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Mark 7:14-23 “Love is Holiness”

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5–7 minutes

Mark 7:14-23 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

After the people sent from Jerusalem to find fault with Jesus had left, he taught the crowd about purity (holiness). At that time, devout Jews were meticulous about avoiding contact with anything unclean and refraining from eating impure foods. They believed that by doing so, they could attain the purity that God desired. In fact, Leviticus 11 distinguishes between foods that may be eaten and those that would make a person unclean.

Jesus declared, “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them” (v. 15), rejecting both the ceremonial laws on purity and the traditions of the elders. His statement, “What comes out of a person” (v. 16), serves as a metaphor. On a literal level, it refers to bodily secretions and excretions, but on a deeper level, it signifies the evil thoughts, words, and actions that come from the heart (vv. 20-23).

When Jesus was alone with his disciples, they asked him about the meaning of the parable (v. 17). Jesus rebuked their lack of understanding and explained that the heart is what truly matters—food cannot defile the heart (v. 18). His statement, “All foods are clean” (v. 19), was a revolutionary declaration that completely overturned the dietary laws of Leviticus 11. Jesus viewed the purity laws as regulations given for the specific needs of that time. In this teaching, his self-awareness of having authority above Moses is also revealed.

What we must truly guard against is not external impurity affecting the body, but the defilement of the heart, which manifests in words and actions. The list in verse 22 includes various vices that were well known at the time. Sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, and greed fall under the category of “evil deeds” prohibited by the Ten Commandments, while malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly belong to the category of “evil character.”

Meditation:

“Be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). This was a verse that the Jews in Jesus’ time held as an absolute principle. They believed that the reason they were living under Roman rule was because their ancestors had failed to keep this command. The Pharisee movement emerged as a religious effort to achieve the “God-level holiness” that their forefathers had failed to attain. The name “Pharisee” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to separate.” The Pharisees rigorously followed the laws and traditions of the elders, carefully avoiding impure foods, objects, people, and places in their pursuit of holiness. They believed that by doing so, they would become “the remnant”—those chosen by God to be instruments in his new work when he restored his people.

Their excessive obsession with holiness led them into legalism, authoritarianism, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy. “Legalism” refers to a mindset that focuses solely on the literal observance of the law while neglecting its true spirit. “Authoritarianism” arose from their false belief that they had the correct understanding and perfect practice of the law. “Self-righteousness” blinded them into thinking they were righteous simply because they followed the external regulations of the law, even though their lives were not truly just. “Hypocrisy” made them appear outwardly holy while being inwardly full of corruption. This is why Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27). They assumed the role of God’s judges, condemning, rejecting, and cursing those who failed to meet their standards of religious observance.

Jesus taught that God’s will is not about holiness alone, but about love. His words, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), and “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36), both call for transformation into beings of love. By rejecting the legalistic laws about avoiding impurity, Jesus emphasized that true holiness comes from a transformed character and a renewed way of life. Holiness is not achieved by meticulously following the letter of the law, but by an inner transformation. Only when our hearts are changed can we become truly holy—and only then can we be perfected in love.

Spiritual maturity is not about protecting oneself from external impurity, but about being transformed from within. It does not bear fruit through discrimination, judgment, condemnation, or exclusion but through embrace, forgiveness, blessing, and reconciliation.

Prayer:

Lord, I open my heart wide and ask that the Holy Spirit take full control. Cleanse my impure heart and make it pure. Let every thought of my mind, every word from my lips, and every movement of my hands and feet be aligned with Your will. Oh, how I long to be like a vessel in your hands, fully surrendered to you! Fill my heart with nothing but love, so that only love may shine through my eyes, flow from my words, and be reflected in my actions. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: True holiness is not about following rules to avoid impurity but about having a heart transformed by love. Jesus teaches that real holiness comes from within and is expressed through kindness, forgiveness, and love for others.

  • For Preschool-Lower Elementary
    • What does it mean to have a clean heart?
    • Jesus said what comes out of our hearts is important. What are some loving words and actions that can come from your heart?
  • For Upper Elementary-Middle School
    • Why do you think Jesus cared more about what’s inside our hearts than following strict rules?
    • Can you think of a time when you said or did something unkind? How could you choose love next time?
  • For High School
    • We live in a diverse community with different beliefs and backgrounds. How can we live out Jesus’ teaching of love and holiness in our daily interactions?
    • Have you ever felt pressured to follow certain religious or social expectations to “fit in”? How does Jesus’ teaching free us from that pressure?

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