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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

Sabbath School 3rd Quarter: The Book of Mark

01 The Beginning of the Gospel

02 A Day in the Ministry of Jesus

03 A Day in the Ministry of Jesus

06 Inside Out

07 Teaching Disciples Part 1

08 Teaching Disciples: Part 2

09 Jerusalem Controversies

10 The Last Days

11 Taken and Tried

12 Taken and Tried

13 The Risen Lord


The title of our lesson this week, lesson number 6, is Inside Out. Now before we get into this lesson, I think it's important to understand that in the Old Testament there were 4 different types of laws. If you fail to understand that, you fail to really be able to comprehend either Mark chapter 7 or much of the New Testament. Here are the 4 laws. First, there is the moral law of God.

That's the 10 Commandment law written with God's own finger on tables of stone. The 10 Commandment Law of God is eternal. The commandment that said, thou shalt have no other gods before me, is an eternal command. Thou should not make any graven images, thou should not Take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the Sabbath.

These are all eternal. The same with the last decade of the law, the commands on honor your father and mother, not stealing, killing, committing adultery, coveting, etc. Those are eternal principles that are the very foundation of God's government. So that's the moral law. It's eternal.

Then in the Old Testament there are health laws. The purpose of the health laws is to keep God's people in good health. Science demonstrates the importance of those health laws today, a low-fat diet, avoiding unclean foods, etc. So those laws are eternal. They were given by God to keep his people healthy in abundant health.

Then there are ceremonial laws. The ceremonial laws, with the law of feasts and sacrifices, pointed forward to Christ and ceased when Christ came. Then there were the civil laws. The civil laws applied to Israel as a nation because the religious and the civil governments were essentially the same, particularly in the Old Testament times. So The civil laws ceased when Israel ceased to be a nation under God after the crucifixion of Christ.

And after the Old Testament period, when the Romans took over, certainly the civil laws changed and certainly during the times of the occupation, etc. But the civil laws were given in the Old Testament to guide Moses, particularly the children of Israel in the wilderness. So civil law and ceremonial law are temporary. Civil applying to the nation of Israel, ceremonial applying to the sacrificial system of Israel, but the moral and health laws were eternal. Now when you come to Mark chapter 7 and we see this particularly under Sunday's lesson, human traditions versus God's commands.

So let me make some comments on Mark chapter 7. You probably have it. You know if you're ever giving Bible studies or somebody is speaking to you about the Adventist health message or they say well look it's not what goes into a person that defiles him it's what comes out So therefore all things are clean because Jesus said all foods are clean. Let's actually go over that and see what Jesus said about it. We're going to start with Mark chapter 7 verse 1.

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to him having come from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is unwashed hands, they found fault. Now, why were they finding fault? Because Jesus' disciples were eating with unwashed hands? Was it they thought there'd be germs and contamination?

Not at all. In those days, if you touched a Gentile, you became unclean, as far as the Jews were concerned. And if you then touched your food with unclean hands, touching a Gentile, you would be ceremonially unclean and the food would carry the sin of the Gentile into your body. Keep that in mind. Verse 3, for the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way holding the tradition of the elders.

Now notice this was never a command of God, it's a tradition of the elders, that you need to wash your hands if you touch a Gentile when you've been in the marketplace because not of health, but because of ceremonial uncleanness. When they came from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash, verse 4, and there are many other things which they've received and hold like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches." In other words, if I come in from the marketplace and I've touched a Gentile and then I touch the cup, the pitcher, the copper, that too becomes unclean. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, why do you disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? In other words, you're gonna get defiled because you touch the Shintos. He answered and said to them, well, did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it's written, This people honors me from their lips, but their heart is far from me.

And in vain they worship me teaching as doctrines of men, the commandments of God. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold tradition of men, washing pitchers and cups and many other things you do." Notice it says, laying aside the commandment of God. So the commandments certainly weren't done away with at the cross. The commandments of God were the eternal revelation of God's goodness and his character, and they were the foundation of God's government. So he says, look, this is a tradition that you have.

And then he goes on to explain, all too well you reject the commandment of God, you keep your traditions. And then he quotes a commandment, for Moses said, honor your father and mother, and he who curses his father and mother, let him be put to death. But you say, if a man says to his father and mother, what profit you might have received from me as Corban. Now, let me explain Corban to you. The idea of Corban is this.

Let's suppose I had a certain amount of finances. I could dedicate those finances, the ones that were left, I could dedicate all of them to the temple, to God. I could use those finances as much as I wanted, leave the leftover part to the temple and not have to support my parents. So it was a selfish way of using money that should be used to support my elderly parents. It was a selfish way of using it for oneself.

That's called Corban. So Jesus says to them, and he quotes a specific commandment. So obviously the commandments are not done away with at the cross, because Jesus says, the commandments says, honor your father and mother. So Jesus is showing a contrast. You're keeping these traditions, like bumping into some Gentile and being unclean, and then thinking that you got to wash every pot and cup, think you gotta wash your hands.

