Introduction: Those who regularly read these studies know
that I frequently cite Deuteronomy 4:2 which instructs us
that it is just as wrong to make up rules and claim God
requires them as it is to tell people they do not have to
follow the rules that God gives. Our study this week is in
part a fuller explanation of that point. In Mark 7 Jesus
gets into an extended discussion about rules with the
Pharisees, but as we have seen before, Jesus’ arguments seem
illogical until we drill down deeper. Let’s start drilling
into God’s word!
I. Clean Hands and Unclean Food
A. Read Mark 7:1-4. Who do you think has the superior
position, the religious leaders who promoted
cleanliness in eating, or the fisherman who are
eating with dirty hands? (I vote for the people who
support clean eating.)
B. Read Mark 7:5-7. Is Jesus opposed to cleanliness?
(No. This gets us back to Deuteronomy 4. There are
lots of good ideas, such as washing your hands
before you eat and cleaning your eating pots,
glasses, and plates. The problem arises when you
claim that your good ideas are required by God.)
C. Read Mark 7:9-12. What does not honoring your
parents have to do with not washing your hands?
This reminds me of a boss who tells an employee to
dress more neatly, and the slovenly employee
responds, “You don’t love your parents!” (If I were
debating this with Jesus I would be tempted to say,
“don’t change the subject.”)
1. Would anyone like to defend Jesus’ response?
Can anyone connect a debate about clean hands
with loving your parents?
2. If the issue is really an application of
Deuteronomy 4:2, does it matter if the subject
matter is different? (No. If you look deeply
at what Jesus argues it makes perfect sense.
He complains that the religious leaders are
focused on cleanliness being required by God
while at the same time completely undermining
one of God’s actual requirements – the Fifth
of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12)- which
says to honor your parents.)
a. I would paraphrase Jesus’ argument as:
“You make up fake religious rules, while
opposing the real rules.”
II. The Nature of Sin
A. Look again at Mark 7:6. Jesus quotes Isaiah who
says that the people “honor” God with their lips,
not their heart. How are the religious leaders
honoring God with their lips? (They talk about
things that are not important, while neglecting the
important.)
B. Read Isaiah 6:1-3 and compare it with Isaiah’s
response in Isaiah 6:5. Why is Isaiah talking about
lips? (The angels give perfect praise to God, but
Isaiah feels woe because he does not.)
1. What should be the goal of every Christian?
(To give glory to God. To honor Him.)
2. In an honor/shame culture, would it be
shameful to let your parents suffer when you
could help them? (A person who truly honored
God would honor his parents. Washing your
hands does not honor God. At best it improves
your health.)
C. Read Isaiah 6:5-7. Is Isaiah saved by grace? (Yes.
He realizes the problem and God forgives him in
preparation for future service.)
D. Read Mark 7:14-15. Does this make sense to you?
Assume a person is an alcoholic who is never sober.
Is that person defiled?
1. What about a person who is so fat that he
cannot walk. Is that person defiled?
2. The Finis Dake commentary says that Jesus is
not talking about alcohol, narcotics, or
tobacco, instead Jesus is talking about meat.
Does that ignore the plain text of what Jesus
said? (Yes. There is no basis in what Jesus
said to draw a line like that.)
3. What does the context suggest Jesus is talking
about? (The context is hand-washing. But Jesus
is speaking very broadly.)
E. Read Mark 7:17-23. I’ve used a couple of examples
of addiction. Some might push back and argue,
“Bruce, that is being impaired not defiled.” What
do you think Jesus means by the word, “defiled?”
(The examples Jesus gives of defilement are either
part of planning to harm or actually harming
someone else.)
1. Go back to our discussion of a Christian’s
obligations to bring glory to God. If God’s
people are an open criminal group, does this
bring dishonor and shame to God?
2. Go back to our discussion of alcohol, drugs,
and tobacco. Can you draw a line to defend
Jesus’ comment? (Jesus says that what goes
into the body enters the stomach and is
expelled. When we talk about drunks, the
addicted, and the morbidly fat, these problems
take consumption to a point that results in
harmful actions. This is what goes into the
body plus foolish actions.)
F. Read again Mark 7:19. The distinction between clean
and unclean foods is found in Genesis 7:2 in
connection with the flood. This is long before the
instructions in Leviticus 11 were given. What does
that suggest to you about eating unclean meat?
G. Wait a minute! Is this good advice or a command?
Didn’t God command in Leviticus 11:7-8 not to eat,
much less touch, dead pigs?
H. Read Mark 2:28. Is Jesus also Lord of creation? (If
Jesus clarifies or changes a prior command, He has
that right. He is Lord. My conclusion is that
eating unclean meat is a bad idea. God must have
had some serious reason for making this distinction
between animals. Much of the ceremonial law was
about healthy living. I want to live a healthy
life, and I am confident this long-standing rule
rests on reasons God thought important for humans.)
III. Dog Food
A. Read Mark 7:25-27. Is Jesus calling this woman’s
daughter a “dog?” (Yes.)
B. Read Mark 7:28. If Jesus called your child a “dog,”
and it had a racial basis, would you respond like
this mother?
1. Tell me exactly what you would say to Jesus?
(This is a little girl who did nothing to be
demon-possessed. A loving person would not
give a harsh, racist response.)
C. Read Mark 7:29-30. Is Jesus’ unloving response a
test? (It is a test of three things. First, if the
mother listened carefully (as opposed to just
getting mad), Jesus referred to the children being
fed “first,” thus leaving an opening for her
daughter. Second, any dog “under the table” must be
invited by the owner. She could take that hope and
look past the insult. Last it takes character to
overlook an insult.)
1. Why does Mark include this story? Does it
build on the evidence that Jesus is God? (Part
of acknowledging that Jesus is God is that we
are not. This woman had her focus on what
Jesus could do for her daughter, and not on
personal insults.)
IV. Boat Food
A. Read Mark 8:14-16. If you were sitting in the boat
listening to this, what problem would you see?
(Jesus and the disciples are talking about two
entirely different things.)
B. Read Mark 8:17-18. Is Jesus unhappy with the
disciples? (Yes. If I were a disciple I would
consider these comments to be insults to my
intelligence.)
C. Read Mark 8:19-21. Answer Jesus’ question. What
should the disciples understand? (They need not
worry about having enough to eat. Instead they
should focus on Jesus warning about bad religious
teaching.)
D. Why do you think Mark included this story? (What we
studied in this lesson has a common theme: focus on
what is important. Place your focus on bringing
glory to God and not on good ideas, insults, or
your personal needs. God will take care of you if
you focus your life on Him.)
E. Friend, will you resolve right now to focus on
bringing glory to God?
V. Next week: Teaching the Disciples: Part 1.
Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail,
but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
