WHAT WE SPEAK NOT WHAT WE EAT DEFILES US

PROCLAMATION

“… ‘Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out …?’  And He said, ‘That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts … evil things come from within, and defile the man.’ ”  Mark 7:18-23 (KJV)  

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  After Jesus walked on the water of the lake to the boat and they landed at Gennesaret, the people gathered around Him and brought their sick to be healed. (Mark 6:53-56)  There were scribes and Pharisees in the crowd who had come from Jerusalem.  They saw the disciples eating without first washing their hands.  The Pharisees and all Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a “ceremonial washing”, a tradition of their elders.  The washing was not done for cleanliness.  So, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about His disciples eating food with defiled hands. (Mark 7:1-5)  Jesus reprimanded them saying that they honor tradition rather than keeping the commands of God. (Mark 7:6-13)  Then He said to the crowd in a parable that nothing they eat defiles them, what defiles them is that which they speak.  When he entered the house and was away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him about the meaning of the parable and He explained it to them. (Mark 7:14-23)  Then Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.  There a Greek woman approached Him, fell at His feet, and asked Him to heal her demon possessed daughter.  Jesus told her that He needed to take care of His people first, before taking “… the children’s bread and to cast it unto the dogs.” (Mark 7:24-27)  She replied to Him that even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.  Her reply demonstrated great faith and Jesus said to her that because of her reply, the demon has already left her daughter. (Mark 7:28-29)  Jesus left there and went down to the sea of Galilee near Decapolis.  There the people brought a man to Him who had a speech impediment and was deaf, and they begged Jesus to put His hand on the man.  Jesus took him away from the crowd and healed him. (Mark 7:31-37)

 

APPLICATION

This lesson is also recorded in the gospel according to Matthew. (Matthew 15:10-20)  The point which Jesus, The Christ, made here was that what we eat does not defile us, but what we speak can defile us.  The words which we speak reflect the issues of our heart and mind.  A pure heart produces clean thoughts and good words.  A wicked heart produces unclean thoughts and evil words and actions.  So, when we pray, we should ask The Lord God to cleanse our heart and mind. (Psalm 51:10)  For as a man thinks, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)