Clean ~ vs ~ Unclean

11 . 03 . 11

Mark 7:1-20

Man... reading this, and now writing this, - especially immediately after just doing my last post - I read it in a compleeeeetely new light.

We (I) just read in what manner, and for what reasons Jesus fed four thousand hungry followers... and now Jesus is being questioned by the Pharisees for his disciples being unclean, and eating food.

Actually, NO! I’m just now remembering why I read these in reverse order, and it was because when I finished reading the story of the four thousand, I for some reason placed my book mark a page behind... shutting it, then coming back to it, I wasn’t sure why it was a page back, but I figured that in the interest of letting the spirit speak, I would read where the book mark indicated... and it’s lovely that I read this story now, with the understanding of the four thousand.

Moving on... stick with me...

So as I’m writing now, I’m extending the metaphor from yesterdays blog, so it might be important you have read that... but here goes. These pharisees - people with hearts distant from knowing their God, but knowing the world, the law - they were called out by Jesus when he said...

“these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”

I understand the gift of God’s law, being a gift given to ALL men, having been written on ALL mens hearts... this, and the gift of His spirit, are the gifts of God given to... all men.

Now, whether or not people know Jesus, that might be a different story, I’ve written other blogs about that...

But, what I hear jesus saying is that regardless of what a person’s intake is (religious intake??!), it is how they respond to the Law of God which makes them clean, and worthy of one day being in eternity with their creator. We read yesterday of the people who suffered for three days in hunger, following Jesus tirelessly, trusting completely in his providence... and at the end, earning the meal of their life.. it taught me beautiful things. :)

I think it’s this view that brings about movements like “one love”... where people in a deep way, all over the world, grip onto the call of God written again on all men’s hearts, being realized by those who seek good... this call to love all men, and be with brothers in their suffering. I love learning the call of God, it has a way of bringing me to know His children, who to God appear clean, but to the world appear very ‘unclean’. think about it...

Jesus goes onto talking to these ‘pharisees’ (or people separate from knowing and abiding by the basic call of god written on their hearts) and to these pharisees he accuses them of adjusting their “law” to their own self interests... the interests of Man, not the interests of God.

I've known myself to do this in so many ways :/

But jesus challenges them, and told them that it was not what went into a mans mouth that made him unclean, but what but what came out of it. Unclean things like “evil thouthts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly" to name a few...

These ways of living 'unclean' - although experienced at different levels in all people - are in some way blinding us from the gift of God.

"To thine own self be true"... a good friend of mine Dave Bondo shared with me earlier, and I pass it along to you and encourage you to give these "things" up to Jesus, and ask to see god in a knew way, a way that brings more light to the hope of what is to come for all who surrender to Him. Freedom.

I see a challenge presented to all lovers of God, a challenge to join together regardless of "intake". Each in their own unique way, worshiping God and knowing they are a part of a beautiful family under Him... a family with other children, all answering the call 'to love' written on their hearts.

Bringing people this hope now, is Jesus. This is the gift of Jesus... Obviously so much more to explain with this, and please, if you want to know more about the gift of Jesus, there would be no greater joy for me than to share it with you :)

Some may see my interpretation of this scripture as being too abstract, or maybe just off... but to some it may connect.. And to all readers, it’s important we understand that whatever Jesus is trying to communicate through this interaction... all who were present, didn't understand!

Jesus was forced to repeat it to the crowd... “listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man... click to continue”

And then again to his disciples (important it's not his apostles.. i'd like to explain if you're interested) in a seperate house...

‘“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man can make him unclean... click to finish”

Grasping the meaning of what Jesus is communicating here was difficult for all present... in fact it doesn't appear any of them do.

... but now we, upon His death, have been gifted with the holy spirit, who to this point had only been given to Jesus after his baptism, and bits to the apostles.

But now we, if we give our lives back to God and his good work, we are given the spirit to maybe read this interaction in a fresh way, a way it was meant to be communicated... soaked in the gift and guidance of the spirit.

Imagine it...


I stop here, the sun maybe seven fingers off the horizon, thankful for many little blessings surrounding me... and asking the lord to forgive me for ways I’ve ignored him... so many ways.

Be well friends.