Bullet Point Bible

Tradition Versus God's Commandment

¹ Now the Pharisees and some of the experts in the law who came from Jerusalem gathered around him.² And they saw that some of Jesus' disciples ate their bread with unclean hands, that is, unwashed.³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.⁴ And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. They hold fast to many other traditions: the washing of cups, pots, kettles, and dining couches.)⁵ The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?"⁶ He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:⁶ ' This people honors me with their lips,⁶ but their heart is far from me .⁷ They worship me in vain,⁷ teaching as doctrine the commandments of men .'

This conflict highlights a central tension between divine commandments and human religious traditions.
The Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem represent the central religious authority challenging Jesus' practices.
Ritual handwashing ("unclean hands") was a tradition of the elders, not a direct command from the Mosaic Law for non-priests before meals. Mark explains this custom for his likely non-Jewish audience (Mark 7:3-4).
Jesus accuses the religious leaders of hypocrisy, prioritizing outward appearances and human rules over genuine heart devotion, quoting Isaiah 29:13 (Mark 7:6-7).
The "tradition of the elders" refers to the oral law, interpretations and applications of the written Torah passed down and expanded over generations.
Jesus provides a specific example: the practice of "Corban," where dedicating resources to God (even theoretically) was used to circumvent the commandment to honor and care for parents (Exodus 20:12; 21:17).
By elevating their tradition, they were effectively "nullifying the word of God" (Mark 7:13). This is a severe charge against the religious establishment.
Jesus argues that their traditions not only added to God's law but sometimes directly contradicted its core principles, like honoring parents.
This encounter establishes Jesus' authority over the established religious interpretations and practices.
Application: Believers today must continually examine whether their traditions align with or detract from the clear teachings and heart of Scripture.

True Defilement Comes from Within

¹⁴ Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand.¹⁵ There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him."¹⁷ Now when Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable.¹⁸ He said to them, "Are you so foolish? Don't you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him?¹⁹ For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer." (This means all foods are clean.)²⁰ He said, "What comes out of a person defiles him.²¹ For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder,²² adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.²³ All these evils come from within and defile a person."

Jesus shifts from addressing the leaders to teaching the crowd, emphasizing the importance of understanding his words (Mark 7:14).
He presents a radical principle: true defilement is internal (moral), not external (ritual/dietary). What enters the body physically cannot make a person spiritually unclean before God.
This teaching challenges the foundation of many Jewish purity laws, particularly concerning food (Leviticus 11).
The disciples, like the crowd, struggle to grasp this concept, requiring a private explanation (Mark 7:17-18).
Jesus clarifies that food affects the stomach, not the heart (the seat of moral and spiritual life).
Mark includes an editorial comment: "(This means all foods are clean.)" (Mark 7:19), highlighting the revolutionary implication of Jesus' teaching, likely significant for Gentile Christians. This anticipates the later apostolic confirmation in Acts 10.
Jesus lists specific sins ("evil ideas") that originate in the human heart, demonstrating the source of true defilement (Mark 7:21-22). This list includes thoughts, actions, and attitudes.
The source of sin is identified as the "human heart," indicating the inherent fallenness and moral corruption within humanity.
This teaching underscores the need for internal transformation (a new heart) rather than merely external conformity to rules. Compare Jeremiah 17:9 and Ezekiel 36:26.
Application: Focus should be on cultivating inner purity and godliness, rather than solely on external religious observances.

The Faith of a Gentile Woman

²⁴ After Jesus left there, he went to the region of Tyre. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but he was not able to escape notice.²⁵ Instead, a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him and came and fell at his feet.²⁶ The woman was a Greek, of Syrophoenician origin. She asked him to cast the demon out of her daughter.²⁷ He said to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and to throw it to the dogs."²⁸ She answered, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."²⁹ Then he said to her, "Because you said this, you may go. The demon has left your daughter."³⁰ She went home and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus withdraws to Gentile territory (Tyre), perhaps seeking respite or intentionally crossing boundaries. His desire for privacy fails due to his reputation.
A Gentile woman (Greek, Syrophoenician) approaches Jesus, demonstrating remarkable faith and desperation by seeking help from a Jewish teacher. This contrasts with the unbelief of the Jewish leaders.
Her posture ("fell at his feet") shows humility and recognition of Jesus' authority.
Jesus' initial response (Mark 7:27) seems harsh, using a common Jewish metaphor distinguishing Jews ("children") from Gentiles ("dogs"). The term used is likely diminutive (kunaria - little dogs/house dogs), softening it slightly compared to wild dogs.
This response may have been a test of her faith or a statement about the initial focus of his earthly ministry (Matthew 15:24 - "{{I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.}}").
The woman's clever and humble reply (Mark 7:28) accepts Jesus' premise but argues for mercy based on it – even household dogs receive scraps. She doesn't dispute the priority but appeals for inclusion in the overflow of blessing.
Her persistence, humility, and witty faith impress Jesus.
Jesus commends her response ("Because you said this...") and grants her request, healing her daughter from a distance (Mark 7:29).
This incident powerfully demonstrates that God's grace extends beyond ethnic boundaries, foreshadowing the Gentile mission. It illustrates faith being the key criterion for receiving God's blessing, not ethnicity.
The healing is confirmed when the woman returns home, showing the power and authority of Jesus' word even over distance and demonic forces.

Healing a Deaf and Mute Man

³¹ Then Jesus went out again from the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis.³² They brought to him a deaf man who had difficulty speaking, and they asked him to place his hands on him.³³ After Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, he put his fingers in the man's ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue.³⁴ Then he looked up to heaven and said with a sigh, " Ephphatha " (that is, "Be opened").³⁵ And immediately the man's ears were opened, his tongue loosened, and he spoke plainly.³⁶ Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more.³⁷ People were completely astounded and said, "He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Jesus travels through Gentile regions (Sidon, Decapolis), continuing his ministry outside traditional Jewish areas.
A man with severe hearing and speech impediments is brought to Jesus. The community advocates for him, showing communal care.
Jesus takes the man aside privately, showing personal attention and perhaps avoiding a spectacle. This contrasts with some public healings.
Jesus uses physical actions (fingers in ears, spitting and touching tongue). These actions were not magical but likely served to communicate his intention and compassion to a man who could not hear his words. Some ancient cultures associated saliva with healing properties.
Looking up to heaven and sighing shows Jesus' dependence on the Father and perhaps the burden/compassion he felt (Mark 7:34). Compare John 11:33-35.
The Aramaic command "Ephphatha!" ("Be opened!") is preserved by Mark, adding a sense of immediacy and authenticity. Mark often preserves Jesus' Aramaic words (e.g., Talitha koum in Mark 5:41).
The healing is instantaneous and complete ("immediately... spoke plainly"), demonstrating divine power (Mark 7:35).
Jesus commands silence (Mark 7:36), a recurring theme in Mark (the Messianic Secret), possibly to manage crowds, prevent misunderstanding of his mission (as merely a miracle worker), or control the timing of his revelation.
The command is disobeyed due to the overwhelming impact of the miracle. The people's astonishment fulfills prophecy (Isaiah 35:5-6: "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped... the tongue of the mute will sing for joy").
The crowd's reaction ("He has done everything well") echoes the assessment of God's creation in Genesis 1:31 ("God saw all that he had made, and it was very good"), suggesting Jesus' work is restorative and redemptive, inaugurating a new creation.

The Bullet Point Bible

Mark 7