Mark 7:1-37
7:1 Jesus' adversaries gather to try to contend with Him again.
7:2 These men are trying to debase Jesus' message by targeting the disciples for making silly mistakes.
7:3 There was a tradition to wash before eating. While it's a good idea to wash before eating, this mistake is not big enough to ruin or corrupt all of the good the disciples are doing.
If we think about this as a metaphor, these adversaries of Jesus might be questioning whether or not the 12 disciples are worthy of the great and beautiful task they have been given. In God, we are all clean, no matter how many mistakes we have made. When we are sincere about wanting to be compassionate and better, God cleans our soul. God loves when we turn from a crooked path onto His straight one. He welcomes all people and will give beautiful gifts and tasks to those who are kind, regardless of whether they have made mistakes in their past.
7:4-5 So, because they disciples did not follow the small suggestions about hand-washing, the disciples try to attack Jesus by debasing them.
7:6 Jesus recites scripture to them and meant to teach this message: those who cling to rules and not to compassion are confused. God loves and accepts all people who do their best and live as their best self. The Pharisees and scribes (head political and church officials) like to condemn people for making small mistakes but that is not what God teaches. God teaches to love and lead others.
7:7 Some people pretend to love God just so that they can use scripture to control and condemn others. This is wrong. This is not what God stands for.
7:8 Jesus is explaining that they have lost God's message by making up their own rules and punishing people who do not follow them.
7:9 They are hypocrites. They claim to follow the word of God but instead they completely miss and neglect the message. Some people want to be in control so badly that they create rules and force a society of people to follow them. God is against that.
7:10 Jesus is going to give them (and us) an example of how human's try to corrupt the word of God.
7:11-13 Moses taught that we should be kind to our parents. Jesus is saying that if we are only kind to people because we are hoping to get a reward... we miss the entire message and purpose of the Bible. We are supposed to be selfless and kind. So, although someone might be following a commandment, the fact that they are doing so selfishly discredits its goodness.
7:14-15 God does not judge us based on what is done to us, what harms us or misguides us. God judges us based on our own actions. God watches what we put INTO the world. He knows that we do not always get the best FROM the world... but He hopes that we will put good into it.
7:16 If you have the discernment from God to understand things, understand it and put it into actions. Put good into the world from within yourself... selflessly, courageously, with God.
7:17-18 The disciples have questions about the parable just taught by Jesus. We should only worry about the dirty actions and ideas we put into our heart and believe in. If our soul and spirit is clean and kind, we do not have to worry. This is a beautiful metaphor that we get from these verses concerning hand-washing. The word of God will go so deep if you let it!
7:19 God does not check our body to see how kind we were, He checks our heart. He checks our soul.
7:20 The only things about us that can ruin us with their uncleanliness (speaking spiritually) is greed, vengeance, deceit, injustice...Those are the traits we should worry about. Those are the dirt we should avoid.
7:21-23 What defile a person are their bad, mean, evil thoughts. You lose your eternal life when you are filled with greed and hatred. This may not pertain to you on a large scale, but we should always be aware of the moments were we could be kinder and more selfless. Never let anyone walk on you, or use you, but try to create as much positivity in the world as you can. Do not let anyone judge you on your mistakes -- if you are kind and compassionate, clear-minded with God, you are healthy.
7:24 Jesus continues to travel extreme lengths to reach the children of God. His popularity is growing and therefore making it harder for Him to travel efficiently.
7:25 A woman with an ailing daughter travels to meet Jesus. She has faith in this man she has heard about and she wants to use her faith not for herself but for her daughter. God loves when we pray and work for others and in return He takes care of us too.
7:26 She was persistent.
7:27 This can be a difficult verse to understand so let's talk about it. Jesus came to teach and heal all people. Jesus' intimate focus was with the disciples. Jesus knew He needed to teach and create new teachers so that the Word would continue for many generations. In a way also, Jesus is perceiving this woman's faith -- does she truly value His word and will she work to keep it close to her?
Jesus is only trying to explain to her that His mission is to teach first the people who will hear it. God had a specific plan for Jesus to follow to do the most good. He could not veer off track. Jesus knew the places where His presence would do the most good in the limited time He had.
God does not see anyone as a dog. The metaphor means that Jesus could not devote His time to places where He would not even be listened to. He needed to reach people so that they could reach others when He was gone. To teach to people who would not receive it or spread it would be a waste of time. Jesus knew that eventually the Word would reach those places -- that was the mission He was preparing His disciples for. He was impassioned and ardent in His teaching the disciples because He knew they would have a difficult job ahead of them. Jesus taught the disciples because He and God love every single person. God had a plan to reach every corner of the world and His plan was detailed. Jesus had to stay on His track so that the disciples could reach theirs.
7:28 This woman shows her faith by making this statement: Yes, she understands that there is a plan and a purpose to teach the disciples so that in the future they can reach the places Jesus did not have time to reach (a place from where she was from).
Next, this woman makes a valid point which I believe Jesus knew she would make and could therefore use as a lesson for us and an opportunity for her to show her deep faith.
The good work that Jesus teaches trickles throughout the world. The woman is saying that even though her family is scheduled for later on the itinerary, the Word has reached her, the Bread has reached her, and she has consumed it. She saw God's love through Jesus and it had taken over her soul in the best way. She proclaimed to Jesus that the faith had become her life and until that point she had only even had a little.
7:29 Jesus heals her daughter. He was always going to have compassion for the woman and her daughter but He created this opportunity for learning by conversing with her. God is with ALL of us, whether or not life has taught us or promoted the way. This woman had faith, humility, compassion and selflessness. God never overlooks the people who possess those traits.
