Mark 7:1-23
Mark 7

Clean and Unclean

The Pharisees are again showing their legalism and hardened hearts as they accuse Jesus and his disciples of being unclean, since they ate some food without a ceremonial washing first. The Pharisees had many rules and regulations that were not in the Scriptures, including, as verses 3-4 state parenthetically: (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.^[1]) (NIV) Jesus also pointed out that they disregard the commandment about honoring their fathers and mothers, by allowing people to tell their needy parents that they cannot help support them because their income is needed as "a gift to God."

Jesus saw right through their exterior "righteousness" to their hardened hearts. As he explained later to the disciples,"It doesn't matter what food you eat--for it goes out of the body. But in verses 20-24 he explains, "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' ²¹For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " (NIV)

We may be guilty of making judgments of people based on the way they look, the clothes they wear, the car they drive, the neighborhood they live in. But Jesus looks within--to see the character of a person--what is in their heart. I am struggling with this even this week, as today is picture day at my kids' Christian school, and my 16-year-old son is still sporting his mohawk. But I know his heart, and his willingness to follow God, read his Bible, and be kind to others. I need to be less concerned with appearances and more concerned with my own heart, and the hearts of my family members.

- posted by Suzi @ 6:30 AM