Keraia
Mark 7

Mark 7:15

What Defiles a Man · Mark 7:14–23
Read Mark 7

Translations

Modern
Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
There is nothing from outside the man entering into him that is able to defile him; but the things proceeding out of the man are the things defiling the man.”
Latin
Nihil est extra hominem introiens in eum, quod possit eum coinquinare, sed quæ de homine procedunt illa sunt quæ communicant hominem.

Interlinear

Greek
English
Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”

Notes

Mark 7:14–23

The second argument of Jesus against the Pharisees was a proverb he told the crowd. Later, in a private setting, Jesus explained it to his disciples (7:17–23). It concerns moral distinctions about eating (rules about what is right or wrong to eat). Eating affects the system that processes food, but moral issues involve the heart. The heart is a metaphor for where a person makes moral decisions.

How a person eats (with ceremonially clean or unclean hands) or what a person eats (ceremonially clean or unclean food) only affects the system that processes food. So it does not impact the moral issues of the human soul or inner being. To help his later audience understand the meaning of this teaching, Mark adds this comment Thus all foods are clean.

In the early church, Peter and Paul helped make this meaning clear (see Acts 10:1–11:18; Romans 14:14; 1 Corinthians 8:8; Galatians 2:11–21).

Mark 7:1–23

This account does not connect directly to what comes before it. It simply fits a general setting, such as "At one point in the ministry of Jesus."

After Mark sets the scene (7:1–4), he introduces the Pharisees' question (7:5). Then Jesus responds to the question (6–23).

The first part of the response focuses on two Old Testament passages (7:6–13). It also includes a two-part critique (strong criticism) of the Pharisees’ traditions (7:6–8, 9–13).

In the second part, Jesus explains what truly defiles a person (what makes someone unclean before God; 7:14–23).

Theme notes and profiles

Legalism

Events

Parallels

Matthew 15:10–20

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Corban Heal, Healing Mark, Gospel of Miracle Pharisees Talitha Cumi

Topics

Caffeine Commandments of Men Ecclesiasticism: Traditional Rules of the Jewish Jesus, the Christ: He Justifies his Disciples in Eating Without Washing Their Hands (At Capernaum) Pharisees: Traditions of, in Regard to The Washing of Hands Tobacco Use