphemed the Lord and the Holy Spirit who workedthrough Him.
They had committed a crime unequaled in human history. Now that
conclusionleads us to the next passage. Jesus has condemnedthem in Mt
12:31-32. He told them that that kind of blasphemy againstthe Holy Spirit,
who was at work through Christ, could never be forgiven. In other words, if
you have all of the revelationthere is to have – you’ve seenthe miracles,
you’ve heard His teachings, you’ve seenthe quality of His life, you’ve seenHis
attitude, you’ve been able to be exposedto everything there is about Him -
and your conclusionis that He is from the Devil, you are unredeemable.
Becauseyou have concludedthe very opposite with the fullness of revelation.
They were lost and they could never be saved; they were lost forever.And
their words became that which ultimately damned them. Now may I hastento
say, they were not so much damned by their words as their damnation was
made evident by what they said. It was clearthey were to be damned by the
words that came out from within them. It is not that you are damned by your
words; it is that you are damned because your words will reveal the
corruption of your heart. That is the issue. Thatis the substance of the
passage. So they were, in effect, rendered hopeless in Mt 12:31-32 becauseof
the blasphemy againstthe Holy Spirit as He ministered through Christ, but
their words became the mark of their hopelessness. The words that they spoke
were the objective external evidence of their corrupt and vile and wretched,
wickedhearts. (Matthew 12:33-37 Exposing the Truth About Men's Hearts)
For - Jesus has just spokenof our words and the factthat they will be judged.
Now He explains what that judgment entails. As noted above Jesus is not
teaching that we are savedby works (words). He is not negating the teaching
of Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 "Forby grace you have been savedthrough faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9notas a result of works, so
that no one may boast." His point is actually related to Paul's next statement

"Forwe are His workmanship, createdin Christ Jesus forgoodworks, which
God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Eph 2:10). So
clearly we are savedby faith, but then Paul shows that a faith that truly saves
will result in goodworks (or in the present context goodwords). The good
works (words)do not save a person, but they serve to demonstrate that they
are genuinely born again.
Our words reveal the characterof our heart.
By your words you will be justified - Paraphrase ofyou will be justified =
"Shownto be justified." (ESV Study Bible) Keeping the truth in Ephesians
2:8-10 in mind it becomes clearthat what Jesus is saying is that your words
will demonstrate the state of your heart, the treasure of your heart as He
statedin Mt 12:35. And here Jesus says that God will judge men according to
their words. In other words (pun intended) your words will become the
objective criteria by which God makes His judgment. If your words are good
words, they indicate a goodheart and that indicates that you have been
declaredrighteous by grace through faith in Christ and His Gospel(for there
is no other way). Remember that Jesus saidearlier "the mouth speaks outof
that which fills the heart." (Mt 12:34) So goodwords come forth from a good
heart which has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Will be justified is
an interesting phrase. Why? Becausebelievers have been justified by faith
when they believed the Gospel(Ro 3:24+). Justificationis a past tense, one
time event for the believer. And yet Jesus uses the future tense, will be
justified, but the context is that of future judgment. So clearlybelievers once
justified do not need to be re-justified so to speak. The meaning of justified in
his contextis the same as in James 2:21 (see more discussion)where we read
"Abraham our father (was)justified (dikaioo)by works." In that context the
verb justified means shownto be justified. In other words Abraham's "work"
of his willingness to offer up Isaac (in Genesis 22)showedordemonstrated or
proved that he had in fact already been justified by faith years earlierin
Genesis 15:6+ when "he believed in the LORD; and He reckonedit to him as
righteousness."In the same way, the goodwords of believers will
demonstrate, show or prove that they have a goodheart, which is in turn the
result of their pastjustification by faith. Their fruit of their goodwords will

