COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 77
“ Mark 7:14 And when He had called all the people unto Him, He said unto them, Hearken unto Me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
(Mark 7:14-16; Matthew 15:10-11)
WHAT DEFILES A MAN, #1
INTRODUCTION
Jesus has just confronted the Pharisees and scribes, who have questioned him about His disciples eating without washing their hands ceremonially, according to the tradition of the elders. With candor and heavenly expertise, He has demolished their traditional views, showing how they caused those who embraced them to “transgress the commandment of God” (Matt 15:3 ), “Make the commandment of God of none effect” (Matt 15:6), “worship” God “in vain” (Mk 7:7), “lay aside” the commandment of God (Mk 7:8), and “reject the commandment of God” (Mk 7:9). Therefore, the people who served God in such a manner found themselves honoring God “with their lips,” while their heart was “far from” Him (Mk 7:6). There is a principle to be seen here. When men attempt to merge the Word or commandment of God with the tradition of men, the Word of God no longer has influence with them. This is because men must lay aside the Word of God in order to accept the traditions of men. Neither God’s Word nor His commandment will sanctify the “traditions of men.” Ardent attempts may be made to buttress the tradition with Scripture, seemingly fortifying it. But it is all nothing more than a delusion. What comes from God is holy, and it cannot be merged with what comes from the natural man, who is fundamentally “unholy,” even when he is trained to be ultra-religious (2 Tim 3:2). It is not possible to develop a human perception of religious duty, and then confirm it with the Word of God and bind it upon men. Now, using the heavenly weaponry of holy thought and spiritual understanding, Jesus will tear down the stronghold of the “tradition of the elders,” casting it into the trash-heap of spiritual garbage.
HEARKENING AND UNDERSTANDING
“ Mk 7:14 And when He had called all the people unto Him, He said unto them, Hearken unto Me every one of you, and understand.”
Now, Jesus has finished speaking with “the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes.” He will not engage in a lengthy discussion with them, for that is like throwing the pearls of truth to a herd of swine, who have no care for their spiritual diet, but reject what is precious in order to keep what is profane. You will find this to be a consistent pattern in the ministry of Jesus. When confronted with a question from ungodly leaders, the Lord would often answer them with unquestionable poignance, or piercing and convicting words – then turn to the multitudes to teach them, or begin conversing with His disciples (Matt 12:10-16; Matt 22:41-23:1; Mk 10:2-10l 12:18-35).
In the promotion of the truth, it is important not to be dragged aside into bantering about foolish questions and endless genealogies (2 Tim 3:9). This was lived out by the Lord Jesus, so that the meaning of such conduct becomes very clear. There is, for example, an especial danger in listening to those who emphasize “reaching the lost” above edifying the body of Christ – an imagined priority that is nowhere taught in Scripture.
HE CALLED ALL THE PEOPLE. The discussion Jesus had with the Pharisees and scribes was not a private one. It appears that the people were privy to what was being said. Now Jesus turns His attention to them. He does not want them to remain without the truth on this matter. Note – He “called all the people.” Matthew says, “He called the multitude” (Matt 15:10). He did not call the men alone, or just the women, or any other social grouping of the people. Everyone needed to know what Jesus was going to say, regardless of their social, domestic, or religious role. We know from other accounts that young people were in the crowds that heard Jesus. Once a “a lad,” or “boy,” NIV provided a small lunch from which a multitude was fed (John 6:9). “Children” were in that multitude (Matt 14:21). Mothers were often in the crowd with their “infants” (Lk 18:15). Jesus instructed His disciples to allow the “children” to come to Him, and not forbid them (Matt 19:14). Yet, in all of Christ’s discourses, He never targeted a word to only the men, or the women, or the children within the crowd. His words were for “all the people.”
HEARKEN UNTO ME. “Hearken unto Me, every one of you!” Other versions read, “Hear Me, everyone,” NKJV “Listen to Me, all of you,” NASB and “Give ear to Me, all of you.” BBE The word “hearken” means to “listen” or “give ear to.” It involves being keenly aware of what is being said, and to fasten one’s attention upon it, not being distracted by other things.
Just as the eye can be focused on a single object or person in the middle of a host of other things, so the ear can focus on a particular sound – in this case, the words of the Lord Jesus. Luke expressed HOW the people once listened to Jesus. It is a vivid portrayal of what it means to “hearken:” “ . . . all the people were very attentive to hear Him” (Luke 19:48). Their attentiveness is what moved some of His listeners to say, “Never man spake like this Man” (Lk 19:48). After over half a century in the ministry, I can testify that I have known but a few people who have ever listened to Jesus attentively enough to perceive the distinctiveness and power of His words. The masses of professing Christians have never mastered hearkening!
