The Gospel of Mark
Chapter 7: Man Exposed and God Revealed
And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem, are gathered together to him, and seeing some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, (for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients; and [on coming] from the market-place, unless they are washed, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the washing of cups and vessels, and brazen utensils, and couches), then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands? But he answering said to them, Well did Esaias prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching [as their] teachings commandments of men. [For], leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men [to keep]--washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves [to keep]. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, he who speaks ill of father or mother, let him surely die. But *ye* say, If a man say to his father or his mother, [It is] corban (that is, gift), whatsoever thou mightest have profit from me by... And ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do. And having called again the crowd, he said to them, Hear me, all [of you], and understand: There is nothing from outside a man entering into him which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those it is which defile the man.
If any one have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he went indoors from the crowd, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he says to them, Are *ye* also thus unintelligent? Do ye not perceive that all that is outside entering into the man cannot defile him, because it does not enter into his heart but into his belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which goes forth out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, a wicked eye, injurious language, haughtiness, folly; all these wicked things go forth from within and defile the man. And he rose up and went away thence into the borders of Tyre and Sidon; and having entered into a house he would not have any one know [it], and he could not be hid. But immediately a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell at his feet (and the woman was a Greek, Syrophenician by race), and asked him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. But [Jesus] said to her, Suffer the children to be first filled; for it is not right to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. But she answered and says to him, Yea, Lord; for even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said to her, Because of this word, go thy way, the demon is gone out of thy daughter. And having gone away to her house she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed. And again having left the borders of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to him a deaf [man] who could not speak right, and they beseech him that he might lay his hand on him. And having taken him away from the crowd apart, he put his fingers to his ears; and having spit, he touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven he groaned, and says to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right. And he charged them that they should speak to no one [of it]. But so much the more *he* charged them, so much the more abundantly *they* proclaimed it; and they were astonished above measure, saying, He does all things well; he makes both the deaf to hear, and the speechless to speak.
In Chapter 6, we witnessed the exposure and condemnationThe Bible uses the term condemnation to describe God’s final judgment on sinners – eternal separation from God in hell (Rom 5:18). For those who believe in Jesus and claim... More of the social and political worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More. In this chapter, we see the condemnationThe Bible uses the term condemnation to describe God’s final judgment on sinners – eternal separation from God in hell (Rom 5:18). For those who believe in Jesus and claim... More of the formal religion of the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More (1-13), the exposure of the human heart (14-23), and the revelation of God's heart (24-37).
(Verses 1-5) The chapter opens with religious leaders approaching Jesus, not out of a sense of need or graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More, but to oppose Him by criticizing His disciples for eating bread with unwashed hands. The religion of these leaders relied heavily on honoring the traditions of their ancestors through the performance of outward rituals and ceremonies that anyone could do. While these acts earned them a reputation before men, they kept their hearts far from God.
(Verses 6-13) In response, the Lord exposes the emptiness of their religion, which is built solely on outward forms. First, it leads to hypocrisy; as Isaiah stated, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." Hypocrisy is pretending to be what one is not. Though their outward religious acts suggested piety, their true hearts were distant from God (Isa.. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31).
Second, the Lord points out that such religion is "in vain." While it may earn followers a reputation for piety among men, it is worthless in God's eyes. Third, it sets aside the clear word of God in favor of human traditions. The Lord exemplifies this significant flaw: God's word instructs children to honor their parents. However, the leaders had a tradition that allowed them to declare their property as "Corban," a gift devoted to God. This tradition enabled them to evade their duty to help needy parents while serving their greed.
It's important to note that these PhariseesThe Pharisees were a small but influential religious group at the time of the New Testament. They demanded a strict separation from the lifestyle and practices of the gentiles and... More and scribesThe scribes knew the writings of the Old Testament well and had the task of teaching and explaining the law. They did this primarily in the synagogues. They were also... More were the religious leaders of the remnantWe speak of a remnant when the majority of God's people have become apostates and have turned away from God. God calls the remnant the few who remain faithful to... More who had returned from Babylon. While there was indeed a small, faithful remnantWe speak of a remnant when the majority of God's people have become apostates and have turned away from God. God calls the remnant the few who remain faithful to... More during the Lord's time who feared God and sought redemptionRedemption is part of God's plan of salvation. Redemption means that someone is freed from bondage. The redemption of Israel from the power of Pharaoh is an example of this.... More in Israel, the majority had fallen into the dire condition characterized by these leaders. They were no longer idolaters; outwardly, they appeared pious and made a public profession of faith, yet their hearts remained distant from God, and they neglected God's word in favor of human traditions.
