MARK 7:1-23   Lesson 15

IS GOD A LEGALIST?

I. Greetings.

II. Introduction:
A. The Issue of Conservative and Liberal Approaches to Rules
Q Theologically, what is a liberal?
An = Some of you are aware the American Protestant Church split in the early part of this century along “Liberal” and “Conservative” lines.
Some Liberals claimed that Jesus was all love, kindness and tolerance, and thus true Christians are known by their tolerance. Some conservatives claimed to desire to go back to a stricter morality and claim true allegiance to God is returning to the fundamentals of the Bible. There were other disputes, the authority of Scripture and the deity of Jesus, but tonight we want to focus on different views of the rules. Such a split on how to see the rules was even a big theological agenda during Jesus’ day.
Q Where would Jesus stand today? Would Jesus be judged a harsh conservative reactionary or a tolerant liberal?
An = maybe He is neither. Let us listen to Him. Let Him declare what is important in our faith in God and walk in life before Him.
B. The Positives about some Conservative Options.
Q Do any of you think your parents were too conservative? Anyone care to share an example?
An = There are exceptions to this, but generally this was the case. Our parents seemed to be always clamping down on us with rules.
Q Would our parents see it otherwise? Why?
An = Parents probably would see it otherwise. They would claim that if you do not hold to rules and a semblance of order, your life could be harmed. We have probably grown to see that such is the case, or if you are too young to have experienced this yet, give it some time, your perspective will change as you take up responsibility for others.
Q Do some parents hold to rules because they deeply love their children and worry about them?
An = Some of us can see this if we are willing to look with an open mind even if we do not always agree with our parents. Some of us are even willing to forgive our parents for not being perfect in how they corrected us, but we know that they deeply love us.
C. The Negative about some who hold to Rules.
Q Do you know some who have experienced not just a conservative approach but a negative, constantly critical faultfinding attitude?
Q Is such an attitude paralyzing?
An = such an attitude can paralyze our initiative and made us feel continuously put-down. This is different from holding to rules because of love, but a holding to standards in order to control and put us down.
Q Did Jesus hold to rules?
An = He did hold to rules, especially teaching that helped bless and give order and concentration to our lives. He also had to deal with negative, critical, faultfinding, punitive conservatives. Their language seemed right, and it seemed they were concerned for honor of the Scriptures. Their speeches were filled with religious language, and these people said they represented God.
Note: Some of you are puzzled because part of you wants to follow God, but the people who represent God are seemingly selfish and you do not really want to be like these people.
Jesus also wanted to follow the will of His Father in Heaven who gave the rules, but disagreed with many of the so-called representatives of God in His day. Let us see how….

III. Jesus under Attack from the Religious Authorities.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 7:1-5
Q What was the real question here?
An = It was not about hygiene; rather Jesus’ men were eating without going through a prescribed religious ritual with their hands. Therefore, they were defiled.
Note: Ceremonial washing of the hands in the O.T. itself was only for priests entering the Temple: Exodus 30:19 and 40:13.
>>>> Have someone turn to Exodus 30:19 and 40:13 and read them.
It seems in later times these rules were applied by some leaders to the congregation as a whole. It also had developed into a large complicated set of rules. None of these complex rules are in the Bible itself.
Note: It appeared Jesus’ disciples action has gotten Him into trouble. Though they did not really break true Old Testament rules, they had broken rules the leaders said were traditionally observed. It is like a man going to church without a tie which some churches in times past thought was wrong. The lack of a tie was seen as disrespectful and revealed disrespect in the person without the tie.
Q Can you give other examples?