UNDERSTAND ME. Other versions read, “and understand this,” NIV “let my words be clear to you.” BBE The word “understand” means to “bring together” (like assembling a puzzle), “to perceive, joining together in the mind,” THAYER “comprehend, understand thoroughly, perceive clearly, gain insight.” FRIBERG It means that the words of Christ make sense, and are able to be employed in the practical matters of life. In such a case, the necessity of empty routines is removed. The words of Christ, when understood, are no longer mysterious, beyond reach, or imagined to be irrelevant. They are seen as essential and pertinent to life – eternal life.
Jesus taught that a failure to “understand” what He said prohibited one from being “converted” (Matt 13:15). In such a case, the devil comes and snatches His word out of the heart, so that it cannot possibly profit the person (Matt 13:19). In fact, one of the marks of being in a lost and alienated state is not understanding (Rom 1:31; 3:11), or “having the understanding darkened” (Eph 4:18). Solemnly believers are admonished, “but in understanding, be men” (1 Cor 14:20). They are exhorted, “be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17).
This is an area in which the modern church has not done well. The level of “understanding” – “spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9) – that exists in the average church, and even among professing ministers, is deplorable. The whole condition has given rise to a plethora of new traditions that are being perpetrated in the church. This time, however, they are coming from the psychologists, sociologists, statisticians, and procedural experts. In such an environment a clarion call must be issued to the people to hearken, listening with intent and focusing their attention, upon the words of the Lord Jesus. He MUST be heard!
WITHOUT AND WITHIN
“ 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”
Jesus takes the axe of spiritual reasoning, and cuts through the defiling root of religious tradition. John the Baptist foretold that Jesus would engage in such an activity. “And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matt 3:10). The “root” is the source that gave life to the corrupt tree – that caused its feigned growth. In this case, the “root” was the “tradition of the elders.” That is what gave imagined life to the tree, making it what it was. Observe with that marvelous effectiveness Jesus topples the tree of vain religion, attacking and destroying its root.
NOTHING WITHOUT A MAN. This may appear to contradict the Levitical Law, which taught that men could become unclean by what they ate: i.e. “ . . . ye shall not eat . . . Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby” (Lev 11:42-47). The defilement of which the Law spoke, however, was a ceremonial defilement, not a spiritual one – which is the kind of defilement Jesus now addresses. The elders taught that the condition of your hands made the food clean or unclean. That bore no resemblance to the distinctions given in the Law.
The phrase “nothing without a man” means something external to him, and apart from his person. In this case, it is something that is put into the mouth. That is, man is not essentially a body, and, in the matter of diet, the body is not to be considered his primary part.
THAT ENTERING CAN DEFILE. Matthew reads, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man” (Matt 15:11). Food cannot cause a person to be accepted or rejected by God. Paul said it this way, “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor 8:8). Again he wrote, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink” (Rom 14:17). He also said that ordinances such as “Touch not; taste not; handle not,” have nothing whatsoever to do with those who are “dead with Christ” (Col 2:20-22). The soul of a man cannot be soiled by food for the body.
One might object that the first sin involved defilement by means of what was eaten (Gen 2:17). However, that whole matter is illuminated by the apostolic doctrine. It was not what entered through the mouth that defiled Adam and Eve, but the disobedience that issued from their hearts – “Adam’s transgression,” “the offence,” and “one man’s disobedience” (Rom 5:12-19).
On an earthly level, certain foods may affect ones bodily health, but they cannot contaminate the soul, corrupt the heart, or blight the mind. And even in that case, the “elders” had no intention of assisting health of body, but were seeking to make men more acceptable to God by means of outward and meaningless religious routines and customs.
Among other things, this confirms the fundamental deficiency of an approach to “the Christian life” that is only outward. The Old Covenant was such a covenant. It is said of it, “Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, [“external regulations” NIV] imposed on them until the time of reformation” (Heb 9:10). Whether it is our view of holiness, praise, obedience, or doing good – if it is only external, it is a wrong view!
THINGS THAT COME OUT. Mark reads, “things which come out of him.” Matthew reads, “that which cometh out of the mouth” (Matt 15:11). Evil and error that are expressed defile and contaminate the individual. This is an important distinction to perceive in a society that has exalted freedom of speech and the expression of human opinion. Men may boast that they have a right to say whatever they please – but such a saying did not apply to the elders, Pharisees, and scribes, and it does not apply to us either.
Note that Jesus does not say “what men say others should do” is a contaminant, but what comes out of the mouth. The Jewish leaders did bind their tradition upon others, but it was the tradition itself, not the binding of it, that brought the defilement.
The fact that a person is a professed believer, or leader (like the elders, Pharisees, and scribes), does not sanctify wrong thoughts, or in any way make them acceptable. The fact that a person supposedly believes something “with all of their heart” does not make it right.
