Without Understanding Also - Mark 7:18

Mark wrote, “when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable” about what defiles a man, and in chapter seven and verse eighteen of his book, Mark wrote Jesus asked His disciples, “are you so without understanding also?” where we read:

And he said unto them, Are you so without understanding also?

Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him;

The verse reads, “And he said unto them, Are you so without understanding also?” Mark began with the words, “and he said” which means “and Jesus uttered, declared, proclaimed and questioned” “unto them” or “to His disciples”, “are you so without understanding” which means “are Jesus' disciples still without comprehension, perception and as the foolish” “also” or “even and indeed”? Mark shared how Jesus questioned His disciples as to whether they were “even so and indeed” without comprehension to His ideas even as the multitude.

The verse goes on to say, “Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him;” Mark continued with the words, “do you not perceive” which means “do Jesus' disciples not understand, comprehend, ponder and consider”, “that whatsoever thing” or “that each, every, the whole and everyone of the things which are ” “from without” which means “external or outward” “enters into the man” or “comes and makes entrance into the person whether male or female”, “it cannot defile him” which means “the external things are unable, incapable and do not have the power to make a person unclean, rendered unhallowed and profane”. Mark shared how Jesus questioned His disciples as to whether they “understood” that anything “external and outward” is incapable of making a person “unclean and profane”.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see Jesus confirming that His disciples knew there was nothing “external” that could make a person “unclean” or “rendered unhallowed”. The issue is within the “heart” of a person, and Jesus came to redeem people from their “wicked hearts”. This is only accomplished “internally” when a person receives Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Jesus enters their hearts and begins to cleanse anything that makes a person “defiled” before God. May all who read these words yield their life to Him.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus explains to His disciples, “because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".