(Verses 14-16) After exposing the hypocrisy of outward religion, the Lord addresses "all the people," declaring that the source of defilement is not external but internal. The washing of hands, cups, and pots deals only with external cleanliness, whereas the root of moral defilement lies in the evil of the heart. This challenges all worldly religion that focuses on outward appearances while leaving the heart untouched. God worksAnother word for deeds or actions. God's works are perfect (Gen 1:31), men's can be good works (Matt 5:16) or dead (Heb 6:1). On the basis of his works, unbelieving... More from within, addressing conscience and heart. The true source of evil is not one's environment but oneself. While being a fallen creature means that exposure to evil can stir up lust within, even in those situations, the root of the evil still comes from within. An angel can pass through Sodom without being defiled, unlike Lot, who had an evil heart that responded to sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More.
(Verses 17-23) In private with His disciples, the Lord elaborates on this theme, explaining that moral evil originates in the heart. This includes evil thoughts and actions like adultery, murder, theft, and deceit, as well as evil looks and speech, such as blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. "All these evils come from within and defile a person."
(Verses 24-30) After exposing the evil of the human heart, the account of the Syrophoenician woman brings forth a beautiful revelation of the heart of God—a heart full of love, maintaining truth while offering grace to needy sinners. As the Lord moved through the world that had rejected Him, He sought to remain hidden, demonstrating the humility that led Him to take on no reputation. However, His perfection and the stark contrast to His surroundings meant He could not stay hidden. One commentator noted, "Goodness joined with power are too rare in the world to remain unnoticed" (J.N.D.).
The woman was Greek, meaning she was a Gentile, but her deep need led her to approach the Lord. She had faith in Jesus' power and in His grace to use that power for the benefit of a Gentile. The Lord tested her faith by saying, "Let the children first be filled; for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." This was a significant test of her faith. She could have argued, "I am just a dog and have no claim on the Lord; blessings belong only to the children." However, her faith triumphed over this challenge. She accepted the truth about herself and relied on the grace in His heart. In essence, she expressed, "Yes, it's true that I cannot claim the status of a child. I am but a dog, but my entire trust is in who You are rather than in who I am. I believe there is enough grace in Your heart that You would not deny even a crumb to a dog."
This is how faith operates: it acknowledges our wretchedness, vileness, and unworthiness while resting in the perfect graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More of His heart. Faith grasps hold of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More and relies on who He is and what He has accomplished.
The faith she demonstrated was something the Lord could not deny. He could not say, "I am not as good as you think," or "My grace is not as great as you imagine." Blessed be His Name; His grace surpasses all our faith, and He delights in responding to even the smallest measure of faith. Thus, faith in Christ ensures that we receive His blessings, and He could confidently say to the woman, "For this saying, go your way; the devil has gone out of your daughter."
In the concluding scene, the Lord is again found in Galilee among the people of Israel. They bring to Him a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. This man is a fitting representation of the state to which sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More has reduced the nationNation (not nations) refers to any kind of people on the whole earth. This term is used to describe both Jews (John 11:51; Acts 10:22) and all other tribes. The... More. While ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More is present with graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More and power to meet their needs, their sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More has blinded them, preventing the nationNation (not nations) refers to any kind of people on the whole earth. This term is used to describe both Jews (John 11:51; Acts 10:22) and all other tribes. The... More as a whole from accessing the healing power of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More.
Nevertheless, their sin does not alter His loving heart. Just as He would not turn away a Gentile woman, He will also not refuse an appeal on behalf of a needy Jew. However, in dispensing grace, He maintains truth. So we read, "He took him aside from the multitude." He is not indifferent to their rejection of Himself. If He worksAnother word for deeds or actions. God's works are perfect (Gen 1:31), men's can be good works (Matt 5:16) or dead (Heb 6:1). On the basis of his works, unbelieving... More among them, it is due to their need, not because they are Jews. SinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More has put both Jews and Gentiles on equal ground, and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More can bless either based on their need.
As He showed grace, the Lord looked up to heaven and sighed. He always acted in dependence on the Father and aligned with the will of heaven. While His heart was broken by the sorrows of earth, it was sustained by heaven. Similarly, when the burdens of life press upon us, we might sigh; however, too often, we sigh while looking around, which leads to discouragement. Instead, we should look up to be sustained. After healing the man, He instructed them not to tell anyone. He was here as the perfect Servant and chose not to use His mighty power and grace to glorify Himself. He intended to keep a low profile. Yet, He could not be hidden. The people were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes both the deaf hear and the dumb speak."