THEY DEFILE THE MAN. Other versions read, “make him unclean,” NIV “polluteth,” MRD “harmed,” LIVING “make a person unholy,” IE “make him foul,” WILLIAMS and “make him unhallowed and unclean.” AMPLIFIED These very words startle the lethargic soul. The word “defile” means to “deem or pronounce profane,” LIDDELL-SCOTT “rendered unhallow,” or unsuitable to be presented to God, THAYER Just as surely as a profaned sacrifice could not be offered to God (Lev 22:15), so a person who is “defiled” is not acceptable to God. That, of course, is the whole reason for the Divine provision for cleansing (1 John 1:7,9).
This thought will be developed in the succeeding verses. At this time, however, it is imperative that we grasp the seriousness of defilement – spiritual defilement. It is a very real condition, and is to be avoided with deliberation and consistency among all believers.
EARS TO HEAR AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THEM
“ 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
IF. Here is a small word that determines whether the specified condition or requirement can be met or not. The word “unconditional,” though popularized by pretended theologians, is not found in any standard English translation of Bible. I cannot find it in the most liberal and vulgar of all translations. The word “IF,” speaks of unalterable conditions. It is found no less than 1,595 times in the Scriptures. It is used 53 times in Genesis, 386 times in Exodus through Deuteronomy, and 554 times in Joshua through Malachi. It is used 247 times in the Gospels, 26 times in Acts, and 320 times in the Epistles. Let us give no heed to those who take it upon themselves to add to the Divine vocabulary. The word “unconditional” is a philosophical word, not an inspired one! It speaks of human wisdom, not Divine wisdom.
IF ANY MAN HAS EARS TO HEAR. Here is the condition that is in question: Does “any man” have “ears to hear?” Does the individual possess the capacity to hear, or comprehend, what the Lord is saying? Among other things, this confirms that the human intellect, common to all normal people, is not sufficient to meet this requirement.
This phrase – “ears to hear”– is used ten times in Scripture, all occurring after sin entered into the word. Moses told Israel that God had “NOT given” them “ears to hear” (Deut 29:4), which accounted for their spiritual obtuseness. Eight times the Lord Jesus challenged those with “ears to hear” to hear what He was saying (Matt 11:15; 13:9,43; Mk 4:9,23; 7:16; 8:8; 14:35). Eight times the book of the Revelation exhorts those who have “an ear,” to hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22; 13:9). Isaiah spoke of God awakening the prophet’s ear to “hear as the learned” (Isa 50:4).
Jesus spoke of those who could NOT hear what He was saying: “Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word” (John 8:43). It is as though they could not tune into the spiritual frequency on which He spoke. Isaiah referred of a similar situation when he said, “Hear ye, indeed, but understand not” (Isa 6:9). Jeremiah accounted for the inability of the Israelites to hear the word of the Lord by saying “their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken” (Jer 6:10). Stephen said the same when he spoke to the Jewish council (Acts 7:51).
Any person who has labored in the vineyard of the Lord has confronted people who could not take hold of the Word of God – regardless of the frequency of hearing it or the extensiveness of its exposition. Why does such a condition exist? It may very well be because they have not been given “ears to hear.” After all, this capacity does come from God, and God alone. As it is written, “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them” (Prov 20:12). The Lord also told Moses, “Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?” (Ex 4:11). In the case before us, the “deaf” are those who have not been given “ears to hear.”
Not being given ears to hear does not excuse the condition of the spiritually deaf. There are reasons why God has withheld this gift from them, and they are not found in any caprice or arbitrary rejection on God’s part. Jesus said it was because the hearts of the people “waxed gross,” or “became calloused” NIV (Matt 13:15). That is, they became diverted to other things, and had no desire to hear from God. Therefore, He did not give them “ears to hear.” It seems to me that this is a remarkably common condition in the American and European church.
LET HIM HEAR. Now Jesus calls out to the person who HAS been given “ears to hear.” This is the person who can pick up on what the Lord is saying – who can detect the direction of His words and correlate them with both Scripture and conscience. He understands something of what the Lord has said, and can perceive the nature and importance of His words. Jesus words make sense to the person who has “ears to hear.”
Now comes the responsibility to use what God has given. Once the Lord chided Israel, “Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not” (Jer 5:21). The “ears” that they had been given were inferior to those that are dispensed in Christ Jesus – but they were adequate for the measured discernment of Moses and the Prophets. They refused to hear what they were able to hear.
When people have been given “ears to hear,” and can make some sense out of the truth, they are obligated to extend themselves to hear. It is their duty to get to the place where the words can be heard. It is their obligation to dwell on what is said, meditating and musing upon it until it sinks “down into” their ears (Lk 9:44).
What happens when a person hears with his “ears to hear?”Isaiah said, “hear, and your soul shall live” (Isa 55:3). Jesus said, “they that hear shall live” (John 5:25). Paul said, “faith cometh by hearing” (Rom 10:17). Do you have “ears to hear?” Then use them, and you will experience spiritual life in increasing measure! Use them, and your faith will grow and increase! Be a good steward of your “ears” – your capacity to hear, understand, profit from, and delight in the truth of God.