demonstrate the authenticity of the root of a goodheart which was createdin
them by God's Spirit when they were born again by grace through faith.
Will be justified (1344)(dikaioofrom dike = right, expectedbehavior or
conformity, not according to one’s own standard, but according to an imposed
standard with prescribed punishment for nonconformity) means to show or
declare the rightness of someone. Dikaioodescribesthe act by which a man is
brought into a right state of relationship to God. Dikaioo is a legalterm
having to do with the law and the the courtroom, where it representedthe
legally binding verdict of the judge. This is the sense in which Paul uses
dikaioo in this sectionin Romans (Ro 3:21-5:11) in which he unfolds the
doctrine of justification. Wuest using simple, non-technical language explains
that dikaioo "refers to the act of God removing the guilt and penalty of sin
from a sinner who places his faith in the Lord Jesus as Saviour and the
bestowalofthe positive righteousness ofJesus Christ, in Whom that believer
stands a righteous person before God’s law for time and eternity, all this
made possible by and based upon the satisfaction(propitiation) which Jesus
Christ offeredon the Cross as a complete payment of the penalty imposed by
the law because ofhuman infractions of that law, thus satisfying His justice,
maintaining His government, and making possible the bestowalofmercy upon
the basis of justice satisfied." All this is not possible by "works ofthe law"!
Thomas Manton - "Words do much discoverthe temper of a man's heart.
There are three operations of man by which he is discoveredto be what he
is—thoughts, words, and actions… Certainly in all these things there should
be a difference betweenthe people of God and others."
And (kai) links the two destinies of every man and womanever born. It could
have easilybeen a term of contrastas these are diametrically different
destinies, one leading to Heavenand the other leading to Hell!
By your words you will be condemned - And so the words of a man are an
accurate gauge ofthe condition of their heart, whether regenerate orin this
case unregenerate.Forthe one who will be condemned, their condemnationis
because their heart has never been changedby the Spirit of Christ. It is still so
to speak "uncircumcised'spiritually! And the way this judgment is made

according to this passage is by reviewing the recordof this man's words,
which were evil words for that is all that could come from the "treasure" of
his evil heart. What Jesus is also saying is that we are eachindividually
responsible and culpable for our own words and we cannotsay things like
"The devil made me do it!" And so for the unregenerate man, he will be
responsible for his (her) words at the Great White Throne judgment. (Rev
20:11-15+). NoticeJohn's description "And I saw the dead, the great and the
small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book
was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the
things which were written in the books, according to their deeds." (Rev
20:12+)The implication is that their words are written in the books!And by
their words they "were judged, every one of them according to their deeds"
(Rev 20:13+)and then they are "thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:15+)
John says "their deeds" while Jesus says "your words," and they are
essentiallysynonymous for evil works and words will both produce the same
judgment and condemnation!
Condemned (Judged)(2919)(krino)primarily signifies to distinguish, to decide
between. The basic meaning of krino is to form an opinion after separating
and considering the particulars in the case. Krino means to evaluate and
determine what is right, proper, and expedient for correction. Johnwrites
"ForGod did not send the Son into the world to judge (krino) the world (THE
FIRST COMING), but that the world might be saved through Him. He who
believes in Him is not judged (krino); he who does not believe has been judged
(krino) already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God." (John 3:17, 18+)
Expositor's Greek Testament - Judgment by words here taught; in Matthew
25:31-46 judgment by the presence orabsence ofkind deeds. No
contradiction, for words are viewedas the index of a goodor bad heart: bad
positively, like that of the Pharisees, who spoke wickedly;bad negatively, like
that of the thoughtless, who speak senselessly.
Complete Biblical Library Commentary - The words themselves are not so
much a factor in judgment as is the heart—either goodor evil—which pours
them out (Matthew 12:34; James 3:10-12;cf. Luke 19:22). It is clear,

therefore, that judgment will be based upon human intent (which determines
either guilt or innocence)and knowledge (which determines the degree of guilt
or innocence). (Gilbrant)
John Tillotson"What we utter now so freely and without blushing, will then
strike us dumb, and be matter of greatestshame and confusionto us, in the
presence ofGod and his holy angels."
GREG ALLEN
"Heart to Mouth"
Matthew 12:34-37
Theme: The condition of our heart is revealedby our words.
(Delivered Sunday, July 16, 2006 atBethany Bible Church. Unless otherwise
noted, all Scripture references are takenfrom The Holy Bible, New King
James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
Severalyears ago, it was my privilege to help teacha class on preaching in a
foreign country. Frankly, it was hard to tell how wellI taught my preaching
students—I couldn't speak their language. But I tried to pass on some basic
convictions about preaching; and one of the most basic was from Proverbs
4:23. It is, I believe, a biblical command that every preacherof God's word
should constantlystrive to observe:“Keepyour heart with all diligence, for
out of it springs the issues of life.”
This is, I believe, a very basic command for preachers;because whatcomes
out of a preacher's mouth is inevitably drawn from the well of his heart. No
preachercan really preach but from what has first been put in him. To try to
do otherwise is to be a hypocrite. So, when I taught my students, this basic
command from the Scriptures is the first thing I taught them.

