Mark 7:1-22

Defilement comes from Within

Mark 7:1 “1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.”

Mark 7:2 “2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.”

Mark 7:3 “3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.”

Mark 7:4 “4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.”

Mark 7:5 “5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?””

So the first five verses , the Pharisees and the Scribes

they call out Jesus about the disciples eating with unclean Hands

Now these unclean hands they are talking about have nothing to do with Hygiene

it has everything to do with tradition

Tradition is something that we know that comes from Man , not God

so they call him out for not making the disciples follow the traditions of ceremonially washing their hands

and were going to see His response in vs 6

Mark 7:6 “6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.”

read Isaiah where the verse comes from

Isaiah 29:13 “13 Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,”

Mark 7:7 “7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Mark 7:8 “8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.””

So Jesus is calling them hypocrites now

anyone know the actual or biblical definition of a Hypocrite ?

Hypocrite: is someone who puts on a false display of virtue ( The greek word( Heepokrites)

another short word for it is actor

so hes calling them actors/ hypocrites , because they do not practice what they preach

Mark 7:9 “9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

Jesus accused them for disobeying the commands of God and replacing it with the tradition of men

that never goes well

Gods Law is never something that should be replaced by human tradition

Now in vs 10 he’s going to give them the example of where they messed up and how they can’t pick mans tradition over Gods Law

Mark 7:10 “10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’”

Mark 7:11 “11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God),”

Mark 7:12 “12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,”

Mark 7:13 “13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.””

Read it in the NLT Now

Mark 7:14 “14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand:”

Mark 7:15 “15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.”

Mark 7:16 “16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!””

Defilement

okay so now Jesus is talking to them and he’s contradicted them

Nothing that enters a man from outside can defile him

so in context the ritual of eating with dirty hands that hadn’t gone through the ceremonial process does not have the ability to defile you;

this is speaking from a moral standpoint , and from the context of food

true defilement comes from within , what comes out of the man is what defiles Him

this isn’t saying that what we take in wont have the ability to mess us up,

if we watch things we shouldn’t or do things we shouldn’t with the wrong people, thats when we start to mess ourselves up

thats when we start to develop a heart for things we shouldn’t

we will see more in vs 21-23

Mark 7:17 “17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.”

Mark 7:18 “18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,”

Mark 7:19 “19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?””

Okay so again talking in regard to food, food goes straight to the stomach , not the heart

food itself is not bad for us all food us acceptable in Gods eyes

so even though there are things that come from the outside morally , if they affect the heart , thats what comes out

what ever those things may be , if it is penetrating your heart , then it will come from within

Mark 7:20 “20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.”

its not what we take in in regard to food and traditions but its what comes out of us that matters

Mark 7:21 “21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,”

Mark 7:22 “22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.”

Mark 7:23 “23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.””

again there are things that we take in that mess us up

things that mess up our hearts and tweak what are real desires should be

Heres the crazy thing too

we are all born with a sinful nature

we see it in Scotti , no one taught her to drop kick her cousin in the face, but thats a part of her sinful nature

no one taught her how to lie but she does every once in a while, especially when we ask her if she peed and she says yes, then 5 minutes later she pees her pants

no one taught babies to be dis obedient

they are naturally with sinful nature , and that sinful nature comes out of us

share the quote

‌“Every outward act of sin is preceded by an inward act of choice; therefore Jesus begins with the evil thought from which the evil action comes.” (William Barclay)

the evil begins in us and is already there

Luke 6:45 “45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

you wanna know what is in someones heart ? let them get close to you and talk to you and you will hear whats in there !

defilement is not only in us but what comes out is what defiles us ! Vs 15 again says the things that come out are the things that defile us

what comes out reveals what is in us !

the things that defile our spirit defile us

the two don’t go together

So my encouragement to all of you as we get ready to leave to camp

be careful of the things that you are taking in that have the ability to mess with desires in your heart

Unless it is spiritually uplifting

Galatians 5:16–17 “16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

get yourself to a place that is going to give you the ability to hear and receive what God has for you at camp

what ever worship looks like in your relationship with the Lord , do it !