Mark 7:1-23, Jesus Teaches on Defilement
Problem and Accusation (7:1-5)
Scene set
In verse 1 we are told by Mark that the Pharisees and some of the scribes came to Jesus, coming from Jerusalem. On the surface, this information sounds rather introductory. However, Mark is telling us some valuable information. First, we have seen these scribes before in our narrative in the gospel of Mark. If you turn your Bibles back to Mark 3:22 we will see that it is the scribes from Jerusalem who accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub and casting out demons by the power of demons. Jesus turned to them and said that they were blaspheming the Holy Spirit by saying such things. Therefore, when we read that these scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem, we know that their reason was not to follow after Jesus. They were coming to cause problems. Second, we also need to see the length of this journey from Jerusalem to where Jesus is preaching. In Mark 6:53 we see that Jesus is in the land of Gennesaret. The city of Gennesaret is toward the northern part of the sea of Galilee, approximately 70 miles or more from Jerusalem. With this in mind, we can clearly know the intentions of these Pharisees and scribes. These men are going far out of their way to go find fault with Jesus, as they have done in the past. As these men would have hoped, something does happen with which they are able to find fault.
Defiled hands
The Pharisees and scribes find some of the disciples of Jesus eating bread with defiled hands. Immediately, the reader, especially a Jewish reader, would then think that these disciples were eating unclean foods. We would be left to think that the disciples are violating the law of Moses. But Mark tells us exactly what the accusation is all about. In verse 2, Mark tells us that to these Pharisees and scribes, defiled hands were hands that were not washed before eating. This was done according to the traditions of the elders. After going to the marketplace, the Jews would wash their hands in a special way to get rid of any defilement that may have occurred by touching something that the Gentiles may have touched. Not only did the Jews do this with their hands, but also cups, pitchers, and other vessels. Immediately we are left to understand that this is not an issue concerning the law of Moses. The Jews are practicing the oral traditions of the elders, which are being treated as law, and therefore some of the disciples are defiling themselves by eating with unwashed hands. Edersheim, in his work “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,” says these oral traditions were regarded as “more precious, and of more binding importance than those of Holy Scripture itself.” In verse 5, the scribes and Pharisees lay out the charge, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the traditions of the elders?” This is what the point of the accusation is centered around. By not washing hands ceremonially, the disciples of Jesus were violating the traditions that had been handed down by the elders.
Explanations About Defilement
The accusers are the defiled ones (7:6-7)
Jesus responds to the accusation by quoting from Isaiah 29:13. This is a stinging quotation that Jesus applies to the Pharisees and scribes. In the days of Isaiah, Isaiah tells the people that his message from God is like giving a sealed book to someone who can read but will not open the book and like giving a book to an illiterate. Isaiah was saying that the people not only do not want to hear God’s word; they cannot hear God’s word. Isaiah then says these words to show the hypocrisy of the people, that they seem to draw near to God with their lips, but their heart is far from God, since they will not listen. Jesus takes this condemnation of spiritual dullness and apathy and applies it to the Pharisees and the scribes. Jesus charges these people with being hypocrites and then proves his accusation by quoting Isaiah, because they were hypocrites then as well. Further, Isaiah goes on in that prophecy in the next verse to show that the “wise” and the “prudent” are the ones condemned in his day. Those that were the religious leaders were condemned for their lack of knowledge of God. Jesus is making the same charge against the religious leaders here. Therefore, Jesus turns the tables on the Pharisees and scribes. Instead of His disciples being the defiled ones, Jesus has pointed out that these accusers are the defiled ones. Jesus is now going to spend some time explaining why these accusers are the defiled ones.
