Food - Matt 15:10-20; Mark 7:14-23

Interestingly, Jesus quotes Esaias saying, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in can they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Jesus quotes the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and infers that he is this same Jehovah. This must be a new concept to me because I’m just now picking up on these types of references. Jesus turns away from the Pharisees and addresses the people saying, as given by the JST, “There is nothing from without, that entering into a man, can defile him, which is food; but the things which come out of him; those are they that defile the man, that proceedeth forth out of the heart.” This must have been a new teaching, because we know that Jews are forbidden to eat pork  The JST version of this teaching is important because it clarifies a few points. First, it differentiates that Jesus is referring to food and not to anything “which goeth into the mouth.” We know that Jesus does not condone drunkenness, but with the way that the verse is translated in the KJV infers that anything going into your mouth is ok, such as lots of alcohol, any kind of food or drink or anything else. We have the word of wisdom, and common sense as far as health goes so we know we must restrain what goes into our mouth, but the Lord’s point isn’t telling people how to eat at this juncture. The second reason this translation is important is because it links what’s in someone’s heart to what comes out of their mouths in the form of words. People tend to say what they think and feel, and when someone has hatred or violence in their heart, it doesn’t stay hidden. On the flip side, when someone has love and compassion in their hearts, that usually comes out into the open as well.

His disciples ask an interesting question, “Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?” This must have been a particularly hostile encounter because Jesus has been in conflict with the Pharisees before but his own disciples didn’t question whether or not he knew or cared that they were offended. The Savior tells them to “let them alone,” they will ultimately be responsible for themselves, and as blind leading the blind, “both shall fall into the ditch.” This encounter was also abstract enough to leave His disciples wondering at the meaning. Peter is the bold one who asks the Lord, “declare unto us this parable.” Jesus answers, “Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goesth into the belly, and is cast out in the draught?” JTC explains this teaching saying, “The Lord explained that the food one eats is but temporarily part of his body; having served its purpose of nourishing the tissues and supplying energy to the organism, it is eliminated; Therefore the food that enters the body through the mouth is of small and transient importance compared with the utterances that issue from the mouth, for these, if evil, are truly defiling.”

Jesus continues, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the hearts; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.” The sins Jesus mentions are all actions, murder, adultery, theft, lying, these are all things that are done by a person, but people don’t just commit adultery because they feel like it at that moment. Wicked actions are considered in the mind and heart long before they ever come to fruition. Many times these thoughts will turn into conversations had among people of a similar inclination. Jesus is trying to teach that what you eat is not as important as what is in your heart, and that no specific diet will save you from wicked thoughts and actions.