Mark 7:14-19 - The Source of Defilement

Mark 7:14-19
14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]
17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

Message: The Source of Defilement

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface: Jesus is confronting the Pharisees. While they are concerned Jesus is neglecting their traditions, Jesus is concerned with their heart and why they are doing what they are doing. Is it really motivated toward God and the things of faith or do we get sidetracked on doing things for God that we neglect the people God has placed in our lives? Do we get obsessed with ensuring that are right with God that we then neglect people?

After He called the crowd to Him again...Jesus shifts from only speaking to the Pharisees and resumes his talk to the crowd.  The people may have retreated a little as Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:" The words Jesus is about to speak are of utmost importance and apply to everyone present.

there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him - Here he seems to be saying that food or drink that may come into a man, these cannot defile a man. In a way, he is further emphasizing the words he said previously that eating food with unclean hands is not the serious issue here. Conversely, but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. Matthew Henry comments - "Our wicked thoughts and affections, words and actions, defile us, and these only." Paul speaks of this more clearly as well in Romans 2:29 saying, "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God." Proverbs 4:23 says, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life." 

Jesus has been speaking to the scribes, but he turns his attention to all the people to emphasize these words, very clearly. He wants us all to understand these words that what comes from within, from the heart is what defines who we are. 

How often in life do we judge people harshly because of addictions they have fallen into, like taking in large amounts of alcohol or smoking substances. The drink or drug has possessed them, but these do not define the person. I too quickly judge people but I think Jesus is even saying here that what is strongest in people's lives is what comes out of them, not what they take in.  In these passages here in Mark 7, Jesus is offering a rather radical alternative to the obedience of keeping the laws of God and keeping the traditions of man and the obsession we get in our lives to being obedient to those things. He really wants us to look within and see that how we have trained our heart and it is our compassion toward others that mean the most in life. 

My atheist friend yesterday sent me a video of an atheist talk show, broadcast from Austin Texas. The host is a former baptist. He grew up in a religious family, even stated he received Jesus into his heart multiple times, contemplated full-time ministry, but in a quest to understand the atheistic way he became one and suddenly got thrust into the limelight of having his own talk show to defend atheism. The video my friend sent had excerpts, one after another, of the way in which this guy had sort of dethroned Christians calling into his show. It was appealing to my friend as it has this sense of conquering or putting people into their place. Often these call-in shows are a little staged so that the person calling in is sort of shamed. Whether that is the intent or not, it happens. And it happens on the Christian side as well. I've seen them before and even laughed at them when a Christian puts a non-Christian in their place and corrects their thinking, sort of shaming them in submission. 

There were a couple of calls that were very damning to the people calling in, showing that this atheist host's knowledge of scripture was somehow greater than the Christian calling in. One I remembered was the way Christians can often seemingly pick and choose the laws of God, extolling those that other Christians support like saying no to abortion, gay marriage, while ignoring other dietary laws and stoning laws. And the heathen or the non-Christian sits on the outside and wonders how Christians can do this, how can they saw they believe the Bible is inerrant and then pick and choose. The Christians responding on the call got flustered and the Atheist host clearly had the upper hand and knew what to say, confirming that the defense that "oh, those laws just don't apply anymore" was the answer he expected and helped to confirm that even Christians don't follow the Bible as it is set up. But, even as I think about this and I think about this particular passage of scripture here from Mark 7 and Jesus helping people see that while laws do serve a purpose we must be careful that they don't alienate people. It is the heart of each person we are concerned about. In this scenario, to me, we Christians do at times get too focused on rules and the non-Christians get too focused on following rules, but what Jesus is pointing out here is what matters most is what is within a person.

It's possible that the Mosaic law's dietary laws were given to Israel because God wanted them to live in a way that was distinct and separate from the surrounding nations. And having a different diet served as a clear reminder of this. Leviticus 11 speaks clearly about these rules, but at the end of the chapter clarifies that the uncleanness is focused on a time period, a day or so, until evening. Thus, infractions and the penalties associated with them lasted for a time period, a day or less. Thus a person was not unclean forever. 

Granted, it is sad that Christians sometimes do more harm than good in being a witness. There is a hard balance in life. It is complicated. It isn't as cut and dry as everyone wants to make it to be. We are in this world of us against them, dueling political parties, dueling agenda's, sports teams competing, everywhere is this idea of opposite ways. Granted, good and evil is another way of expressing this. But in this debate culture in which we live in now, sometimes the heart of the matter gets lost. My atheist friend that I've been speaking with for years is so focused on exposing the fallacy of faith that he misses the message, preferring to think that morality is self-defined. And Jesus clearly wants to share a different way of thinking with people. It's tragic that people miss it. They are so focused on what is wrong and right that they miss the message.  Jesus, here in the gospel of Mark is showing his power and authority and while he does this he shares a message that is indeed radical: inside/out, from the heart, our motivations. Jesus is asking us to get off the to-do lists of our faith and get focused on the relationship we have, one with another.  

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. In a way, this is saying, listen up. What Jesus has said is so important here. [I'd like to see a study on all those passages that have that phrase attached to them.]

Jesus is finished. He has said what he wanted to say, but the disciples are confused and rightly so, for Jesus' message is indeed radical. When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. This is our response when we don't understand something, we are to ask God. How often do we run instead to Christian authors, other people, counselors, friends - there is nothing wrong with that, but why don't we first start with God. James 1:5 says, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God." Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6, "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." What Jesus says is intense, so when we don't understand, ask Him. 

Here is Jesus' response: And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” Here is the key understanding: the heart. Food from outside, dirty hands, wine, drink, drugs, food -- this is not what defiles us or makes us unclean or not pure. All of these things go into the stomach and then are eliminated (Granted, drugs can effect the mind as well). But the key here is the heart. 

Albert Barnes (1798-1870) states: "This agrees with all that has since been discovered of the process of digestion and of the support of life. The food taken into the stomach is by the gastric juice converted into a thick pulp called chyme. The nutritious part of this is conveyed into small vessels, and changed into a milky substance called "chyle." This is poured by the thoracic duct into the left subclavian vein and mingles with the blood, and conveys nutriment and support to all parts of the system. The useless parts of the food are thrown off."

Summary - Jesus speaks to all the people, going beyond just the scribes, and declares clearly that when speaking of being clean, the key is what comes out of a person, not what is taken in. What is unneeded to the human body are thrown off and eliminated through waste. If the people want to know what defiles, it is what comes out of a person that matters most. Jesus is declaring this radical message over and over - the heart. We need to focus on the heart. 

Promise: God is not primarily concerned about external matters; He is most concerned about our hearts. Yes, we need to be focused on doing the right things, but making sure we do them for the right reason - for the Glory of God.  

Prayer: O God, thank you for emphasizing to me the importance of this message, adding the words, if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. This is indeed a message that I need to hear and be reminded of. It is very clear. I need to focus on my heart and writing on it your Word so that out of my heart will come the things of your Holy Spirit. I want to emit you. Thank you for eliminating the waste in my life. Help me to not judge people because of what I see them drinking or taking in or eating but instead help me to focus on people and their motives and helping them see that from within is what matters most. Lord, I want to focus on what matters most. Remove the blindness present in so many. I so desire your people to exemplify you and live in a way that honors you.