It is always important that we understand the manner in which a word is used. Let’s start with Mark 7:9-13.

9 Then he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban’ (that is, an offering to God ) 12 then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, 13 thus nullifying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.” (NRSVUE)

The word corban has two meanings in Jewish language. I will share the first one with you as it address the situation as written about here. The word meant a gift. It was used to describe some- thing which was specially dedicated to God. You might say, but like all things that are of man’s creation there was an evil intent here. It worked this way… If a mans mother of father had a dire need they could be denied by that person simply saying ‘I cannot give you any help because nothing that I have is available for you because it is dedicated to God.’ The Jews had over time become immersed in legalism and there were 613 Laws that the scribal legalists had added to God’s law…the Ten Commandments. This strict application of scribal law made it impossible to carry out the Ten Commandments. William Barclay wrote that was nothing less than a contradiction of the law of God. There are many things that impact the church today that are nothing more than a challenge to God’s Law. I prefer to view it as a perversion of Scripture as to God’s will and instructions to His people. Any thing that prevents us from helping others or doing good, can ever be of God. Next week we will again return to Mark 7:14-23. Jesus and Defilement. “The Reality of Defilement”

Life is Good

jk