Strong’s Greek 856, aphedrōn, appears twice in the New Testament and denotes the place where bodily waste is expelled. Both occurrences are in parallel statements by Jesus Christ clarifying that foods themselves cannot defile a person (Matthew 15:17; Mark 7:19).

Biblical Context in the Teachings of Jesus

Matthew 15:17 records Jesus’ question, “Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?”. Mark 7:19 echoes the same logic: “For it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” Jesus employs the commonplace reality of a latrine to illustrate a profound spiritual truth. The immediate issue was Pharisaic criticism that the disciples ate without the ritual handwashing prescribed by tradition (Matthew 15:1-2; Mark 7:1-5). Jesus demonstrates that external intake passes through the digestive system and exits the body, leaving the heart—the seat of moral and spiritual life—untouched. Thus He shifts the focus from ritual purity to internal righteousness.

Cultural and Historical Background

First-century Judaism held numerous ceremonial regulations concerning food and bodily cleanliness derived from the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14). Rabbinic tradition added layers of oral regulations, including elaborate hand-washing rites. Latrines themselves, often situated outside village walls or homes, were considered unclean spaces. By invoking the latrine, Jesus references an everyday reality His listeners knew well, cutting through layers of religious formalism with an illustration impossible to spiritualize away.

Theological and Symbolic Implications

1. True Source of Defilement: Jesus’ teaching reaches its climax in Matthew 15:18-20 and Mark 7:20-23, where He names evil thoughts, murder, adultery, and similar sins as what truly defile. The latrine imagery underscores the temporary, passing nature of dietary matters versus the enduring moral weight of heart issues.
2. Fulfillment and Clarification of the Law: Mark adds the parenthetical note, “Thus all foods are clean” (Mark 7:19), signaling an epochal moment in redemptive history. Jesus affirms the moral heart of the Law while revealing the dissolution of its ceremonial barriers, preparing the church for the inclusion of Gentiles (Acts 10:9-16; Acts 15:7-11).
3. Contrast between Flesh and Spirit: The passage anticipates Paul’s later teaching that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). The latrine becomes a metaphor: what is merely physical is destined to be discarded; what is spiritual endures.

Practical Ministry Application

• Discernment in Teaching: Ministers must guard against elevating traditions or preferences to the level of divine command.
• Heart Examination: Congregations should be encouraged to examine inward motives rather than obsess over external conformity.
• Freedom Balanced by Love: The declaration of food’s neutrality calls for liberty (1 Corinthians 10:25-31) tempered by consideration for weaker consciences (Romans 14:13-19).
• Holiness Grounded in the Gospel: The passage affirms that sanctification originates in a transformed heart, empowered by the Holy Spirit, not in ritual observance.

Related Scriptures and Themes

Leviticus 11:44-45; Isaiah 29:13; Psalm 51:10; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Acts 10:15; Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:9; James 1:27.

Conclusion

Aphedrōn serves as a vivid reminder that what is merely physical is transient, whereas moral purity springs from a regenerated heart. Jesus’ use of this humble term dismantles ritualistic barriers, heralds the universality of the gospel, and calls every believer to pursue holiness from the inside out.