How do we become impure? Jesus answers this question in Mark 7:14-23, the passage explored in today’s episode. Earlier in Mark 7, the Pharisees accuse Jesus and his disciples of being defiled because they did not properly wash their hands according to tradition. In this passage, Jesus responds to that accusation by revealing that we are not defiled by outward things, but by what comes from within. True defilement comes from the heart, from which sinful thoughts and actions flow out. Listen to this episode as we explore how Jesus reveals the real source of impurity and what it means for us today.
Transcript
Thanks for being with us as we look into the life-changing Word of God. When Jesus came, He fulfilled the law; He didn’t destroy the Old Testament. He took us to a higher level. Today’s lesson is an example of when Jesus’ teaching caused many Jews to scratch their heads and wonder how this could be. Jesus tells His audience, “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him.” This went directly against the Jewish understanding. The disciples even asked Jesus about this privately.
Let’s not be hard on the disciples for not understanding. Instead, let’s recognize how revolutionary Jesus’s teachings are. They had their mind set, and Jesus taught a different way of thinking. His message really is life-changing. The same is true for you and me; we may need to change what we thought we always knew, and then we come around to a Jesus way of thinking.
Turn to Mark 7 and let’s follow along with J. Mark as he shares this life-changing message titled “The Dirt Is on the Inside.”
In the Old Testament, God gave specific commands for personal cleanliness. He wanted His people to enjoy good health, and good hygiene was part of it. These commands are divine wisdom that reinforce the importance of cleanliness.
However, as with any good practice or habit, cleanliness can be taken to extremes. Obsessive fear of germs or dirt and the compulsion to wash one’s hands repeatedly are common manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s important to remember that balance in cleanliness is vital to our overall well-being.
Some time ago, I was on a several-hour international flight. A man wearing a surgical mask was nearby. Of course, he had to remove the mask to eat. When the meal was finished, instead of putting the mask back on, he reached into his pack and retrieved a new mask, sealed in plastic.
Before he opened it, he used an antibacterial wipe to clean his thumbs and forefingers. Then, he carefully opened the bag with them and placed the new mask on his face. The used mask was tucked into the empty package and stowed in his carry-on. I’m not criticizing him, just telling you what I saw. It was apparent that he was VERY concerned about germs.
In our previous study, the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for eating without adequately washing their hands. However, Jesus rebuked them for prioritizing external cleanliness over internal purity. He emphasized the importance of inner purity.
Our text is Mark 7:14-23. In these verses, Jesus clarifies that we must be more concerned with the inside than with external dirt. So, I’ve titled my teaching “The Dirt is on the Inside.”
14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand:
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.
16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.
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,
19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”
20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
In these verses, Jesus reveals the source of defilement. Understand, defile, and cleanse are keywords in this text.
The First Revelation is,
Flawed Understanding
I hope you noticed the emphasis on understanding in my reading. Twice, Jesus invites His disciples to understand, and once, he rebukes them for their lack of understanding. Their perspective on cleanliness was defective and flawed.
Our text opens with Jesus inviting the crowd to gather around Him. He said, “Hear Me, all of you, and understand.” He wanted the people to see through the deception of their religious leaders. They had bought into their rabbis’ false teachings.
The Pharisees taught that defilement came from the outside. If you touch a dead body or an unclean person, or if you don’t wash your hands properly, you are impure. If you are not clean, then God will not accept you or your worship. However, Jesus contradicted their regulations.
He said, “There is nothing that enters a man from outside that can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” Nothing from the outside can defile a person. What do you think of that? We’ll come back to that.
Being defiled is a serious matter. God commands His people to be holy. Psalm 24 tells us that only holy, sanctified people can have fellowship with the Lord. Synonyms of the word, defile, are profane or common. This is the same word Peter used in his vision in Acts 10. You remember the sheet let down from heaven with all kinds of animals in it. A voice said, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” Peter said, “I won’t do it because I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
But the Lord told him, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” Peter is most likely the source of Mark’s Gospel, yet even after the death and resurrection of Jesus, he continued to struggle to come to terms with Jesus’ teaching.
Jesus ended His teaching by saying, “If anyone is predisposed to hearing, let him listen and understand.” In other words, “Let my teaching change your understanding and behavior.”
