Still dull on what Jesus thinks?
by Pastor Matt Bishop
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‘Are you so dull?’ Jesus asked (Mark 7:18a).
Read Mark 7:1–23
I still feel a special affinity to the texts I wrote exegetical essays on while at seminary. Today’s from Mark, on what defiles a person, is one of those.
It left a number of lasting impressions on me that have been refined ever since. One is about the need to watch how we make rules about things that are neither commanded nor forbidden. Another was Christ’s care for parents. Another was the way Jesus so efficiently carved out the ceremonial food laws but left the moral code in place. And of more levity, Jesus’ own description of human anatomy in relation to food that is put in the mouth. Many of the translations sanitise this. The NIV is case in point when it translates food entering the mouth and going ‘out of the body’ rather than into the more earthy ‘latrine’ (my Greek dictionary) or being ‘flushed’ as The Message puts it. Yes – Jesus knew all about loos.
Related to the moral code, I learnt about the use of ‘vice’ and ‘virtue’ lists in the New Testament. They were a common device of the day to make a point. You see them throughout the New Testament letters – the gifts of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and 23 being a good example of a virtue list as well as a real description of the Spirit’s work in us (Galatians 5:19–21 is its vice list counterpart).
In today’s text, Jesus himself, in verses 21 and 22, lists 12 vices that come out of the heart and defile a person. The first six describe behaviours. The second six have more to do with attitudes. Clearly, the original sin in our hearts drives both behaviours and attitudes. My main impression from this text is that Jesus takes sin seriously. This is despite what I hear people suggest to me today, not least in the church. Sure – he doesn’t want us distracted by the impact of breaking rules that aren’t really rules. But he nevertheless wants us focused on what dishonours him and hurts others and ourselves.
The sexual revolution is a prominent example today. In this list, Jesus’ own lips nominate ‘sexual immorality … adultery … lewdness’ as ‘evils that come from inside and defile a person’. He died to forgive us for these, as he did the rest on this list. It seems we remain dull to think any amount of them in our lives – and the other vices he lists – continue to cause him no concern.
Holy Spirit, you take what is Christ’s and make it known to us. And so you’ve made it clear Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many, even me. Keep me taking this word seriously and living in his grace. For you daily and richly forgive all my sins and the sins of all believers. Amen.
Pastor Matt Bishop serves the St Paul Lutheran Church and co-located primary school at Blair Athol in Adelaide. He delights in his wife Mel, three young adult daughters and, soon, a son-in-law. He would like to spend more time fishing but loves being a pastor and sharing the gospel with everyone God puts in his path, not least the nomads, prodigals, exiles and sceptics of the Christian faith.
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