But I also believe it is a very central principle for eachone of us as followers of
Christ. We should expend the greatestpossible diligence in protecting and
guarding the condition of our own hearts before God; because everything that
springs forth from our mouths comes from what is in our hearts.
Jesus Himself taught this. He was confrontedby the Pharisees once because
His disciples didn't follow the tradition of the Jewishelders by ceremonially
washing their hands before they ate. (Perhaps your momma made you wash
your hands before you ate too; but this was different! This was a ceremonial
washing—a Judaistic tradition that taught that it actually defiled a man
before God to eatwith unwashed hands.) Jesus respondedby turning to the
crowdthat had gatheredand saying, “Hear and understand: Notwhat goes
into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the
man” (Matthew 15:10b-11).
Later, He explained to His disciples what He meant by “what comes out of the
mouth”;
“Do you not yet understand that whateverenters the mouth goes into the
stomachand is eliminated? But those things which proceedout of the mouth
come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceedevil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashedhands does
not defile a man” (vv. 17-20).
A man can eatwith unwashed hands, and it will not make him either holier or
more defiled before God. It makes no difference to his spiritual standing
before God whatsoever. But when a man opens his mouth and sinful things
come out, this reveals him to be a sinner from the heart. When he harbors evil
thoughts in his mind, they will eventually expose themselves in what he says. If
he nurses a murderous hatred in his heart toward another man, for example,
it'll revealitself in the fact that he calls that man a name, or slanders him or
gossips abouthim. If he entertains adulterous or sexually sinful thoughts in
his mind, they'll come out of his mouth in the form of dirty stories or jokes, or
in suggestive orflirty comments. If he has theft in his heart, he'll speak about
other people's possessionsin ways that demonstrate covetousness, ora spirit

of materialism. If a man has no real love for the truth in his heart, he'll speak
lies, or will cover up the truth about himself, or will falsely accuse anotherif it
will gethim what he wants. If a man has a hatred for God as He has revealed
Himself in the Scriptures to be, then he will make irreverent jokes about God
or speak againstHis holy character, orhe will profess God to be something
that He is not.
The heart of a man or woman is a well; and the mouth is the bucket that
draws from that well. It's not enough to simply 'cleanup' the mouth. The
mouth cannotdraw up anything but what is already in the heart. That's why
we must, with all diligence, guard the heart! From out of our hearts flows all
the issues oflife; and those issues oflife are expressedby what is heard in our
mouths.
* * * * * * * * * *
This is demonstrated by the contextof this morning's passage. The Pharisees
had just thrown a dreadful and blasphemous accusationat Jesus. He had
mercifully casta demon out of a blind and mute man—with the result that the
man was healedand could now see and speak. Those who saw it were
astonished;and asked, “Couldthis be the Son of David?” But the Pharisees
said, “This fellow does not castout demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of
the demons” (Matthew 12:22-24). In other words, they saw the power of the
Holy Spirit demonstrated through the one who was being presented to them
as the Son of God; and yet, their hearts were so hardened againstHim that
they attributed His power to castout demons to the devil himself. It's
important to note that this wasn't the only time they said this about Him
(Matthew 9:34). In fact, it was their habit to interpret His miracles in this
way. They were persistently attributing His miracles to the powerof the
devil.1
This wasn't because theymerely misunderstood Him. It was because they
hated Him and were resistantto the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning
Him. When they made this blasphemous accusationagainstHim, they were
revealing the profoundly hardened condition of their hearts. None of them
would have dared to argue that the Lord did an evil thing in making a blind