From our vantage point, it’s easy to criticize the disciples. However, let’s be careful. You and I may also have a flawed understanding of defilement. Do we place undue emphasis on outward ceremony and regulations? Do we appear righteous outwardly and neglect inner holiness? If we do, Jesus invites us to reconsider and understand the source of defilement.
Another Revelation is,
Faulty Application
So, Jesus and the disciples left the crowd and entered a house. The disciples asked Him about the meaning of the parable, and Jesus rebuked them. “Are you also void of understanding? Despite all my teaching, are you like the Pharisees, lacking spiritual insight? Are you unable to comprehend that whatever enters a man from the outside cannot defile Him?”
The Pharisees taught the people that defilement came from the outside. Given that flawed understanding, it’s only logical that their applications were faulty. Wrong beliefs lead to bad practices, which is just as true today as in our text.
Jesus explains His teaching clearly. Food cannot make a man unclean because it enters only his stomach. The digestive system “purges” all foods; what remains is expelled as waste. Some manuscripts add, “As a result (of this teaching), He made all foods clean.”
I imagine someone saying, “Great; then I can eat or drink anything I want or use mind-altering drugs.” Wrong! Jesus is speaking specifically about foods the Jews considered to be unclean. So, this is not a blanket approval of everything we can put into our bodies.
Let me add this: While we, as New Covenant believers, are not bound by Old Covenant dietary laws, that doesn’t mean they have no value. They do not impact our standing with God but may affect our health.
Thus far, we’ve learned that flawed understanding leads to faulty application. If we believe uncleanness originates from the outside, we will set up guidelines, like the Pharisees, to guard against it. In doing that, we may miss the whole point of Jesus’ teaching.
The Final Revelation is,
Factual Explanation
In contrast to the opinions and teachings of the religious leaders, Jesus made a simple statement. “What comes out of a man defiles a man.” He then proceeds to support His argument by saying, “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” In other words, the dirt is on the inside!
EVERY ACTION BEGINS WITH A THOUGHT! All the evil actions Jesus mentioned begin in our minds, as the Scriptures call them, our hearts. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. Without Christ, we are powerless not to sin. It is the core of our identity.
Our minds were corrupt before salvation. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt; they have done abominable works, and there is none who does good,” Psalm 14:1. These are just a few Scriptures that highlight our depravity.
Jesus spent significant time in the Sermon on the Mount emphasizing this point. He said that lustful thoughts were the source of adultery and fornication. Uncontrolled anger and bitterness will lead to murder. Divorce results from a lustful eye and covetousness.
We must understand that our hearts are the source of our defilement. The monastic movement eventually failed because inner depravity wasn’t adequately addressed. The monks separated themselves from the world, but discovered the evil was in their hearts.
Pious outward appearances can serve as a cover for sin. It doesn’t matter how holy someone may seem on the outside; if the power of Christ does not transform the heart, they are capable of the vilest sins. Jesus wanted His followers to understand the deception inherent in this flawed understanding of holiness, then and now.
He also wanted them to understand how this flawed understanding led to faulty application. The Pharisees tithed on the smallest seeds yet omitted judgment, mercy, and faith. They were conscientious about keeping their hands clean but negligent in cleansing their hearts.
I remind us that EVERY ACTION BEGINS WITH A THOUGHT! This is where the battle is won or lost – in the mind. If the heart and mind are defiled by sin, the results will be evident. Conversely, if the heart and mind are cleansed by the blood of Christ and controlled by the Holy Spirit, those results will be apparent, too. Who are you on the inside?
What a fitting question to end on! Thanks, J. Mark, for this teaching. Did you notice the progression? First, we examined their flawed understanding and faulty application; then Jesus gave his factual explanation. This is a good way for us to grow, realize our knowledge and application are off, then come to Jesus for the answers. Thankfully, he is the best teacher, always patient and always kind.
If you have any questions about today’s lesson or would like to contact us, please let us know. Feel free to reach out to us via email. Our email address is hope@heraldsofhope.org. We would love to hear from you.
One last thought from today’s lesson before we close. Imagine how significant a shift this was for the Jews. I am sure some of them felt they were traitors. Yet Jesus words of truth and life were pulling them in. This man from Nazareth was no ordinary man, and His teaching was changing them. Here’s the challenge: Is the life and teaching of Jesus changing you?
