"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" The Source Of True Defilement (7:14-23) INTRODUCTION 1. When confronted by the Pharisees and scribes regarding eating with unclean hands... a. Jesus described the danger of traditions - Mk 7:1-13 b. How they can make our worship vain and the commands of God void - ibid. 2. Jesus then used the occasion to teach concerning true defilement... a. First to the multitude - Mk 7:14-16 b. Then privately to His disciples - Mk 7:17-23 [Having the benefit of both His public and private teaching in Mark's gospel, we can learn "The Source Of True Defilement." From Jesus remarks to both the multitude and His disciples we learn that it is...] I. NOT THE FOOD A. DIETARY RESTRICTIONS IN THE PAST... 1. From the Creation, man (and animals) may have been vegetarian - Gen 1:29-30 2. After the Flood, God gave animals as food, but not their blood - Gen 9:3-4 3. With the Law of Moses, Israelites were restricted in their diet - Lev 11:1-47 -- In Old Testament times, God did have some stringent dietary guidelines B. DIETARY FREEDOMS IN THE PRESENT... 1. Jesus has declared all foods clean - Mk 7:14-19 a. To the multitude, Jesus hints at the source of true defilement - Mk 7:14-16 b. To His disciples, He explains His parable - Mk 7:17-19 c. "...purifying all foods" is likely a parenthetical statement - Mk 7:19 d. For while the Law of Moses was in force, Jesus observed it in full - cf. Mt 5:17-18 e. Thus Mark's parenthetical statement was intended for disciples living after the cross 2. Paul later taught that all food is acceptable a. Teaching to abstain from foods would be a sign of apostasy - 1Ti 4:1-3 b. Nothing is to be refused when received with thanksgiving and prayer - 1Ti 4:4-5 3. There are a few exceptions... a. Things offered to idols, blood, and things strangled - Ac 15:28-29; 21:25 b. Especially when connected to idolatry - 1Co 10:19-23; Re 2:14,20 c. When certain foods becomes a stumbling block to the weak - Ro 14:14-21; 1Co 8:8-13 -- From the New Testament, we learn of the dietary freedom we have in Christ [From what Jesus taught His disciples, true defilement comes not from food...] II. BUT THE HEART A. MAN HAS A HEART PROBLEM... 1. The heart (mind) is a fountain out of which much that impacts life flows - Pr 4:23 2. Affected by sin, it becomes deceitful and wicked - Ec 9:3; Jer 17:9 3. Thus the heart is a source of much evil that defiles man - Mk 7:20-23 -- The heart (or mind) of man is the real source of defilement B. EVIL THOUGHTS LEAD TO TRUE DEFILEMENT... 1. Evil thoughts a. The general term translated 'evil thoughts' precedes the verb in the Greek text and is viewed as the root of various evils which follow - Bible Knowledge Commentary b. Evil thoughts generated in a heart unite with one's will to produce evil words and actions - ibid. 2. Adulteries a. Illicit sexual relations by a married person b. Which Jesus said could occur in the heart - Mt 5:27-28 3. Fornications a. Illicit sexual activities of various kinds, prompted by lust - cf. 1Th 4:3-5 b. Including pre-marital sex, homosexuality, etc. 4. Murders a. Taking life intentionally b. Which is connected to hate in the heart - 1Jn 3:15 5. Thefts a. Stealing b. Including shoplifting, pilfering, etc. 6. Covetousness a. Greediness b. Which makes one an idolater - Ep 5:5; Col 3:5 7. Wickedness a. Evil acts b. Done with malice 8. Deceit - acting with guile and intent to defraud 9. Lewdness a. Unrestrained and unconcealed immoral behavior b. Closely related to lust - cf. Ro 13:13 10. An evil eye - a Hebrew idiom for stinginess - cf. Pr 28:22 11. Blasphemy - slander, verbal abuse against God or man 12. Pride - arrogance, boastful opinion of one's self, often with disdain toward others 13. Foolishness - lack of common sense, with moral and spiritual insensitivity -- Such sins prompted by evil thoughts are what truly defile us! CONCLUSION 1. Today, many people choose to restrict their diet... a. Some for health reasons (allowed by the liberty we have in Christ) b. Others for religious reasons (not bound by the liberty we have in Christ) 2. From Christ and His apostles, we learn that all foods have been declared clean... a. When received with thanksgiving b. When sanctified by prayer Thus we learn where our true focus should be: removing that defilement which springs from sinful hearts (Ep 4:17-24; 1Pe 4:1-3). It begins with obedience to the gospel of Christ... - cf. Ac 2:38; 22:16Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011
