Mark 7

Conflict over washing of hands (vs. 1-13)—This event is found in Matthew 15, and I will simply reproduce my thoughts from that location: “I at least appreciate the honesty of the Pharisees here in their attack on Jesus: “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” by not washing their hands when they eat bread (v. 2). They aren’t claiming that Jesus and His disciples were disobeying the Law of Moses. The Pharisees equated their traditions WITH the Law and that was the problem. Jesus then points out that their traditions actually contradict the Law of Moses with an example regarding honoring one’s parents. In an age without Social Security, Medicare, etc. etc., children were expected to provide for their parents in old age; the parents took care of the kids when young, now the children were responsible when their parents were aged. But the Pharisees wouldn’t take care of their aged parents: “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God” (v. 6), they’d say. So instead of “honoring father and mother” by taking care of them, they would give the money as a “gift to God.” In one sense, this makes the crime even more atrocious—refusing to honor a command of God in the name of God. No wonder Jesus called them “hypocrites,” and the fulfillment of prophecy: “’Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”’” (vs 7-9). The fight between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day grows.”

That which really defiles a man (vs. 14-23)—True impurity, Jesus teaches, comes from within. “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man” (v. 15). The fleshly man will die and return to dust; God isn’t concerned with whether man’s hands or washed or not, but whether his heart is. Purity of heart is Christ’s point here: “for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (vs. 21-23). The disciples were so embedded in Jewish traditions and ritualism that they had not grasped the point, either, when Jesus first said it (vs. 17-19). The power of tradition, culture, and life-long teaching is very difficult to overcome, and we have seen and commented on many examples of this during Jesus’ ministry. His apostles simply did not understand the true nature of His mission because they had been so grounded in Jewish customs and ideas. But the point Jesus makes here about outward versus inward purity—“blessed are the pure in heart” (Matt. 5:8)—is one of the crucial, cardinal distinctions of the Christian religion.

The Syro-Phoenician woman (vs. 24-30)—Mark tells us that this woman was a Greek. Again, since this story is related in full in Matthew, I will copy my comments from that location. The verses refer to Matthew’s account, which is found in chapter 15:21-28 of his chapter: “This is a great story. Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon and a local woman—a Gentile woman, that’s very important—comes and asks Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus ignores her and the disciples want Him to run her off. The Lord is not being cruel here, not at all. He is trying the woman’s faith—and persistence. More than once, Jesus taught doggedness in prayer—how badly do you want what you are asking for (cf. Luke 18:1-5). He responds to this Gentile woman “’I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,’” meaning the Jews only (v. 24). But she does, indeed, persevere: “Lord, help me!” (v. 25). Jesus continues to test her: “’It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (v. 26). That could be taken as an insult; the “children,” again, are the Jews, and the “little dogs” are the Gentiles. “I came to the Jews,” Jesus said, “and I shouldn’t take what I’m supposed to give them and give it to Gentiles.” But once more, there’s no insult intended; it’s a test of faith. And the mother passes: “And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table’" (v. 27). Jesus praises her faith and heals her daughter. You gotta love that woman, who knew what Jesus could do and just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

The healing of a deaf and dumb man (vs. 31-37)—A man who was both deaf and had an “impediment in his speech” was brought to Jesus. The Lord does something very unique in healing this man: ”He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue” (v. 33). Why Jesus did this is hard to discern; there is no explanation given in the text. Most of His healings were done with simply a word (see the previous story), so perhaps He wished to indicate that God’s power can be implemented through other means. But that is pure speculation on my part; your guess would be as good as mine. Regardless, “immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly” (v. 35). He commanded the man and his friends not to tell anyone, “but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it” (v. 36). People continued to be astonished at His deeds, and spoke a great truism: “He hath done all things well” (v. 37).