Anchor My Faith

Are You Still Without Understanding?

Scripture: Matthew 15:15-16, 18, 20; Mark 7:18-19, 21-22

In the previous lesson the disciples expressed their concern over Jesus offending the Pharisees with his teaching. Jesus tells his disciples to leave them alone for now as they are blind leaders leading the blind to destruction. Peter then speaks up: ^{Mt 15:15} ” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”’

The parable that was not understood was the one he felt offended the Pharisees; about that which defiles a person. Jesus responds: ^{Mt 15:16} “Are you also still without understanding? ^{Mk 7:18} Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus, he declared all foods clean.) ^{Mt 15:18} But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ^{Mk 7:21} For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ^{Mt 15:20} These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

This narrative seems clear and easy to understand but let’s make a few observations. More often than not the disciples don’t seem to understand the spiritual implications of what Jesus is teaching. We must remember that they have not yet received the Holy Spirit and thus would be considered a natural person that “does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). Peter, who does not understand now, preaches with understanding and boldness and writes two letters to the churches after receiving the Holy Spirit. Remember how your understanding grew after you were born spiritually.

What is the purpose of “he declared all foods clean” in the parenthesis? Under the Mosaic ceremonial laws there was a distinction between foods that were “clean” and those that were “unclean”. That distinction served the purpose to instill an awareness of God’s holiness and the reality of sin as a barrier to fellowship with God. But once the gospel is understood and the heart has been regenerated through spiritual birth, then it is clear that defilement of the heart is due to sin and not to the food eaten.

The law could not save but was used by God to teach the Israelites about the holiness of God and their need to also be holy. To increase this understanding, the Father sent his Son Jesus to fulfill the law and provide a way to holiness through salvation. In past lessons, we saw how Jesus took the external application of the law and made it internal as part of the heart. With the law in the heart along with the indwelling Holy Spirit, defilement can be controlled from within, not by what enters from the outside.

Conclusion

Understanding that defilement is determined by the heart not by external things, we need to be intentional about maintaining a heart of holiness and not allow evil to creep in, for if it does we can expect improper speech and behavior to result.