READING: MARK 7:1-23

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the market-place they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?’

He replied, ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

‘“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.”

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.’

And he continued, ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, “Honour your father and mother,” and, “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God) – then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.’

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.’

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ‘Are you so dull?’ he asked. ‘Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.’ (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

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 – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.’

REFLECTION

Hello and welcome to Friday's Foundations podcast. My name is James. This is the last one I've recorded for this week. Just to say we look forward to seeing many of you at the weekend as we are back to 4 gatherings with the 7pm starting up again on Sunday.

Today's passage is from Mark chapter 7 verses 1-23. It's a long reading today and you can find the whole passage on the Foundations website. I’d encourage you to find some time to read through it today. Its called 'that which defiles'. A conversation between Jesus and religious people about what makes a person clean/unclean. You might have heard the word holy.

Here's how the conversation goes. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law have spotted that Jesus & his followers were eating food without a thorough ceremonial washing beforehand. Now let's unpack the particulars here. Its not that the Jesus people enjoyed dirty fingernails when they tucked into their dinner. The criticism facing Jesus’ disciples is a point of ritual, not of faith. A point of ritual not even drawn from the religious law & commandments given to God's people.

So here is the deal: what's right?

You see Jesus’ response is two-fold - firstly he brings focus on the main thing and then he shows a main flaw of their perspective.

The main things: If the outward show of being a God person doesn't match the inward reality (i.e. the heart) then it's not right. It's meaningless. Its not worship.

The main flaw: But even if they had been genuine in their heart of hearts that this was the right way to live, their position comes from a place of human and not divine authority. For example, I could have all the best intentions in the world that on Orange Wednesdays we all must wear orange. I can put my whole heart, mind and soul into believing it is the right way to live but that doesn't carry the same weight as if God had commanded it.

Let's focus together on Jesus’ words and we’ll end with a simple question for us to take into today.

“Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.

The attitude of our heart, our motives, our desires, that place inside where we find love for God & love for people is of primary importance to God. Often what is seen - what comes out of a person - behaviour, actions, habits, attitudes and to a large extend the words we use, reveals our heart's condition.

Let us pray that our hearts are kept soft to God. That when we think about cleanliness and holiness it wouldn't just be our hands washed before dinner. But an understanding that my heart, my spirit, my very being has been washed as white as snow as it says in the Psalms. How is God speaking to you today through this Bible story, & what might we be able to put into practice today?

PRAYER

God, thank you that it's your opinion of me that matters. Help me today to live a life that reflects someone who loves you deeply. May that be worked out in all that I do, say and even eat. Amen.

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