Mark 7
Some men came to Jesus, not to be helped, but to find fault. Those men kept rules, which were not in the laws given by God, but had been made by men of Jerusalem, when they became careless of God’s words. Those rules were for how people should wash their hands and dishes, just how much water they should use, and such things. They considered any one who did not keep those rules “defiled”, unfit for God.
Those men saw that the disciples did not wash according to their rules, and complained of them to Jesus. He knew the men were themselves disobeying God’s laws, although keeping those rules so strictly; they had added to God’s laws, although He had said,
Jesus knew the men were not honest with the people, but deceiving them, and He told them,
“Ye reject the commandments of God through your tradition.”
Then Jesus called the people about Him to listen, and said, “Hearken unto Me every one, and understand.” He explained to them that it was not uashed hands which made them unfit for God, but that it was wicked thoughts, and desires, and plans of evil in the heart, that defiled a person, made him unfit for God.
The rules of men are still often given, instead of God’s words, which are always true and honest. We need to be sure we follow God’s words, and not what are simply rules of men.
Soon after this talk, Jesus went from Galilee to the country near Tyre and Sidon, which were by the Great Sea. Many people had come from there to, Galilee to see Him (Mark 3:88And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. (Mark 3:8)); add it may have been to the house of some one who had believed Him, that Jesus went.
He did not wish it told that He was there, perhaps because people would come only to be healed, or to see His power, yet not believe who He was. But we read these words,
“He could not be hid.”
One woman heard He was there, and came begging Him to save her daughter from an evil spirit. Jesus said that the daughter should be well.
We are thankful for those words, “He could not be hid.” They show us His power as a light not hid, and also His tenderness, never refusing one who trusted His mercy, no matter what person or of what nation.
Jesus next went to a country east of the Jordan River; there a man was brought to Him who was deaf, and who also could not speak clearly. That was a sad, hard condition, but Jesus did not refuse to help him.
First Jesus led the man aside from the crowd, not to make a display of His power; then He placed His fingers in the man’s ears, touched his tongue, and looked up to heaven and sighed, and said to the man, “Be opened”. The deaf man heard the words of Jesus, and also right away, spoke clearly.
ML 02/27/1944