That which defiles

Introduction

Mark 7:1–23 NIV

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)—12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” 14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” 16 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Charge against Jesus and disciples

Verses 1: Pharisee’s and teachers of the law coming from Jerusalem (religious teachers)

Verses 2-4: Saw disciples eating with hands that were defiled. Defiled does not mean dirty. It means ritually unclean. God’s law required washing when coming in contact with unclean things (Lev 11-15) as well as washing for priest who are about to make an offering/sacrifice (Ex 30:18-21; 40:30-32); however, it did not include eating common foods or meals of their time. Tradition developed where one would go through a ceremonial washing prior to eating, even a common meal. The traditions of the elder the religious leaders practiced involved ceremonial washing the entire body when coming from the market place, and ceremonial washing of objects.

Verse 5: The charge by the religious leaders suggest tradition is as authoritative as God’s law. In some respects, you can suggest it implies their tradition improves the law of God. To go beyond God’s law is to say, “God your law is not sufficient enough.”

Jesus’ response to the charge

Verses 6-8: What Isaiah said was a prophesy against the people of Jerusalem. Here we see Jesus clearly identify them as the one Isaiah prophesies about and He identifies them as hypocrites. Essentially, Jesus condemns the religious leaders as God condemned the Israelites in Isaiah’s time for empty, fruitless worship. Jesus charge against them is that they have abandoned the commands of God for human traditions.

Verses 9-13: Jesus gives an example of a common practice that demonstrates their abandonment of God’s law to observe their traditions through “Corban.” He identifies the 5th commandments basic command of honoring father and mother and the extreme circumstances of not doing so. Often times, we think demonstrating honor to parents is about speech and action. However, honoring one’s parents in this community includes providing financial support as well. The dilemma here is when a child can offers what he/she has as “Corban” he/she enters a vow with God that cannot be broken. Therefore, there is an issue of judgment on the elders part when something is offered as “Corban” and the child, if it is done to keep from providing financial support to parents. In the Mishnah, rabbinic views are reflected to show judgment on matters like this often show priority to the God’s commandment, allowing man to be released from the vow. Jesus was apparently aware of such cases. Nevertheless, the religious leaders upholding their traditions over God’s law shows they undermine God’s law. Which Jesus says, “And you do many things like that.”

Jesus teaches about defilement

Verses 14-16: Jesus makes a public ruling on the situation, through parable, to the crowd He called to Himself. “Nothing outside the body can defile a person by going into them. Rather it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

Verses 17-23: Jesus retreats with His disciples into the house. His disciples did not understand the parable. Jesus asked them if they were dull which means to be void of understanding. Jesus’s teaching is one of spiritual nature where the disciples were trying to understand from a natural means. Where Jesus teaching defilement regarding one’s heart/attitude, the disciples are thinking in terms of eating and their stomach. The parenthetical addition of “Jesus declared all foods clean,” in verse 19, is not a quote of Jesus but Mark’s interpretation of what Jesus is saying. Meaning it should not be declared ritually unclean. The issue Jesus presents is what comes out not goes in, in the sense of ones deceptive and immoral heart. What comes out of a defiled heart is evil thoughts. Where the religious leaders are focused on one’s outward appearance, Jesus focuses on one’s attitude.

Conclusion

Abandon your traditions and hold fast to the word of God

Ask God to examine you, and examine yourself