For this chapter, we need to climb into the Jewish world at the time of Jesus to understand what is going on. The Pharisees and teachers of the law had come as a delegation from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus and his teaching. They noticed that the disciples were not keeping the Jewish law regarding hand washing. Writing for a Gentile audience, Mark explains why this was such an issue and that, in the eyes of the Jewish leaders, any food eaten with unwashed hands was deemed ceremonially unclean. Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites, a response they probably weren’t expecting and quoted the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“These people honour me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.”
Mark 7:6-7
According to Tom Wright,
“The charge Jesus levels against the Pharisees and legal experts is that, by teaching as fundamental law what is in fact only human custom rather than divine revelation, they are guilty of play-acting. They are claiming to be teachers of God’s truth and law, but in fact they are only teaching human traditions.”
It's like Jesus was saying, “You’re missing the point. It’s not outward shows of religiosity that are important but what’s in the heart.”
It wasn’t just the Pharisees that were missing the point. Once the religious leaders had left, the disciples asked Jesus to clarify what he meant.
“He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come.’”
Mark 7:20
In the following verses, Jesus travelled into Gentile territory, further challenging the man-made restrictions put in place by the religious leaders. He met a Syro-Phoenician woman who begged Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus’ ministry was focused on his fellow Jews (the children) rather than the Gentiles, but this story gives us a hint of what was to come. Still in Gentile territory, Jesus healed the deaf and mute man. Despite the return of his speech, Jesus commanded the man, and all those who witnessed his healing, to keep the event a secret. The people were amazed, but the most amazing part of this chapter is that Jesus reveals that his message is for everyone.
Something to think about…
“I don’t believe in any religion apart from doing the will of God.”
Catherine Booth
Kay Moorby
Comentários