7:30 She went home, believing firmly in Jesus, and found Jesus's words to be true. She knew He would keep His word. She arrived home and her daughter was healed and resting. Each of us are healed and well-rested in God.
She had absolute faith in Him. She did not ask for proof or double check His answer... no, she knew that what He said was true. We must develop our faith to be so strong. God's going to take care of us... the patience from our faith leads us to His gifts.
7:31 Jesus keeps moving throughout His planned journey.
7:32 A ailing man was brought to Jesus to be healed. These people showed their belief in Jesus by asking Him TO help the man instead of asking Him IF He was ABLE to heal the man. They also show their compassion by helping this man get to Jesus. They were not thinking of themselves or rewards for themselves but instead they were seeking help for another.
7:33-35 Jesus can heal everything through God. Our strength of our faith determines the strength of our relationship with Him. Make it easy for God to reach you, to communicate with you... to understand you. You expedite your blessings from Him when you maintain a healthy relationship with Him.
7:36 Jesus is surrounded almost at all times by crowds and He is not after fame. He needs to be able to move throughout the cities to work. However, Jesus' humility and healing were not something people could keep quiet about (understandably!). This is the way of God... He does not celebrate Himself. He is humble, selfless and compassionate. However those traits resonate so profoundly with us and we cannot help but to feel so proud and comforted by Him.
7:37 They were astonished. We are astonished. Jesus is not walking around in these current times openly healing ailments but I assure you that God with with each of those who are with Him. His blessings are abundant. We receive so much strength from Him, so much guidance and protection that even with ailment, we succeed. He makes us strong and therefore with Him inside of us, we bring light to places of darkness in the world.
7:25 A woman with an ailing daughter travels to meet Jesus. She has faith in this man she has heard about and she wants to use her faith not for herself but for her daughter. God loves when we pray and work for others and in return He takes care of us too.
7:26 She was persistent.
7:27 This can be a difficult verse to understand so let's talk about it. Jesus came to teach and heal all people. Jesus' intimate focus was with the disciples. Jesus knew He needed to teach and create new teachers so that the Word would continue for many generations. In a way also, Jesus is perceiving this woman's faith -- does she truly value His word and will she work to keep it close to her?
Jesus is only trying to explain to her that His mission is to teach first the people who will hear it. God had a specific plan for Jesus to follow to do the most good. He could not veer off track. Jesus knew the places where His presence would do the most good in the limited time He had.
God does not see anyone as a dog. The metaphor means that Jesus could not devote His time to places where He would not even be listened to. He needed to reach people so that they could reach others when He was gone. To teach to people who would not receive it or spread it would be a waste of time. Jesus knew that eventually the Word would reach those places -- that was the mission He was preparing His disciples for. He was impassioned and ardent in His teaching the disciples because He knew they would have a difficult job ahead of them. Jesus taught the disciples because He and God love every single person. God had a plan to reach every corner of the world and His plan was detailed. Jesus had to stay on His track so that the disciples could reach theirs.
7:28 This woman shows her faith by making this statement: Yes, she understands that there is a plan and a purpose to teach the disciples so that in the future they can reach the places Jesus did not have time to reach (a place from where she was from).
Next, this woman makes a valid point which I believe Jesus knew she would make and could therefore use as a lesson for us and an opportunity for her to show her deep faith.
The good work that Jesus teaches trickles throughout the world. The woman is saying that even though her family is scheduled for later on the itinerary, the Word has reached her, the Bread has reached her, and she has consumed it. She saw God's love through Jesus and it had taken over her soul in the best way. She proclaimed to Jesus that the faith had become her life and until that point she had only even had a little.
7:29 Jesus heals her daughter. He was always going to have compassion for the woman and her daughter but He created this opportunity for learning by conversing with her. God is with ALL of us, whether or not life has taught us or promoted the way. This woman had faith, humility, compassion and selflessness. God never overlooks the people who possess those traits.
7:30 She went home, believing firmly in Jesus, and found Jesus's words to be true. She knew He would keep His word. She arrived home and her daughter was healed and resting. Each of us are healed and well-rested in God.
She had absolute faith in Him. She did not ask for proof or double check His answer... no, she knew that what He said was true. We must develop our faith to be so strong. God's going to take care of us... the patience from our faith leads us to His gifts.
7:31 Jesus keeps moving throughout His planned journey.
7:32 A ailing man was brought to Jesus to be healed. These people showed their belief in Jesus by asking Him TO help the man instead of asking Him IF He was ABLE to heal the man. They also show their compassion by helping this man get to Jesus. They were not thinking of themselves or rewards for themselves but instead they were seeking help for another.
7:33-35 Jesus can heal everything through God. Our strength of our faith determines the strength of our relationship with Him. Make it easy for God to reach you, to communicate with you... to understand you. You expedite your blessings from Him when you maintain a healthy relationship with Him.
7:36 Jesus is surrounded almost at all times by crowds and He is not after fame. He needs to be able to move throughout the cities to work. However, Jesus' humility and healing were not something people could keep quiet about (understandably!). This is the way of God... He does not celebrate Himself. He is humble, selfless and compassionate. However those traits resonate so profoundly with us and we cannot help but to feel so proud and comforted by Him.
7:37 They were astonished. We are astonished. Jesus is not walking around in these current times openly healing ailments but I assure you that God with with each of those who are with Him. His blessings are abundant. We receive so much strength from Him, so much guidance and protection that even with ailment, we succeed. He makes us strong and therefore with Him inside of us, we bring light to places of darkness in the world.