and mute man speak and see. But in spite of His goodmiracles, they so hated
Him that they attributed His goodmiracles to an evil source. And after
showing to them that it was impossible that He could have done these things in
the powerof the devil, He told them to make up their minds: “Eithermake
the tree goodand its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for
a tree is known by its fruit” (v. 33).
That's when we come to this morning's passage. That's whenHe reveals what
sort of “tree” they were proving themselves to be. And that's when we come to
His own affirmation of our vital need to guard our own hearts. Our Lord—in
what is among the harshest of His sayings in the New Testament—toldthe
Pharisees:
“Broodof vipers! How canyou, being evil, speak goodthings? Forout of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Agoodman out of the good
treasure of his heart brings forth goodthings, and an evil man out of the evil
treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men
may speak, they will give accountof it in the day of judgment. For by your
words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned”
(Matthew 12:34-37).
* * * * * * * * * *
Here, our Lord teaches us that the condition of our heart is revealedby our
words. Let's begin by considering . . .
1. THE PROBLEM DEMONSTRATED (v. 34).
The Pharisees were making anevaluation. They were seeing the goodthings
that our Lord did; and they were saying something about it. But He
challengedthem by saying, “Broodof vipers! How can you, being evil, speak
goodthings? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”They
could not have declaredan accurate or true evaluationof Him. They could, in
no way, speak goodthings about our goodLord. The problem for them was
that goodthings cannot be spokenby people who are fundamentally evil at
heart.

And look at how He evaluates them. He calls them “brood of vipers”; or as it
is in the King James Version, “O generationof vipers . . .” The word
translated “brood” or “generation” basicallymeans “offspring”;and this
speaks both of their evil characterand their evil source. They are “offspring
of vipers”—vipers who, as it were, come from vipers! It's the very name that
John the Baptisthad once called them; saying, “Broodof vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7).
Now;it might shock you, at first, to hear this—as if our Lord were needlessly
throwing out a cruel insult. But in reality, it was a carefully selectedname
chosento revealtheir true character. The word that Jesus uses isn't the
ordinarily word for “snake” or“serpent”.2Rather, this is the word that refers
specificallyto a particularly deadly and poisonous snake3. It was the word
used to describe the kind of snake that attacheditself to the apostle Paul's arm
in Acts 28:3—leading those who saw it to expecthis immediate death!
The regular word for snake would suggestthe ideas of “cunning” and
“subtleness”;as when Jesus told His disciples, “Behold, I send you out as
sheepin the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as
doves” (Matthew 10:16). But this particular word would suggestthe idea of
extreme danger and deadliness. Later on in this Gospel, Jesus woulduse both
words to describe the Pharisees:“Serpents, broodof vipers! How can you
escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33). Here, when Jesus calls
them “vipers”, He is highlighting their deadly and dangerous character. In
terms of their actions, Matthew 12:14 tells us that they were already meeting
togetherto plot out how to kill the Lord. And later, Jesus would point out that
their teaching itself was dangerous—thatthey were “blind leaders of the
blind” (Matthew 15:14); and that their doctrine is “leaven” that the disciples
were to “take heed and beware of” (16:6).
And I think that this is intended to underscore the dangerof what was coming
out of their mouths at that time. Jesus was performing miracles before the
people in the power of the Holy Spirit; and many of the people were beginning
to believe on Him. But the Pharisees—who were jealousofHim and had
already committed themselvs to killing Him—dared to attribute His miracles
to the devil in an effort to dissuade people from believing on Him. And yet,