Reasons for their defilement (7:8-13)
Hypocrisy. As already stated by Jesus in verse 6 and implied in the quotation of Isaiah’s prophecy, the Pharisees and scribes who have come to find fault with Jesus are hypocrites. To be a hypocrite means that you are being an actor as part of a show to others. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees was that their lips sounded to be of good intentions but their hearts were dark and callous toward God. But there were more problems with the Pharisees and scribes than the hypocrisy in their lives. We must see that we are also defiled in the sight of God when we are leading hypocritical lives. It is interesting to know people who claim to be Christians who seem to be truly dedicated to the work of God, but time passes by and you begin to see their true colors. In time you are able to see the filth and hypocrisy of their lives. Such people are defiled before God, even though they may have other people fooled for a time. God knows and judges.
Laying aside God’s commandments. The second charge that Jesus lays against these scribes and Pharisees to show their defilement is their ability to lay aside the commandments of God so that they may keep their traditions. As we noted earlier, many of the rabbis taught that it was far more important to keep the traditions than it was to keep the word of God. Jesus was going to prove this point shortly. We see that the Pharisees and scribes had no problem violating the laws of God, but had a big problem when someone violated their traditions. In the same way, we are also defiled when we uphold our traditions as the law of God. I am still stunned and amazed from the things I read and the words I hear from Christians’ mouths concerning our traditions. I cannot understand why we are willing to fight to the death over the things that God has not given legislation on. We have numerous traditions that we follow and keep and we have always said that they are simply expedients which can be done another way. But when someone tries to do it another way, the calls of defilement and disfellowship begin to scream through the air. Friends, we must remember that we are not to be bound by the traditions of our elders. I do not care what other churches are doing, I do not care what other preachers teach, I do not care what is occurring during the restoration movement in America, and I do not care what practice we have always kept when it comes to scriptural authority. All that we must care about is what the scriptures say. Anything else is defilement, and there are many of us who would be condemned for this attitude, just as the Pharisees and scribes were condemned.
Rejecting God’s commandments. In verse 9 Jesus charges the scribes and Pharisees with rejecting the commands of God. In verses 10-13 Jesus is now going to prove that these accusers were actually openly violating God’s law. In verse 10, Jesus quotes two of God’s commands. The first is to honor your father and mother, and the second is the command to be put to death for cursing your father and mother. Jesus points out that these are the words of Moses and we can go to the Old Law (Exodus 20:12; 21:17) to prove these words to be the Law of God. However, Jesus now shows what these religious leaders are teaching. Jesus says in verse 11, “But you say....” Jesus is now showing that these leaders’ words were in direct opposition to the words of Moses. According to Jesus, the leaders were teaching that one could relinquish themselves from taking care of their family by saying that all that they would have given the family has been dedicated to the Lord. This was nullifying the command of God to honor your mother and father altogether. The religious leaders had created a loophole to be able to not follow through on what they knew was right. In verse 13 we find out from Jesus that this was not the only command these leaders had nullified. Jesus said, “And many such things you do.” Many times Christians read the scriptures looking for loopholes to get out of performing the commands of God. Many have tried to make loopholes for divorce and remarriage, drinking, fornication, and many other sinful activities. When we approach God’s law looking for loopholes, we are defiling ourselves again before God. God desires a heart of obedience and not a heart that tries to keep to the bare minimum. In these three ways, these Jewish leaders had defiled themselves.
True source of defilement (7:14-17)
In verse 14 Jesus gathers all the multitudes together to make an example out of this situation and pronounce the correct teaching. There is nothing that enters a person from the outside which defiles. The things that come from the inside are what defiles a person. Now it is rather interesting that Jesus simply leaves the teaching just like that, for the multitudes to make the application of that principle themselves. Jesus does not expound upon what this teaching means and the radical change that would be required in the thinking of the Jews. Jesus teaches the principle that true defilement comes from within, and not from outside. With that, Jesus enters a house away from the crowd. But the disciples do not understand what Jesus has just spoken. It is interesting that he expected the whole multitude to understand what he was saying, yet the disciples come to him and they do not understand what this means. Jesus then begins to further explain his teaching.
