THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 7:14-19
“In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.” (Mark 7:19)
I was going to write about ‘unclean foods’ (Leviticus 11:1-23, Deuteronomy 14:3-21).
But looking closer at this verse, I learned the actual Greek: ‘purifying all the food’.
Since there is no punctuation, the words follow what proceeds.
— “into the belly and going into the toilet purifying all the food”
These are the literal words… does it sound like what the NIV says?
Sounds more like Jesus is saying the body itself gets rid of physical impurities.
At the same time, the context does support the idea re. spiritual defilement.
Jesus IS saying that what we eat does not make us unholy… or holy.
There is nothing spiritually defiling about pork or shellfish.
God may have had good physical, practical reasons for prohibiting these foods.
But in terms of our relationship to God, what we eat is not the problem.
God isn’t concerned about kosher (fitting)/halal (allowed) foods, but kosher/halal hearts.
It is our unholy thoughts, desires, feelings that we ought to worry about.
This is what we need to listen to, and understand… and deal with.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I need to be as concerned about my heart as Jews and Muslims are about kosher or halal. What are the ingredients of my heart, and will I flush the spiritual filth I find there?
Observations/Application
There were many traditions regarding food and the washing of hands over the years. In the OT, God had His reasons for abstaining of certain foods and it required His people to obey. Over time the religious leaders included many man made rules, traditions, and required the people to obey. Obedience is a heart matter. Man’s ways are not God’s ways. The reading shows the physical reality of input = output of what the body can’t use. The OI rules and the people doing the rules showed that God ruled and He was sovereign – He was/is Lord.
The religious leaders were putting their regulations before God’s and in this way defiling their bodies. It was the heart condition. Hard heartedness. Man is defiled not because he didn’t wash his hands even though it is a good hygiene practice but because he follows his own way rather than the will of God.
1 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
2 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.
3 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
4 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!