(Read Mk. 7:1-23)
Introduction: We find the first part of the seventh chapter of Mark to be somewhat parallel to the first part of Matthew's fifteenth chapter. Although, there are aspects of Mark's teaching here that are not found in Matthew's account, there are also a few here that are not found in Matthew's account. However, we get the truth only when we take ALL (the sum) of God's word. These accounts deal with the traditions which had been accepted and were being kept zealously by the "Pharisees and all the Jews." Therefore, they found fault with the behavior of the disciples of Jesus. They question: "Why walk not thy disciple according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands" (Mk. 7:1-5). Jesus response is that they are guilty just as Isaiah long ago spoke of people - "honoring with the lips while their heart is really far from Him." (V. 6) To so act is hypocritical! It was then and it is today. Jesus tells them that in reality their worship was "vain,"(meaning it was empty) in that they were "teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." (V. 7) Look at what they were doing with their traditions. "Laying aside the commandments of God," they were holding "the tradition of men." Friends many have done that and many are doing the same thing today. They may not have adopted the same acts - as washing of pots and cups, etc. but they lay aside the teachings of God, as revealed in the New Testament, in order to teach and practice things that have their origin with men. Some of. these things were handed down from many generations, and they are accepted as being good, perhaps divine, yet they are NOT in the revelation of Jesus the Christ! Each of us need to be very careful about such practices! Let us see that these practices are condemned by Jesus Christ our Lord! Jesus points to a specific teaching of Moses, (the law under which they were living at the time) to point out that they had set aside a part of the Law by their traditions (vs. 9-13). Then Jesus called His disciples aside and explained that it was not what entered into a person that defiled a person, rather it was that which proceeds out of the heart - evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication murder, thefts,covetousness, wickedness, deceit. Lasciviousness, and evil eye,blasphemy, pride, foolishness!
Beloved, we see here that all behavior originates in the heart. It is that which is out of harmony with God's revealed will which is sin and destructive to man's soul. Each of the sins that are mentioned, could be elaborated on profitably. Yet, we will not do so here. But notice that the list of sins embodies one's Thinking, sexual misbehavior, mistreatment of one's fellow man, efforts to deceive, looking at evil things, speaking inappropriately, being puffed up, and acting unwisely.
Question:
1. Who was it that came to Jesus and what did they observe in Jesus' disciples (vs. 1-2)?
2. What traditions had the "Pharisees and all Jews" accepted relative to eating (v.4)
3. What question did the Pharisees and Scribes ask?
4. Who had written describing the behavior of these and what was it (v.6)
5. In accepting and practicing these teachings what did it do to their worship
(v. 7)
6. What had they replaced with their "tradition" (v.8)?
7. What specific behavior had they REJECTED (vs. 9-13))?
8. What does NOT "defile" a person as He explains to His disciples (Vs. 14-19)?
9. What is the Origin of things that really defile a person (vs. 20-23)
10. Are we to conclude that cleanness or sanitation is to be ignored? What's the real
point?????
