All these evil things come from within and defile a man

 

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to 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.

And in vain they worship Me,

 Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.   For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."  

 

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man  from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

 

- Mark 7:1-23 

 

Yesterday we read that, Jesus having sent the disciples in a boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while He went to the mountain to pray, when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.

 

 

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to 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.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.   For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."  My study Bible remarks that the issue here is not the observation of Jewish customs or traditions.  Certainly Jesus does not prohibit them (Matthew 5:17-19; 23:23).  The issue here is when people set human tradition which is contrary to the tradition of God.  The tradition of the elders is a body of interpretations of the Law.  For the Pharisees and the scribes these became as authoritative as the Law and frequently superseded it.  According to that tradition, offerings (called Corban) could be promised to God in a way that property or earnings could still be used for oneself, but not for anybody else, including one's parents.  My study Bible adds that secondary traditions such as this obscure the primary tradition of the Law, which is contained in the commandments of God.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13.

 

 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man  from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."  My study Bible comments that food cannot defile a person because it is created by God, and is therefore pure.  Evil things are not from God (see Christ's examples here) and these are what defile a person.  

 

In Christian thinking, we have no "evil foods."  But what we do have are evil ways of thinking, of being in the world.  We might choose to participate in evil through actions which are harmful.  Jesus names some evil things here:   evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  Most importantly, He clarifies by telling us, "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."   What this does is set out before us the clear message that we, in fact, are the source of our own "pollution," so to speak.  If we want to look toward a kind of purity in life, then we must look to ourselves and our own awareness of what we do, what we choose, the things in which we participate in life.  It points to a life of self-discipline -- discipleship, really, if you will -- as the key to avoiding the thing that are "unclean."  In the fasting practices of the Church, it must be clarified, there are no bad or evil foods.  Fasting is a discipline meant for the purpose of developing this kind of discipline, of discipleship.  That is, developing the capacity to say no to what tempts us but is not good for us.  Fasting from particular foods is also a form of sacrifice in the sense that we do so mindful of God, to whom we're grateful for all things.  It's a way of structuring that devotion and putting our highest good first.  We also abstain from bad behaviors, gossip, engaging in social media in ways that are detrimental such as the kind of bullying or insulting behavior we see with the slightest provocation in that particular social setting.  All of this is done to the advantage of keeping God in mind, remembering what we're to be about, and this faith gives us strength to find the discipline we need for a positive, creative, productive life, not indulging in the things that do more harm than good.  We can also think of our time as something we structure around that discipline.  In this reading, in which Jesus fed five thousand men (and more women and children) in the wilderness, we asked the question in commentary, with what things do we feed ourselves?  It's important to use this kind of discernment in terms our time, and what we choose to "consume."  Today's reading gives us pause to consider what we might abstain from that really isn't good for us -- or our communities -- at all.  Jesus names a few of those things in our reading, and calls them "evil things which come from within and defile a man."   In today's hyper-consumerist society, where all kinds of things are to be had at the touch of a button, we might need such discipline now more than ever, and for our own good.  Spectacles are to be had that pervert or subvert our relationships with one another, such as a massive internet porn presence, harmful to nurturing relationships especially for our young men, as so many suffer from a kind of addiction that corrupts the capacity for healthier interaction and fulfilling the basic need of finding a marriage partner and a family.  A sacrifice, in the ancient world, was done for the purpose of community, forming a meal including both God and community.  Should we choose to sacrifice these things that are harmful to ourselves and our capacity for healthy relationships, we might see that we strengthen such bonds with both God and community in so doing.  Let consider Christ's words, and our deep need to pay attention to what He tells us are the real things that defile who we truly are, and who we are meant to be in our loving Creator's sight.

