What Really Defiles Us (Mark 7:1-37)
Have you ever felt like someone judged you just for not following the “rules”? In Mark chapter 7, Jesus has some strong words for people who care more about traditions than true faith. He also shows us what it means to really believe—even when others might say you don’t belong.
Let’s walk through this powerful chapter and see what we can learn.
Clean Hands vs. Clean Hearts
It all starts when some religious leaders, called Pharisees, noticed that Jesus’ disciples weren’t washing their hands before eating. Now this wasn’t just about hygiene—it was a religious ritual they believed made someone “clean” before God.
They asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples follow the traditions of our elders?”
Jesus didn’t hold back. He pointed out that these leaders were more focused on man-made rules than on God’s actual commands. He even quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Jesus made it clear: following traditions doesn’t mean much if your heart isn’t right.
What Really Makes Us Unclean
Then Jesus turned to the crowd and taught a simple but powerful truth. He said, “Nothing outside a person can make them unclean by going into them. It’s what comes out that defiles them.”
In other words, it’s not about what you eat or whether you wash your hands a certain way. It’s about what’s in your heart.
Jesus explained that evil thoughts, pride, jealousy, lying, and other sins come from the inside. That’s what truly separates us from God—not what we eat or touch.
A Mother’s Bold Faith
Next, Jesus traveled to a region called Tyre. There, a Gentile woman (someone who wasn’t Jewish) came to Him. Her daughter was suffering from an evil spirit, and she begged Jesus to help.
At first, Jesus gave her a puzzling response, comparing the children (Israelites) and the “dogs” (Gentiles). But she didn’t give up. She replied, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
Her answer showed deep humility and great faith. Jesus was moved and told her that her daughter had been healed. Even though she was an outsider, her faith was enough.
Healing a Deaf and Mute Man
Finally, Jesus went to a region called the Decapolis, where people brought Him a man who was deaf and could barely speak. They begged Jesus to heal him.
Jesus took the man aside, touched his ears and tongue, and said, “Be opened.” Immediately, the man could hear and speak clearly!
The crowd was amazed and said, “He has done everything well!”
What Can We Learn from Mark 7?
This chapter shows us three important things:
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God cares more about the heart than outward rules. Following religious customs means nothing if our hearts are full of pride, anger, or selfishness.
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Faith matters more than background. The Syrophoenician woman wasn’t part of the “in” crowd, but Jesus honored her faith anyway.
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Jesus is powerful and compassionate. He heals with a touch and responds to those in need—even when others might overlook them.
No matter who you are or where you come from, Jesus cares more about your heart than your history. And when you come to Him with honest faith, He listens—and He heals.
Mark 7:1-37 (WEB)
7:1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”6 He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,‘This people honors me with their lips,but their heart is far from me.7 They worship me in vain,teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’8 “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” 9 He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,” ’ ” that is to say, given to God, 12 “then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making void the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”14 He called all the multitude to himself and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”17 When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, 19 because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?” 20 He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22 covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”24 From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25 For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”29 He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”30 She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.31 Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis. 32 They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly. 36 He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”