Slices
Prepare
Reflect on Psalm 51:10: ‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.’
Bible passage
9 And he continued, ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, “Honour your father and mother,” and, “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God) – 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.’
14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.’
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 ‘Are you so dull?’ he asked. ‘Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.’ (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20 He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.’
Explore
Jesus hasn’t finished with cleanliness regulations. He addresses the Pharisees, the crowd and his disciples. Notice his different approaches. With the Pharisees he compares the words of Moses to their regulations. Read verses 10–13 out loud to capture Jesus’ accusatory ‘You’. Righteously forceful, he has swept away their traditions which have the opposite effect from their original intention. He is criticising the Pharisees for their focus on complying with the law in a way that negates the spirit of the law, through withholding support for parents. Thus, they dishonour their parents, breaking God’s fifth commandment.
Jesus addresses the crowd, which may or may not have included his accusers. He wants everyone to understand something radically challenging. By eating with unclean hands (v 2) his disciples would never have made themselves unclean inside. Impurity is harboured in the inner being (v 15).
Finally, to explain how impure thoughts can lead to a long list of destructive behaviour, he takes his disciples aside. They are among those who are most receptive to his teaching. He knows what he needs to say. He doesn’t shy away from speaking the hard truth.
Respond
Pray for those who preach God’s Word week by week. Following Jesus’ example, they need God’s wisdom not only to discern what comes from a pure heart in what they say, but also to assess the receptivity of their audience.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Ezra 9,10; Luke 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Gill Russell, Senior Data Manager, asks us to pray that we can comply with the requirements of significant changes in the UK’s data protection regulations in a timely manner, ensuring continued protection of our supporters’ privacy while giving them the best possible experience in the way we connect with them.
