What Did Christ Mean By “Empty” (“Idle”) Words in Matthew 12:36?

In Matthew 12:36 the Lord said that people will be held accountable for every “empty” word they speak when they stand before their Creator. The Greek word translated as “empty” is argos (ar-GOS), which means “idle,” “thoughtless” or “unprofitable.” The various English versions of the Bible translate it as “empty,” “idle,” “careless” and so on, which you can observe here. What “empty” words was Christ specifically referring to?

To answer, let’s read the full passage:

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 12:33-37

Verse 36 naturally provokes the question: What words specifically does the Lord consider empty, careless or idle? Since Scripture interprets Scripture, other verses that address spoken words will help in answering the question, like James 3:2-12. For helpful insights on the power of words, see this article & corresponding video.

It helps to grasp that Christ spoke in an ambiguous way at times to provoke those who cared enough — that is, those who have “ears to hear” — to seek for clearer personal answers, as shown in this article and this article.

So I encourage chewing on the various passages that address the power of words or personal confession and seeking the Lord to reveal to you what words you are specifically speaking that are empty/careless/idle. Let the Spirit guide you personally in the matter (Romans 8:14 & John 16:13) and keep in repentance if you miss it (1 John 1:8-9 & Matthew & Luke 3:8). Please know that “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), but the Lord will hold us accountable for impenitent empty words at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Also keep in mind that the morality concerning the usage of any given word comes down to the intent of the heart of the speaker, including how s/he defines the word in question.

For instance, when I was 14 I was talking with my mother wherein I used a word that shocked her and she swiftly rebuked me. However, to me, the word simply meant to screw someone over; but, to her, it was vulgar and inappropriate. I was ignorant at the time of the word’s more literal definition. This factors into the equation when the Lord holds us accountable to the words we speak.

What about singing song lyrics? Is doing so speaking empty/idle words? Singing song lyrics would be speaking words someone else wrote and therefore wouldn’t spring from one’s heart, which is what the Lord is mainly concerned with in the above passage (verse 34 & Luke 6:45), so there shouldn’t be an issue with doing this, unless of course the lyrics are blasphemous or evil in nature (verses 31-32). And, if they are, why would a true believer want to sing them in the first place?

Related Topics:

Gossip — What’s Wrong with It?

WORDS have the Power of Life and Death

Judgment Seat of Christ (the Judgment of Believers)

Why Was Jesus Sometimes Ambiguous?

Why did Jesus Answer Questions with Questions?

How God Sees YOU (video)

Photo by Brett Jordan