Sermon Tone Analysis

Tradition

Jesus had been arguing about tradition (Mk7:1-13) and how we need to beware of allowing tradition to take same place or be elevated to the place of the Word and the Commandments of God.

Mk7:

Mk7:8

In our passage today Jesus is going to elaborate on true defilement.

First to the crowd (Mk7:14-16) then to the disciples (Mk7:17-23).

We have the benefit of having the full counsel of God (Act20:27) we have the public and the private teaching of Jesus that we can learn about the source of defilement.

We will see that it is not the washing of hands that matters but the purity of one’s heart.

We have already seen the irrelevance of elaborate handwashing and the rigid adherence to tradition can be in violations to the law of God.

During the time of the Maccabees (the inner-testimonial period) in 1Mac1:62-63 and in 4Mac7 you can see to what extreme devotion to tradition was.

In 1Mac1 it is told of Antiochus Epiphanies was determined to rule out the Jewish faith, beyond defiling the temple with swine blood he tried to force the Jews to eat what was considered unclean according to Lev11 and the list of clean and unclean animals.

Epiphanes demanded that the Jews were to eat pork, swine flesh, but rather than that, 100’s died rather than to be defiled by meats they were told not to eat.

In 4Mac7 there is a story of a widow with 7 sons, in their refusal to eat the swine, one one had his tongue cut out, then the ends of his arms, legs cut off.

The next son had his hair and the skin on the top of his skull torn off.

One by one all 7 were tortured as the mom cheered them on for staying true to the covenant and not being defiled.

Here Jesus is really going to rock their world by His statement and His teaching.

From Jesus remarks and teaching we know that the source of true defilement is not the food.

Defilement Source: Not the food

From the past under the old covenant, to the words of Jesus then and what was going to be under the new covenant we learn that the source of true defilement is not the food.

What did you see, what did you notice, what sticks out to you?

Some history facts

In the beginning - seem’s man may have been vegetarian (Gen1:29-30)

After the flood, animals were given for food (Gen9:3-4)

After the flood, animals were given for food (Gen9:3-4)

What did you notice in this passage, are there any restrictions?

If so, what?

With the Law of Moses came dietary restrictions (Lev11:1-47)

With the Law of Moses came dietary restrictions (Lev11:1-47)

In Lev11, there is a very detailed list of animals, sea creatures and birds etc that were acceptable for food and unacceptable for food and it was not a choice.

So without a doubt there were some stringent dietary guidelines that were given to the children of Israel.

Some dietary facts, freedoms in the present

Jesus in general declared all food clean (Mk7:19)

Jesus also alludes to the source of true defilement (Mk7:14-16)

Jesus in His private teaching explains to his disciples (Mk7:17-19)

Jesus had cut to the heart of the matter by rejecting the piety, shallow as it was, of the religion leaders to their approach to the Word of God, Jesus is concerned about internal purity that brings true godliness.

Jesus is telling them that what truly defiles a person is the product of his own heart.

Keep in mind that while Jesus was alive there is no evidence that He violated any Law of Moses for He did not come to do away with, but to fulfill (Mt5:16-17).

Jesus is teaching them what they were going to need to know when the law was fulfilled.

Now there were some exceptions to the dietary freedom as noted in the New Testament.

Things offered to idols (Act15:28-29; Act21:25)

Act15:28

and add to that one

So things sacrificed to idols, blood, strangled things were things to be avoided.

Things connected with idolatry (1Cor10:19-23)

Look at this last verse, what do you see, what do you notice, what can we learn from this verse?

Things that could be a stumbling block to others (Rom14:14-21; 1Cor8:8-13)

1COr8

Notice what it says in (v.13)!

Don’t be a stumbling block to your brother!

Defilement Source: It’s the heart

Jesus in His statement and His teaching implies that our fellowship with God is not affected by unclean hands or unclean foods but by person sin that comes from within.

The heart is the core for motivation, deliberation and intention.

In this section He gives a list of behaviors and characteristics that come from the heart and it’s a hard list to look at.

Mk7:22-23

What did you see, what did you notice, what sticks out to you?

Defilement of the heart cannot be cleansed by a fistful of water cupped in your hands.

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It all starts with evil thoughts, it is the root of various evils that come from within, from within the heart.

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It all starts with evil thoughts.

it is the root of various evils that follow according to the Bible Knowledge Dictionary.

It says.

“Evil thoughts generated in a heart unity with one’s will to produce evil words and actions.”

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Evil thoughts lead to adulteries (Mk7:21; Mt5:27-28)

Evil thoughts lead to fornications (Mk7:21; 1The4:3-5)

Evil thoughts lead to murder (Mk7:21; 1Jn3:15)

Evil thoughts lead to thefts (MK7:21)