The Gospel of Mark: Peter’s Story of Jesus by Steve Petty
Bible Interpretation and study
Mark 7: 1-37
The false traditions of the Pharisees.
Now some scribes and Pharisees had come down from Jerusalem to discredit Jesus. They noticed that we were not always washing our hands before eating. (The Pharisees and all strict Jews would not eat without washing all the food and the pots used in cooking.) To their way of thinking this made us unclean before God. So they questioned Jesus, “Why do your followers eat with unclean hands? They are not following the traditions of the elders.”
Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was really talking about you;
'This people honors me with lip service,
I am not the love of their hearts.
Their worship is all vanity,
Teaching their own greed as God’s law.'
You forget the commandments of God in order to follow your traditions.”
Then he added, “You are so clever about making people follow you and not God. Remember, Moses says, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ And ‘Whoever speaks evil of their father or mother must surely die.’ But you are so greedy, you tell people to take the money they would use to support their aging parents and dedicate it to the temple, impoverishing their parents in their old age. A gift to the temple frees them of God’s commandments? What kind of tradition is that? And there are lots of other things you do that are just as bad.
Then addressing their complaint, he called the crowds attention again and said, “Listen, what goes into your mouth cannot make you unholy before God. It is only what comes out of you that condemns you.”
He left them there and retired to a house, but some of us asked him about the parable. “Oh come on,” he said, “don’t you get it? What goes into your mouth just passes through the stomach and becomes waste. It does not make you clean or unclean. (So, all foods are clean in Jesus eyes.) What comes out of your mouth is an indication of what is in your heart, and what is in your heart makes you clean or unclean in God’s eyes. The heart is where all good and evil lurk. When you speak obscenities, gossip, lies, slander, or you steal, cheat, murder, or when you are arrogant, foolish, greedy or irreverent. These are the sins of your hearts desires and they condemn you.
The gentile woman’s persistent faith
We left there and went to Tyre. He told us not to let people know he was there, but it leaked out. No sooner did we get to town than a woman began to pester him about her daughter who had a demon. She was a Greek woman, a pagan from Syrophoenicia, and she fell at his feet and begged him to heal her daughter. Jesus was really annoyed with her, “Look, we don’t feed the dogs table food while the children are still hungry.” But she was quick to come back, “But Master, sometimes the children don’t want the food, and feed the dogs under the table.” He laughed and smiled and smiled at her saying, “You are so right. You may go home happy, your daughter is well already.” So she went home and found her daughter completely healed.
The deaf man hears and talks.
Jesus left Tyre and returned by way of Sidon, near the Sea of Galilee and passed through the Decapolis region again. Hearing that Jesus was nearby, they brought a deaf man who spoke in mumbles and they asked Jesus to heal him by laying hands on him. Jesus took him by the hand and led him away from the crowd. He put his fingers on the man’s ears and touched his tongue with his own saliva. Then holding his head, he looked up to heaven and said, “Open!” And just like that, he could hear and he started to talk. Boy, could he talk. Jesus ordered him to stop talking. He even told every one to stop passing it on, but they would not stop telling anyone who would listen.
“He does everything well! He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”
“Speak the Truth”
Chapter 7 begins a new section for the Gospel of Mark. Peter now begins telling the story with a revelation that Jesus shared initially and which came to fruition with Peter in the house of Cornelius. (Read all of Acts chapter 10 for a full understanding of Peter’s revelation.)
Jesus is attacked by the Pharisees and it is clear that the disciples and perhaps Jesus himself, has violated the letter of the Jewish food laws. Jesus makes no defense of this violation. Rather he attacks the laws and the Pharisees use of the laws. Jesus sees that the way they interpret the law is in fact a cheap imitation of the greater laws, like the Ten Commandments. Food is just food, something to feed the body, it cannot make you clean or unclean.
What is more important is the integrity of heart and mind and actions. So Jesus gives a list of evils that are more important to avoid than food laws.
Then to make the point that the blessing of God is leaving the Jews because they are not following God’s laws, Peter tells the story of the syrophoenician woman. This clever woman has the wit and audacity to argue with Jesus. Even when he calls her a dog, she turns it on him and reminds him that dogs can eat the food which the dinners do not want, that often is found, or falls, under the table. This clever response tickles Jesus as he realizes the truth of her argument. She believes in an abundant God who has more than enough to go around and even feed the scraps to the dogs. She has more faith than the Pharisees who are ignoring the law.
This theme will become more important as we progress through Mark. And it comes to full cycle in Acts as Peter takes the Gospel to the gentiles and begins to baptize the first pagans.
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Speak the Truth
Jesus confronts the truth in three different ways today. What does this teach us about how we must confront truth?
1. The Pharisees bend the truth to fit their needs. Jesus says we don’t need food laws; we condemn ourselves by the deceits of our hearts.
What laws do you bend?
What food laws do you follow?
What are the sins and deceits of your heart that condemn you?
2. The gentile woman believes in Jesus, even when he is tired and distracted. She reminds him of a simple truth he was missing and he blesses her, granting her petition.
When you don’t know the truth, who is it that you can trust to tell you?
When you are missing the big picture, who has the courage to confront you?
What truth are you ignoring that could help you?
3. The deaf man speaks his truth, even though Jesus has ordered him not to. His joy has no bounds and he shares his good news.
What wonderful gift has God given you?
How do you share that Good News?