they themselves had the outward appearance ofbeing holy and pious—like
poisonous snakes thatlook beautiful to the eye, but are deceivingly deadly.
What darkness and wickedness ofheart these words revealedto be in them!
You would not have been able to tell by looking at the Pharisees;but you
could tell by hearing what they said. Paul spoke in Romans 3 of the deep and
hidden sinfulness in the hearts of men—that “their throat is an open tomb;
with their tongues they have practiceddeceit; the poison of asps4 is under
their lips . . .” (Romans 3:13).
And notice that Jesus not only refers to the Pharisees as “vipers”, but as the
“brood of vipers”. They were vipers who came from a family of vipers! Jesus
would later say to them;
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!Because youbuild the tombs
of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we
had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with
them in the blood of the prophets.’ Therefore you are witnesses against
yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up,
then, the measure of your fathers’guilt” (Matthew 23:29-32).
God had sent prophets to their fathers in the centuries past. These prophets
came to tell them of the Messiahthat God would later send them. And yet,
here they were—the sons of those who killed the prophets—now about to kill
the One of whom those prophets prophesied! They truly were a “brood of
vipers”.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now;all of this was meant to show that these Pharisees saidwhatthey said
about Jesus because theywere evil at heart. What came out of their mouths
was simply drawn up from the well sin that was in them. Thus Jesus says,
“How can you, being evil, speak goodthings?” They could not speak anything
else but evil. It was impossible for them to do otherwise;“Forout of the
abundance [or “overflow”]of the heart the mouth speaks.”
The problem that was here being demonstrated, then, leads us to consider. . .

2. THE PRINCIPLE TAUGHT (v. 35).
It is that the mouth cannot help but speak from what is in the heart. The lips
revealexternally what the man is made of internally; “Forout of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Look at how Jesus explained this principle. He said, “A goodman out of the
goodtreasure of his heart brings forth goodthings . . .” Deepin a man is a
“treasure-store”—aninner “depository”, if you will. It is filled with the things
that he thinks about; the things that he treasures and values;the things that
he fundamentally believes, and hopes for, and loves. And if he is a man who is
right with God and is in His favor—if he is a man who has confessedhis sins
and has sought the mercy of God through Jesus Christ—if he is a man indwelt
and empoweredby the Holy Spirit and is taught of God's word, then he is a
goodman who has a goodtreasure within.
It's wise to ask yourself; “WhenI get rattled and shakendeep within, what is
it that comes spilling out? When I'm in a time of trial and testing and pressure
deep in my inner being, what comes out of me? To be sure, I'm not perfect—
I'm still growing. But do I tend to 'count it all joy' when I fall into various
trials; knowing that the testing of my faith produces God's good work in my
life (James 1:2-4)? Or when I feelthe strain of temptation, do I find myself
calling out to God to help me to turn from temptation and sin; knowing that
God is faithful, who will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I am able,
but will with the temptation make a way of escape thatI might be able to bear
it? (1 Corinthians 10:13)? When someone does something evil to me—when
someone curses me or persecutes me or wrongfully uses me—do I love my
enemies, and bless them, and do goodto them, and pray for them (Matthew
5:44)?
“How about those times when I blow it? How about those times when I fail?
How about those times when something comes out of my mouth that is sinful
and wicked? That's bound to happen; because I still struggle with the sin
that's in me. But what happens then? Do I confess it to my Father? Do I
acceptmy fault and admit my sin? Do I go back to those whom I have injured,
or to those who saw my failure, and ask their forgiveness as well? Do I seek to

make things right? What I do AFTER I blow it reveals what's in my heart too.
Does whatI do at those times revealthat what comes out of my mouth is being
drawn from a fundamentally goodtreasure?
“When I think of my salvation, do I praise God for it? Do I thank Him for His
daily blessings? Do I pray about my needs? Do I quote His word? Do I
encourage andedify others? Do I thank them for the ways God has used them
in my life? Do I seek to tell others about Him? Do I use my mouth for the high
purposes of God's glory?”
Jesus says “A goodman out of the goodtreasure of his heart brings forth good
things . . . ” Ask yourself: Does your mouth bring forth good things; and thus
prove that they are drawn from the goodtreasure of your heart? When you
get rattled and shakenwithin, what comes pouring out? You can tell a tree by
its fruit; because goodfruit only comes from a goodtree. If someone where to
walk along behind you and listen to your words, what kind of tree would you
prove to be? What kind of heart does your mouth reveal to be within you?
What kind of treasure is deep within?
* * * * * * * * * *
It's a very goodthing to test yourself in this; because Jesusalso warns, that
the opposite is also true “. . . [A]nd an evil man out of the evil treasure brings
forth evil things.”
I read a story once about one of the early Methodist preachers during the
English revival of the 1700's. His name was William Grimshaw; and while he
was a goodpastor, he had some rather unusual ways of find out the spiritual
condition of the people in his church.
One day, he was visiting a family from the church; and he wanted to know
how the spiritual condition of the old, blind grandmother of the family. She
boastedthat she was a goodChristian; but he had reasons to suspectedthat
she was just pretending in order to please him. So, after the grandmother
thought he left, he sneakedinto the room and began to poke her gently with a
cane. Thinking that it was one of the children in the family, she snapped in
anger, and let fly a whole lot of profanity. The pastor found out the truth of

