Mark 7:9-23
Introduction
In the last study we looked at a passage where Jesus was in conflict with the religious leaders of the time. In that study we saw Jesus rejecting the traditions of men. And in this study, we see this issue continuing in the first part of the passage but with a different type of tradition. Then in the second part of the passage we see Jesus make an important pronouncement about defilement.
Bear all of this in mind as we examine today’s passage.
Verse 9
In our last study I explained that another term for the traditions of men is ‘legalism’. On that occasion, the type of legalism that Jesus was dealing with was the type that adds to the scriptures things that God has not commanded or forbidden. In today’s study we see Jesus dealing with another type of legalism. This type of legalism could be called ‘loophole-ism’. This type of legalism looks to find ways of getting around God’s commands. It follows the letter of the law but destroys the spirit of the law.
In verse 9 Jesus continues on from the previous verses with another accusation against the religious leaders. Jesus accuses them of being experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep their tradition.
With that in mind let’s take a look at verses 10 to 12.
Verses 10 to 12
In these verses Jesus gives an example of what He has accused them of. In verses 10 and 11 Jesus compares what Moses said with what the Pharisees say. Moses is God’s spokesman. The Rabbis and Pharisees are not. They speak on their own behalf.
In the first quote of verse 10 Jesus is referring to the 5th of the 10 commandments where we find God’s command to honour your father and your mother. This is in Deuteronomy 5:16. The second quote in verse 10 is from Leviticus 20:9.
In verse 11 the Pharisees get around the fifth commandment by using the practice of Corban. So, what is Corban? There’s a clue at the end of verse 11 – ‘given to God’.
Let me explain it in more detail. Corban was the practice of giving a gift or setting aside your private property or personal wealth to the service of God, usually through the Temple. This practice was good in itself. However, the Rabbi’s abused it by using it as a way to disobey the fifth commandment. The Pharisees used Corban as a form of deferred giving in which a person would promise that upon their death, they would bestow all their worldly goods to the service of God. The modern equivalent would be to do his through a will so that your estate goes to the church when you die.
When a person invoked Corban, it meant that for the rest of their life they did not have to use their personal wealth to help their parents in times of need, especially when their parents became ill or old. One of the ways to honour your parents is to help them out when they are in need. What do you think of this practice?
However, there’s another aspect to this practice. Whilst they did not have to spend their personal wealth on their parents, they were free to spend as much of it as they wanted on themselves. What do you make of that?
In verse 13 Jesus says that this practice nullifies the effectiveness of God’s word. Just think about that before we move on.
Verse 14
When Jesus says, “Listen to Me”, He is about to make an authoritative pronouncement. He is going to speak as God – pay attention. And that pronouncement is found in verse 15.
Verses 15 to 16
The first half of verse 15 is talking about eating and drinking. The proof of this is found in verse 19. Whatever you eat or drink cannot defile you. To be defiled means to be made impure or unholy. It is sin that defiles us. We see this in verses 21 and 22.
In the second half of verse 15 Jesus tells us what it is that defiles a man. So, what does He mean by the things which proceed out of the man? It is the sin that comes from within us. We’ll come back to this shortly.
Verses 17 to 19
In these verses Jesus explains why a man cannot be defiled by what he eats and drinks. What does Jesus mean when He says that it goes into his stomach and is eliminated or goes out of his body? It means that it ends up going down the toilet.
In verse 19 we are told that Jesus declared all foods clean. This means that we can eat whatever we like.
Verses 20 to 23
In these verses we are told that it is sin proceeding out of a man that defiles him. Sin proceeds from the heart – see verse 21. Jesus is not talking about the organ that we call the heart. In the Bible the heart is the very core of our being. It is that part of us that makes us who we are. What we do on the outside comes from the condition of our heart. What we really believe is what drives our behaviour. And what we really believe is found in our heart. God is not concerned about our stomach – it’s the state of our heart that matters to Him.
Is your heart holy or unholy?