 

 

 

 

All these evil things come from within and defile a man

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  he answered and said to 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.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

- Mark 7:1-23

Yesterday we read that, after Jesus had sent the disciples by themselves across the sea to Bethsaida (see Thursday's reading), when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard he was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  he answered and said to 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.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."  My study bible notes here that the issue is not the observation of Jewish customs or traditions.  Christ most certainly does not prohibit those (Matthew 5:17-19; 23:23).  The real issue here is setting human tradition contrary to the tradition of God.  Jesus refers to the tradition of the elders; this is a body of interpretations of the Law.  For the Pharisees and the scribes, it was as authoritative as the Law, and frequently superseded it.  In accordance with that tradition, offerings (called Corban) could be promised to God in a way that property or earnings could still be used for oneself, but not for others -- even one's own parents.  My study bible says that secondary traditions such as this obscure the primary tradition of the Law, contained in God's commandments.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16.

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."  My study bible says that food cannot defile a person; it is created by God and therefore pure.  Evil things are not from God, and these are what defile a person.

As we are in Lent, this is a particularly pertinent time to think about Jesus' words in today's reading (and my study bible's comment that food cannot defile a person as it is created by God, and therefore pure).  Historic traditions of Christian fasting vary from (and within) denomination to denomination and also from place to place.  There is no fixed list of foods which are "forbidden."  The tradition of fasting is not meant to denote sinfulness in terms of which foods are consumed.  It is rather a tradition developed for ascetic practice, for discipleship, so that we learn that we have the capacity for choice, for self-control.  We develop a capacity for detachment.   It is not our appetites that control us as human beings, but we have the ability to say "no" to what looks good in order to pursue better and higher goals, and to put into practice what is best for us.  We also make time for God with fasting practices -- allowing ourselves for a time to pursue thoughts and occupy ourselves with other things besides preparation of elaborate meals, entertainment, and the various efforts and labor that contribute to what is on the table.  We learn that we are more than the food we eat, that there is "other food" that is necessary for full nurturing of what it means to be human.  But above all, the tradition or "exercise" of fasting is meant to help us understand that we can say no to sin.  (Ascetic discipline:  askesis literally means "exercise" or "training" in Greek.  Used for athletes and soldiers;  monastics traditionally are considered "spiritual athletes," training for spiritual goals.)   In fasting, the body becomes a means to learn mental discipline, to put into place the goals that spiritual life would teach.   We fast so that we learn we may fast from sin.   All of this is purely positive, our creation and the world purely good.  As such, in the Christian tradition, there is no food that is sinful to eat.   Rather, here Jesus tells us what the things are from which we can and should learn to abstain.   He lists "evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness."   Not only that, but the Teacher tells us yet another dimension of sin, and one which is extremely important.  These are not things, He tells us, that come from outside of us, but rather from the heart.   To be a spiritual athlete then, is to guard the heart -- to keep a good watch over one's heart, to keep in mind that there are things we don't necessarily see about ourselves, and to come to terms with the fact that our watchfulness and discipline are really about our own conduct and our willingness to know ourselves better.  In Jesus' loving teaching, this is not a condemnation.  Rather, real sinfulness comes from an unwillingness to change what we know is wrong, a determination to prefer evil, to prefer lack of discipline, to simply not care out of deliberate ignorance and selfishness.  One must repeatedly consciously nurture and choose these evil things Jesus describes to fall into a category of condemnation.  We are all susceptible to the things we learn from the world -- and to taking them into our own hearts.  But we have the choice to make a determination that we are not slaves to sin; we are human beings created by God in God's image, with a capacity for choice.  And there we come to the discipline of fasting as a tradition of Lent.  We fast so that we learn we may fast from sin.  We learn that we can transcend; we're not limited by our apparent appetites and options.  We in the modern world can learn a lot from the ancients; it may surprise you what powerful things fasting with the proper intention can do for one's consciousness.  Let us consider the goodness and love with which these traditions are given.  They are meant to bolster us, not condemn us.  We do the good we know and can do, and trust that we will be shown what more comes next, like athletes training for "the good fight."

God, be merciful to me a sinner!