Explanation of defilement teaching (7:18-20)
Jesus responds to his disciples’ lack of understanding with amazement. How is it that Jesus’ own disciples did not understand? You see that this was the common understanding of the day in regard to defilement. The things that you touch cause defilement. In fact, many of the laws of Moses said that there were things you could and could not touch or else be defiled. Jesus has just turned that teaching around and shown that defilement comes from the inside. Now before we think that Jesus has simply destroyed the law of Moses, I believe it is evident that the laws of defilement under the law of Moses were to teach the people about true defilement. God was concerned about defilement of the heart and the people becoming like the heathen nations. However, the Jews did not understand this correlation. Jesus explains that the things which enter the stomach do not defile, but the things that come out of the heart defile. The implication is more clearly stated at the end of verse 19. Jesus has just purified all foods. He has just taught to the disciples that there is no such thing as clean and unclean foods, because that which enters the stomach cannot defile. It is clear from Acts 10 that the disciples did not fully understand this part of Jesus’ teaching till much later. Recall in Acts 10 Peter refuses in the vision to eat any unclean meats. However, all the way back here Jesus teaches the nature of true defilement.
More examples of a defiled one (7:21-23)
Jesus now proceeds to go into detail about the things that come out of a person that defile. Some of the things that Jesus says, we would readily understand to show defilement of our hearts. For example, we understand that adultery, fornication, murder, deceit, and wickedness are things that defile. But I would like for us to consider some of the things that are not as obvious to us.
Evil thoughts. Your thoughts that are not wholesome and uplifting are signs of a defiled heart. This is a tremendous statement. We would expect evil words to be qualified by our Lord as defiling, as we can read in many places. Yet we still say evil things about one another. But now Jesus goes to the heart of the matter and says that our evil thoughts also defile us. I believe it is important for us to realize that many of the sins we commit and evil that we perform come from our unbridled, defiled mind. Where does envy and jealousy come from? Evil thoughts. Where do lust, adultery, and fornication come from? Evil thoughts. Where does gossip, backbiting, being busybodies, and slander come from? Evil thoughts. This is a big problem that must be resolved in those who claim to be disciples. When these things go on, the person is defiled and has no hope.
Evil eye. Some of the newer versions translate this envy, which somewhat carries the idea. But the word literal means “an evil or sinister eye.” Do you have an eye that always sees the worst in people? Do you have eyes that are always looking to be critical? Do you have eyes that are always looking for faults? These are symptoms of an evil eye. You cannot stand for others to do well, so you look down upon them. All of these things are incorporated in the defilement of an evil eye. I am again amazed at the number of Christians who have this problem--an evil eye that continues to go untreated. This is considered normal, and it is contagious. Soon others have the same negativism and evil outlook as you. No one can be a true disciple of Jesus and have an evil eye, for the heart is defiled.
Pride. Now many of us know that pride is wrong, but we often will leave pride untreated as well. Pride has many similarities to the evil eye, though we do not usually recognize it. The greatest way we usually practice pride is by putting ourselves ahead of others. We look down on others with contempt and scorn so as to lift ourselves up. Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Foolishness. This is defined as “moral senselessness, folly, recklessness, and thoughtlessness.” The Lord has instructed us not to be fools in this life. We are to lead sensible lives, free from reckless abandon. Ephesians 5:15 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise….” How many times Christians make foolish decisions that only put themselves through greater sorrows and difficulties to serve the Lord. Let us not be fools, for that also is defilement.
Notice how Jesus ends his teaching in verse 23. “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Jesus says these things all come from within ourselves. There is no room to say that someone made you and I do these things. These sins come from within ourselves and tell us that we are defiled. Jesus has sounded the warning so that there will not be any surprises. This is the reality of defilement and if there is a hint of these things in our lives, we must cut them out before it is too late. This requires that each of us look honestly at ourselves in the mirror and see ourselves for who we are and our sins for what they are. I might also add that we need to ask one another about what they see in us. We can be so blind to our own errors that we do not know that we have a problem. In the same setting, Matthew records Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:14, “They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” We need to help one another pull the specks and planks out of our eyes. Ask others to help and then do not be defensive, but work to remove the problem before judgment.
