Mark Vol. 2 - Week 4 (7:14-23)
Mark 7:14-23
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The King Who Declares
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Mark 7:14-23 〰️ The King Who Declares 〰️
This week's passage in Mark is a continuation of the story from last week. In v14-23, Jesus continues in detail after his response to the Pharisees of their hypocrisy. Up to this point, the framework for the Pharisees and Jews was the Mosaic Law. The Law was handed down by God, as written in the Old Testament so that God's people-- the nation of Israel-- would be different from the rest of the world: distinct, set apart. We sometimes hear the same language in contemporary church circles of being "set apart," a concept that is not just historical but also relevant to our daily lives. But what does that mean?
Being set apart for us today means living and acting differently from the rest of the world, refusing to participate in habits and lifestyle choices that the world accepts or celebrates. For us today, being set apart means following Jesus and remaining obedient to Him. This can manifest in many different ways: being unwilling to cohabitate before marriage, not over-drinking at a party, refusing to gossip or talk about someone without their knowledge, and the list goes on and on. These are some things that our world and culture either do not care about or affirm and celebrate, but the LORD instructs us otherwise.
So why is Jesus making a point to tell hearers that "Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him."? Well, because, again, the rules of engagement have changed. The Son of God has come, and the Law no longer binds His people. In last week's discussion, we read in Romans 7:7 that the Law was intended to reveal our inability to keep it. We read in Romans 5:13 that if there were no law, there would be no way to determine guilt. (If there is no law and it's not illegal for you to run a red light, how can you be punished for it or even know it's wrong?) God gave the Law so His people would understand right from wrong and be set apart as His chosen people. The Law was originally created to distinguish Israel from the rest of the world by abstaining from a common pagan food.
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During the time of Moses, when God gave the Law, the people of Israel genuinely struggled with idolatry. Over and over, they found new things to worship and were very susceptible to the traps of the world. So when the LORD gave them the Law, He saw fit to have them abstain from eating and even touching pork (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:8). Why? The Canaanites kept herds of pigs to be used and consumed for pagan sacrifices and rituals, and God wanted to insulate His people from it entirely.[1] If the Israelites were permitted to eat pork, that would have increased the frequency with which they interacted and intermingled with the Canaanites, increasing their temptation to participate in pagan practices (Deut. 7:3).
As we jump into discussion, we'll place ourselves in the shoes of the Jewish people (and Pharisees) who were listening and pause for a moment, considering what it was like to have your religion turned on its head. The main idea that Jesus is trying to convey is that sin originates in the heart, and again, that is what the LORD sees. God cares more about loyalty, obedience, and love for Him than about refraining from eating bacon. The laws and commands from the LORD are to protect us from temptation and the sin that separates us from Him in the first place.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
In this passage, what did Jesus say to nullify the old law?
Reread v15. What do you think it meant for the Jewish people to hear this?
Placing yourself in the shoes of the original audience, how might it feel to have obeyed the Law your entire life, only to discover you weren't truly obedient to God?
If sin originates within our hearts (v21a), how does temptation play a role?
How can we monitor or limit what comes out of our hearts? What are some areas of this that you'd like to grow in?
1. https://www.gotquestions.org/eating-pork.html