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

- Luke 18:9-14

Yesterday, we read that Jesus spoke a parable to His disciples, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  This depiction of our spiritual standing and relationship to God uses two very different faces.  A Pharisee, says my study bible, "is a highly respected and careful observer of the details of the Law, whereas the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people."   In order to get the proper picture, we really have to see things from the contemporary point of view of Jesus' audience; there could not be a greater difference in the estimation of virtue and vice in each of these people in the story.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"  My study bible says, "The practices of this Pharisee are worthy examples to follow.  His good deeds (fasting and giving tithes) are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  However, without a humble and repentant heart, these outward practices are worthless and lead only to pride and judgment of others.  Note that he prays with himself, for God is absent where there is boasting."

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  This may be the most effective image in terms of prayer that has been given to us.  My study bible says that "the tax collector shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul, standing far from the altar of sacrifice with eyes cast downward."  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer (a practice in which one endeavors to pray without ceasing), and the perennial refrain heard everywhere in Christendom, "Lord have mercy."

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study bible says that justified means forgiven and set right with God, for inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned.

There are many things to say about today's "landmark" passage.  It's the archetypal understanding not only of our prayer but how we stand in relationship to God.  It teaches us what it is to be justified in Christ's perspective.  But there is more to it.  Here's a great teaching on humility.  We really have to understand how the deeds of the Pharisee are worthy and good.  He's sort of like the most "politically correct" of the politically correct, but there's much more to it.  He's doing things that are recognized as deeds which are pleasing to God, good practices which are in fact designed to lead to and support our humility and our understanding of humility.  This is essential for us to understand.  Tithing and fasting are ways in which we practice spiritual discipline, doing without, that above all have a powerful and good impact on who we are inwardly, so that we are more "ready" to hear God's word for us.  And yet, this Pharisee, this pillar of good works and humble deeds, has missed the point -- he's praying "with himself."  He's congratulating himself in some sense.  He's not really talking to God and asking God what God wants of him.  Granted, he's practicing things that are always recommended by the Church and by Jewish religious law and teachings to start with.  But, despite the practices, he's still missed the point.  And we have to start there:  what is the point of humility?  Humility is, essentially, the practice of giving ourselves to God.  It's about putting ourselves before the Lord and asking, "What do You want me to do?"  It's not about recounting our good deeds or basically praying to or with ourselves.  It's about the face-to-face relationship with God that comes in prayer -- our great opportunity in prayer.  It's about dialogue and not monologue.  We within ourselves are not a closed off circle.  In prayer, we are to join a great "circle that has no circumference and whose center is everywhere" -- God.   This saying about God is so ancient nobody really knows for certain who first said it.  Its truth stands as it serves well the Person who is Truth, Christ, Logos.  That's the dialogue into which we enter properly in prayer, the true Face before which we stand in no other way possible than with humility.  And the person who understood that best in today's story was the tax collector.  That horrible, evil person who betrays his own people in the form of extortion and service to the enemy, the oppressor, the non-faithful -- he's the one who got it right in today's story.  That's because he spoke face-to-face, and the Pharisee only spoke, basically, to himself.  And there's a more important point to humility rather than its justification in and of itself as virtue.   Humility is the one and only way we can know that we are seeking to serve Truth.  It's the only way we really lay ourselves before Christ and ask, "What else do you want me to do?"  or "What am I missing?" or "Where do I go from here, Lord?"   Humility is the attitude that tells God that you are aware you don't know everything, and that there is more to learn.  Humility is the willingness to see what you're blind to, to have the plank in your own eye removed, even when it's painful and difficult.  Humility has the "moral intelligence," if one wills, to understand that whoever we are, there's more that we're unaware of, and more that God wants for us to learn, to aspire to in life.  It's the face-to-face that really counts -- a dialogue, a relationship of love.  It's the attitude of willingness to accept truth beyond what we know and where we are.  It's the only true way to go to God.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus left us with the admonition that it is constant and persistent prayer that sees us through the difficult times through which we await His Return.  Today, He teaches us what it really means to pray.  Can we understand Him?  Do we want the truth He offers us?