what was in her heart. He knew the truth from what came out of her mouth.
(I don't remember whether or not he revealedhimself to her; but I would
have loved to have been there if he had!)
Now;you may not agree with old Pastor Grimshaw's methods; but be honest
before God: What is it that comes pouring out of you when God tests you and
allows you to get “poked”? Whensomeone wrongs youand hurts you, do you
curse them and snap at them for it? Do you complain againstGod for the
troubles and difficulties in your life? When disappointments occur, do you
express bitterness toward Him because ofit? It doesn'thave to be words
either! Do you give off the facialexpressions, orthe roll of the eyes, that
communicates bitterness within? Do you make use of 'non-verbal
communication' on the freewaywhen someone cuts you off? Is God letting
you know, at such times, that there's something wrong in your heart?
What kind of things do you talk about when you are relaxed and with your
friends? The Bible is very honest about sin. It warns us;
But fornication and all uncleanness orcovetousness, letit not even be named
among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
coarse jesting, whichare not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. Forthis you
know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God. Let no one deceive you
with empty words, for because ofthese things the wrath of God comes upon
the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them”
(Ephesians 5:3-4).
Be honest. Do you use your words to criticize and judge others? Do you
belittle others with put-downs and humorous remarks? Do you gossipand
slander others? Do you make jokes about sacredthings? Do you use the name
of the blessedSavioras an expletive? Are the only times your children hear of
God the times when you use His name in vain? What is the pattern of your
words? What kind of heart do they reveal?
* * * * * * * * * *

I suggestthat we be brutally honest with ourselves about this. I suggestthat
we not let up on ourselves. We must know—andadmit—the full truth about
ourselves. If the pattern of your or my speechis evil, then it reveals an evil
heart. The mouth pulls up nothing from the well except what's truly there;
and we must go back and examine whether or not our words revealthat we
truly are what we think we are. “Examine yourselves as to whether or not you
are in the faith,” Paul writes; “Testyourselves. Do you not know yourselves
that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2
Corinthians 13:5).
And there is greatmotivation in our passagethis morning to do so! This leads
us to consider. . .
3. THE PROMISE GIVEN (vv. 36-37).
It is the warning from our Lord—a very serious and soberwarning. It is the
promise from the lips of Jesus—who is Himself the Judge of all the earth—
that all people will give an accountto God for every idle word. Jesus says,
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give
accountof it in the day of judgment.”
The word translated “idle”5 means “unprofitable”. Some translations (the
New American Standard Bible and the New International Version for
example) have translated it “every careless word”. And the word translated
“word” in this case is not “logos” (whichwould suggesta reasonedstatement),
but “rhema” (which would suggestmore of a casualutterance). This, then,
would be a carelessorthoughtless utterance for which someone might say,
“Oh; I didn't mean what I said. I was just kidding anyway. Don't take things
so seriously.”
Jesus warns us that He takes such“careless”or“idle” words very seriously.
And there's a goodreasonwhy. Such words tend to indicate what's in our
hearts more truthfully than a carefully thought-out and prepared setof words
ever could.
Suppose I was askedto present a matter before a person of authority or a
committee of some importance. Even if I didn't respectthat personor that

