Mark 7:12

10 For Moses said, ^a‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ^b‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, ^a“Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God),

12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,

13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

14 ^aWhen He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and ^bunderstand:

15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that ^adefile a man.

16 ^aIf anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

17 ^aWhen He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

18 So He said to them, ^a“Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated,¹ thus purifying all foods?”

20 And He said, ^a“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

21 ^aFor from within, out of the heart of men, ^bproceed evil thoughts, ^cadulteries, ^dfornications, murders,

22 thefts, ^acovetousness, wickedness, ^bdeceit, ^clewdness, an evil eye, ^dblasphemy, ^epride, foolishness.

23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

A Gentile Shows Her Faith

24 ^aFrom there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be ^bhidden.

25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and ^afell at His feet.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does Mark 7:12 Mean?

Mark 7:1-23

This long section dealing with defilement begins with a question from the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands (verse 7). Christ's answer never strays from this point; He is addressing ritual washings that the Jews added (verses 7-9), not unclean meats. Verse 19, however, is often cited as proof that Jesus declared all foods clean. Yet He is speaking about the human digestive system! He says that whether one washes his hands or not, the digestive tract handles, or "purifies," all food the same way. He then moves to the more serious issue of a man's conduct, which is what truly defiles him.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Clean and Unclean Meats

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Mark 7:12:**

Exodus 21:15
Leviticus 20:9
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
Deuteronomy 27:16
Deuteronomy 27:16
Proverbs 19:26
Proverbs 20:20
Proverbs 28:24
Proverbs 30:17

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