The Human Heart (Mark 7)

What did Jesus say about using man-made traditions to disobey God’s commandments? Do evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness defile us? Does Jesus still make the deaf to hear and give speech to those who cannot speak? Let’s look at Mark 7.

Did the Pharisees find fault with Jesus’ disciples? Do we criticize people who overlook our religious traditions?

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. (Mark 7:1-2 NKJV)

What religious traditions were in question? Was it commanded by God or men?

(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.) (Mark 7:3-4 NLT)

Was it a tradition of the elders? Do we tolerate differences of opinion on non-essentials of our faith?

The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?” (Mark 7:5 WEB)

Did Isaiah prophesy about this type of hypocritical attitude, giving man-made traditions equal or greater weight than the scriptures?

He replied, “Isaiah really knew what he was talking about when he prophesied about you hypocrites. He wrote, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. Their worship of me is empty since they teach instructions that are human words. (Mark 7:6-7 CEB Isaiah 29:13)

What was the plain truth about their rule? Do we have similar man-made rules in our churches, that are just substitutes for God’s commandments?

You ignore God’s commandment while holding on to rules created by humans and handed down to you.” Jesus continued, “Clearly, you are experts at rejecting God’s commandment in order to establish these rules. (Mark 7:8-9 CEB)

Is there another clear commandment that they violated by substituting a man-made rule? Do we do such things in our churches?

Didn't Moses command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they own has been offered to God. You won't let those people help their parents. And you ignore God's commands in order to follow your own teaching. You do a lot of other things just as bad. (Mark 7:10-13 CEV)

Does food violate us spiritually? What does defile us spiritually?

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:14-15 ESV)

Was Jesus talking about physical or spiritual defilement? Must we learn to understand how Jesus often speaks, of spiritual things and not physical? Did Jesus thus remove all such distinctions in the law and make all foods clean?

When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated.” (As a result, He made all foods clean.) (Mark 7:17-19 HCSB)

What defiles a man, something that comes out physically or evil that comes out of the heart?

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23 KJV)

Did a Gentile woman show great faith in Jesus? Would we throw ourselves at His feet?

Now Jesus stood up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He was wanting no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. (Mark 7:24-25 LSB)

Did Jesus say something that we might consider an insult? Was it to test her faith?

Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician descent. And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Mark 7:26-27 NASB)