committee, I would still work to prepare my case thoughtfully; and would
carefully craft my words so as to present the best possible face, and make the
most positive impact I could. But suppose, on the way there, a friend askedme
what I thought of that person or committee. I might be more inclined—in a
carelessmood—to be a bit flippant about it. I might saysome things that are
sarcasticorbelittling or disrespectful. And if those words were to be
overheard, and I were then made to give an accountof them before that
person or committee, I might try to defend myself by saying, “But I was just
talking casually!I didn't really mean what I said!” But no matter what
defense I made, the fact would be that those “careless” words revealedwhatI
really thought in my heart.
Jesus is letting us that even the “idle” or “careless”words we speak are heard
by Him. James 5:9 says, “Do not grumble againstone another, brethren, lest
you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” He is
declaring, well in advance, that people will be required to give an accountof
every word they speak on the greatday of judgment—even the “idle” words.
Our words prove what is in our hearts. This is why Jesus then says, “Forby
your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned”.
He who will judge our words will also prove to be the One who knows the true
condition of our hearts. And it will be our words that will—on that great and
all-important day—stand as the evidence of the true nature of our hearts.
* * * * * * * * * *
How important, then, that we follow the council of Proverbs 4:23, and keep
our hearts with all diligence! This leads us to a final consideration. . .
4. THE PRACTICE IMPLIED.
We must—now, while we can—guardthe condition of our heart; because out
of that heart flows the issues of life.
Let me suggestsome ways that we can do this. And as a matter of first
importance, let's be very sure we have trusted Jesus as our Savior and have
been washedof our sins. The point of this passageis not merely that we seek
to 'reform' a dirty mouth. That should happen; but that's not what needs to

happen first. If the well itself is dirty, it doesn't do any goodto cleanthe
bucket that draws out the water; and if the heart itself is still evil, it doesn'tdo
any goodto try to merely clean up the mouth.
The promise of God's word is that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation;old things have passedaway;behold, all things have become new” (2
Corinthians 5:17). If we come to Christ—confessing that we are sinners who
need to be saved, and placing our trust in the cleansing powerof His blood—
then He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Let's be sure that we have first trusted in Him;
and then, our heart—the wellspring of our words—will be clean.
Second, having trusted Christ, let's make a regular practice of allowing God
to searchour hearts. If it's true that it's out of the abundance of the heart that
the mouth speaks, thenwe must ask Godregularly to searchour hearts and
rid of us all that remains of our old life.
Before I was a Christian, I had a very filthy mouth. I told lots of dirty stories;
and used lots of profane words. It was how I tried to getby. And after I
became a Christian, it took almost a year-and-a-half for me to stop swearing.
Every time I swore or uttered filth, it broke my heart that I would still so
dishonor my Savior; and I would then confess my sin. He always forgave me.
And so, progressively, Godwas removing from my heart the residue of the old
life of sin; and so, my mouth was becoming more and more available for His
service.
That's what eachone of us must do. The Bible says that there is not a word on
my tongue but that the Lord knows it altogether(Psalm139:4). He even
knows my thoughts afar off (v. 2). I can admit the truth to Him. And I can
turn to Him and say, “Searchme, O God, and know my heart; try me, and
know my anxieties;and see if there is any wickedwayin me, and lead me in
the wayeverlasting” (vv. 23-24).
Third, let's confess ourweaknessin the area of our words, and our need for
God's grace and strength to help us. The apostle James warnedus that there
is the potential for great harm in our words—that“the tongue is a fire, a
world of iniquity. The tongue is so setamong our members that it defiles the

whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and is seton fire by hell”
(James 3:6). He warns that “everykind of beastand bird, of reptile and
creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can
tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (v. 8).
It's as if we are walking around with a very dangerous, untamed, dangerous
animal in our mouths. As someone said, if you want to tame an animal, you
must bring the animal to man; but if you want to tame the man, you must
bring the man to God. Man is the proper tamer of animals; and God is the
proper tamer of men's tongues. Let's be sure, then, that we daily yield
ourselves to Godthat He might tame our tongue.
Fourth, let's make sure that what we put into our hearts is what we would
want to have coming out of our mouths. Paul said, “Let no corrupt word
proceedout of your mouth, but what is goodfor necessaryedification, that it
may impart grace to the hearer” (Ephesians 4:29). And if we would have good
things come out, then we must be sure that we're putting good things in. He
says elsewhere,“Finally, brethren, whateverthings are true, whatever things
are noble, whateverthings are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whateverthings are of goodreport, if there is any virtue and if
there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Psalm119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin
againstYou.” The more of the truth of God's holy word we put in, the more
we will be pushing the evil out.
And finally, let's dedicate our tongues to God's goodpurposes. The danger of
the tongue may tempt us at times to cut it out; and the potential for sin from
our lips may tempt us to super-glue them shut. But God has given us our lips
and our tongues for His glory and use. The mouth that is dedicated to God,
and that draws its speechfrom a heart that has been cleansedby Him, is a
powerful force for goodin this world.
The prophet Isaiahwas a man who also had a dirty mouth. But God cleansed
him. In a vision, an angeltouched his lips with a coaltakenfrom the altar—an
altar where atonement had been made for his sin. And Isaiah was told,
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is takenaway and your sin

