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The Reality of Defilement… Mark 7: 14-23
July 13, 2024 3:42 pm
This is classic evangelism. Jesus was arguing with the legal experts and Jewish leaders about the effect of the aspects of traditional law. I feel the use of the word arguing is a bit misleading. They, the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin Were jealous of the attention Jesus was getting and his growing influence among the people. It threatened their authority over the people and they were afraid of losing power and influence within the Roman system of government. Jesus recognized that the Scribes inclusion of the traditional law could actually mean disobedience to the law of God. There are some factors here we must take notice of. Jesus’ declaration that what goes into the person cannot possibly cause defilement, because the body itself gets rid of it in the normal physical way. These were astounding words as no Jew ever believed that and even today no orthodox Jew believes that. Just a quick reference to some interesting scripture fact found in Leviticus 11. There is a long list of clean and unclean foods. A Syrian king had determined to root out the Jewish faith. He decreed that the Jews were to eat pork and pig flesh, they refused and so strong was that covenant among the Jews that they chose to die by the hundreds rather than than betray it. With this one statement Jesus wiped out the laws which the Jewish people had suffered for and died, his disciples were amazed. Jesus had decreed that it was not what went into the body that made them unclean, it was what comes from their hearts that mattered most. Jesus made it clear that to knowingly sin was a choice we make on our own.
Here is a list that of things coming from the heart that make people unclean.
*evil designs-every outward sign is a result of an inward choice.
- Next The first word is fornications- we could say simply adultery but the first word and wider term is more appropriate as it includes every type of sexual vice.
- Next to keep it simple- thefts…a thief.
- Murders (phonoi) and adulteries come next in the list and their meaning is clear.
- covetous deeds- the love of having more.
- Evil deeds- That which a person has in their heart, the desire to harm others.
- Guile or trickery and deceit- an act of crafty, cunning, deceitful, clever treachery.
- Wanton wickedness- resenting all discipline, ignores all restraints, pure and wanton insolence. People of this nature have no shame or decency.
- Next is envy… resents others success and blessings…actively insulting other people or God.
- Pride… best describes the attitude of people ‘who have a certain contempt for everyone except themselves’.
- Last in the list is Folly…it is about people who are not fools or are brainless, but about those who chose act as such to seek an excuse for their behavior.
This list is about things that come from the human heart. It is not meant as a means to put humans down but to encourage an honest self- examination of our own hearts. You will find these listed in Mark 7:20-23. Examine your heart, what is in your heart?
Life is Good
jk
Posted by John Kurt Carpenter
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Thank you for this message. It really is all about the heart, and we need the word of God and His Holy Spirit to show us what’s in our hearts.
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By elizabethjort on July 14, 2024 at 6:52 am
Thank you for your kind words. Scripture , the word of God releases the good within us and strengthens our resolve to take the good way.
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By John Kurt Carpenter on July 14, 2024 at 4:25 pm