III. Jesus’ Response.
A. Initial Response: A Hard Blast from Isaiah.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 7:6-8.
Q Why did Jesus call them hypocrites?
An = they spoke the right words but did not do the right actions from their hearts. The Law was a gift that helped bring people into harmony with God’s will. It was to help bring them into fellowship with God. These leaders missed the real reason for the Law. Their view of religious rules no longer led to a meeting with God but frustrated it. To use our example, church people were more concerned with what clothes people had instead of having an open heart that was seeking how to please and love God. Our rules can replace the intention of God’s rules and even lead us to disobey what the Bible actually says.
Religious people do not want to be told that their views reveal that they are far from God. This was Jesus’ main accusation, then He went on to illustrate what He meant.
B. An Illustration from Their Practice of What They Did.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 7:9-13.
Note: Some Jews knew Jesus was right here. What was being done was indeed a manipulation of religion. In similar fashion, many Christians today sense something is not right in an overly critical and arrogant approach.
Q Does anyone know what this “Corban” was?
An = It literally meant gift. It seemed that certain Jews were dedicating property or valuables that made these items “set aside” to God and therefore not to be used for the support of their parents. They did not actually give the money or property to the temple, it was just set aside. They outwardly had made these impressive “promises” but were actually trying to get out of supporting their parents. In effect, they were refusing to provide help for their parents in their old age as the parents had fully supported them in their infancy. They were putting aside the 5th of the Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:12.
Note: Some people would call this fundamentalism.
Q What is fundamentalism? What is its real definition?
An = actually, the original definition is the holding to the “fundamentals” of the faith: authority of Scripture, Jesus’ deity, the Virgin birth, the Trinity, etc. Fundamentalism is now used as a pejorative term meaning someone who is conservative, unthinking, and cruel. However, historical fundamentalism can be a good thing, if it means holding to the fundamental truths of the Christian religion.
Q What in the religion of His day was Jesus against?
An = Phoniness! They were using their religious position to not do the will of God.
Q Was Jesus a conservative?
An = in the true sense, yes. Jesus thought we should take care of our parents in their old age, and quoted the Old Testament to support His view. Jesus believed in the actual meaning of the Scriptures, not a contorted manipulated meaning. Both liberals and conservatives can be guilty of this. When such contortion is done, the Scriptures are no longer the Word of God but our own manipulation of the Word of God is.
C. True Religion and True Defilement Defined by Metaphor.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 7:14-19
Q What was Jesus’ point?
An = >> Read Jeremiah 17:9. Then have the whole group turn with you to >>>> Have someone read Proverbs 6:16-19.
Q What is the emphasis in the O.T?
An = Is not Jesus a true conservative? One who actually goes back to the true riches and truth of the past?
Q Look at Mark 7:17-19, did the disciples understand?
An = Even God’s closest followers did not always catch the agenda (7:17-19). Even those close to Jesus failed to see the real agenda. Notice He did explain further….
D. Jesus Further Explains and Spells Out His Metaphor of True Defilement.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 7:20-23.
Q What was His point here? What defiles a man?
An = only persons can be defiled. What made a man outside of what God wanted was their own actions. Jesus did not want His disciples outwardly religious and inwardly phony.

IV. Conclusion: Two Points or possible applications:
1. Moving from merely outward to include inward religion.
Q Did Jesus come to teach freedom from rules?
An = Jesus came to heal our minds and hearts. He was not anti-rule but wanted to go deep down into our subconscious and alter our disposition (our actual approach to all of life, Himself and others). The rules are necessary for order, and they could change our hearts. God commanded us not to steal. That could lead us to be very concerned for our neighbors and their welfare. Following the rule not to steal could lead us to respect our neighbors, not harm them.
Q Is this easy to learn why the rules are good and what God really had in mind?
An = It is hard. Such work takes time – remember the disciples were slow learners – but it is possible. If you want to be a true believer, it is possible. You may be surprised how long it will take you to teach this to others and be even more surprised how long it takes you to learn it.
2. The Role of True Doctrine.
Q Is having the right doctrines and proper understanding of Scripture important to Jesus?
An = Jesus did believe in true doctrine, but the heart was the key. Even crucial issues must be handled with an eye to converting the heart.
Note: For the leaders own reading and perspective, or if at another time. See Acts 18:24-28 on how to correct someone else’s faulty theology when the error is not intentional. If we wish to harshly correct just to show ourselves right we miss the whole intention of theology: (i.e. thinking about God).
A. 18:24-25 = First honest appraisal and therefore praise for the good such a person does, even though their truth is incomplete.
B. 18:26 = Then private correction and further instruction. Notice Apollos gladly accepted the additional truth. He did not know, and was delighted to know more.
C. 18:27-28 = There are fruits of such an approach to faulty theology: help in the ministry and great service toward the furtherance of the Gospel.[:]