purged” (Isaiah 6:7). And then, when the Lord said, “Who shall I send, and
who will go for Us?”, Isaiah was able to stepforward and say, “Here am I!
Send me!” (v. 8).
God took Isaiah's sin awayand cleansedhis lips; and then, He put those lips
to service as His mouthpiece to the nation of Israel. Likewise, give yourself to
Jesus Christ. Presentyour whole body as a living sacrifice to Him. Dedicated
all that you are—including your lips—to His service. And then—with a heart
cleansedby His blood—never use your lips for common things again.
* * * * * * * * * *
With our wonderful Savior's help, may we prove to this world that He has
placed a goodtreasure in our hearts by the fact that we bring forth that which
is goodfrom our lips.
1See Mark 3:30—where it says that Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees
"because theysaid, 'He has an unclean spirit'". The verb translated“they
said” is in the imperfect tense;which suggests anongoing, habitual practice. It
can be translated as it is in the New American Standard version: ". . . because
they were saying, 'He has an unclean spirit'."
2Ophis; a serpent in a generalsense (suchas is used of literal serpents in
Matthew 7:10; 10:16; or of the devil in Revelation12:9, 14, 15;20:2).
3Echsidna;a viper.
4The word used in Romans 3:13 is aspis;which, like eschidna, designates a
particularly dangerous and poisonous snake.
5This adjective is the combination of the Greek verb for a “work” ora “deed”
(ergon), with the alpha privative. Thus argos means “inactive” or “barren” (1
Timothy 5:13; Titus 1 :12; 2 Peter1:8).
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Copyright © 2006 BethanyBible Church, All Rights Reserved

BARCLAY
Hearts And Words (Matthew 12:34-37)
12:34-37 "Youbrood of vipers, how can you who are evil speak goodthings?
For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.The goodman
brings out goodthings from his goodtreasure house; and the evil man brings
out evil things out of his evil treasure house. I tell you that every idle word
which men shall speak, of that word shall they render accounts in the day of
judgment; for by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you
will be condemned."
It is little wonder that Jesus chose to speak here about the awful responsibility
of words. The Scribes and Phariseeshad just spokenthe most terrible words.
They had lookedon the Son of God and called him the ally of the devil. Such
words were dreadful words indeed. So Jesus laid down two laws.
(i) The state of a man's heart can be seenthrough the words he speaks. Long
ago Menanderthe Greek dramatist said: "A man's charactercanbe known
from his words." Thatwhich is in the heart cancome to the surface only
through the lips; a man can produce through his lips only what he has in his
heart. There is nothing so revealing as words. We do not need to talk to a man
long before we discoverwhether he has a mind that is wholesome ora mind
that is dirty; we do not need to listen to him long before we discoverwhether
he has a mind that is kind or a mind that is cruel; we do not need to listen for
long to a man who is preaching or teaching or lecturing to find out whether
his mind is clearor whether it is muddled. We are continually revealing what
we are by what we say.
(ii) Jesus laid it down that a man would speciallyrender accountfor his idle
words. The word that it used for idle is aergos (Greek #692);ergon(Greek
#2041)isthe Greek for a deed; and the prefix "a"--means "without";aergos
(Greek #692)describedthat which was not meant to produce anything. It is
used, for instance of a barren tree, of fallow land, of the Sabbath day when no

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