No, Jesus is not teaching here that children shouldn't wash their hands. I wanna make that very, very plain. He's not teaching children shouldn't wash their hands before they eat. That's a whole different story. He's teaching about ceremonial defilement.

Then he goes on to say, there's nothing, verse 15, that enters a man from the outside that can defile him, but the things that come out of him, those things that can defile him. So you're not defiled because you touched a Gentile and that comes into you. It's not the type of food that you eat that is being discussed here. It is ceremonial uncleanness from touching a Gentile. Then he says, what comes out of a man, verse 20, well, let's go back, because it does not enter his heart.

So verse 18, 19, are you thus without understanding? And I wish you'd understand what I'm saying here. Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him because it does not enter his heart." Now, what's it tell you about the heart? The seat of emotions, the seat of the very thinking process. Look, sin is not, you're not defiled because you touched a Gentile.

That's not impacting your spiritual life at all. And he says here, what comes out of a man is what defiles him. It's what comes out of that heart. For from within out of the heart, men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, licentiousness, evil eye, blasphemy, All these evil things come from within and defile a man. You're not defiled if you touch a Gentile.

Not talking about the quality of food at all, not at all. Because you remember, even after Peter says, I've not ever eaten anything that has been unclean when he has that vision over there, the vision of showing that all people are equal in God's sight. Here, we find that what Christ is saying in Mark chapter 7 is that God's law is to be honored above human traditions. Not talking at all about the type of food that you eat, but he's talking about the tradition of the elders that perverts the very principles of the law of God. Clean hands, clean heart is Monday's lesson.

Here in the second paragraph we have a very powerful paragraph. It says, first it would be odd for Jesus suddenly to dismiss Mosaic instructions in Mark 7, verse 4 to 19, when he had just offended Moses against tradition in Mark 7, verse 6 to 13. Second, the very tradition that the Pharisees were promoting does not have a basis in the Old Testament teaching the food laws at all. Third, Mark 7 verse 19 means when it says that Jesus cleanses all food, it's not that food laws are abolished, but instead that the tradition of touch contamination that the Pharisees had made was invalid. This, for example, is that false notion that if you could be contaminated by coming in contact with Gentiles, then you also could be contaminated through contact with food that they had touched.

So here, he is invalidating the whole concept of touch, touch contamination. And what is it that causes contamination? It is not the touch contamination, as we've mentioned, but it is what proceeds out of the human heart. Well, we go then to Mark chapter 7, and we see that persistence makes a difference in verse 24 to 30. Here in Mark 7, verse 24, Jesus goes up to Tyre and Sidon.

That's an interesting place for him to go because it is indeed a Gentile area. It's not a Jewish area. Jesus goes there purposely to show that the gospel goes also to the Gentiles, not simply to the Jews. You might mention Tyre and Sidon, you might remember Tyre and Sidon, mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, that Tyre would be destroyed and never rebuilt. Doesn't say anything about Sidon being rebuilt.

Sidon was destroyed and was rebuilt, but Tyre not rebuilt on that location. So Jesus goes there and there's a woman who has a young daughter, and this young daughter has this unclean spirit, and this woman calls and falls at Jesus' feet. She's a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician woman. The Phoenicians are from Tyre. By birth, she keeps asking him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

She's really persistent. So Jesus says, let the children be filled first, for it's not good to take the children's bread and throw it to dogs, little dogs." Now you might say, why does Jesus say that? Or why does he call her a dog? He does give her hints in this passage. What does he say?

Let the children be filled first. So if something is first, there might be something that's second. So she gets this little hint. Maybe, maybe, maybe he's gonna help me here. It's not as blunt as it seems.

Then Jesus uses the expression little dogs. What's he mean by little dogs? Well there are dogs that run the street and there are household dogs. And the household dogs can eat the crumbs under the table. So she has another hint.

Maybe there's a little for me here. And then Jesus says to her, She said to him, yes Lord, even the little dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. Then he said to her, for this saying, go your way, the demon is good out of your daughter. In other words, she picked up on the hints of Jesus and Jesus saw her persistency and he honored her faith. What does this say to you?

What does it say to me? The response of the woman reveals her faith. Calling the mighty miracle of healing her daughter from a distance a crumb indicated both that Jesus power was especially great. Even if the miracle were a crumb, what would a whole loaf be? And he granted her request.

That was a small matter for Jesus. And Jesus recognized that. She said, look, give me a few crumbs. You are so powerful. All I need is just a little bit, Jesus, and I know it'll heal me, my daughter.

See, what does this tell us? The woman is persistent. The woman had faith and the woman reached out even for the littlest blessing of Jesus. I say to you today, reach out for the littlest blessing of Jesus. The littlest blessing, the crumbs that come from Jesus, even those crumbs are a mighty, powerful blessing.

We go to Wednesday's lesson. There is a deaf, mute man. You read about that in Matthew 7, verse 31 to 37. Couple things here. He departs from Tyre and Sidon.

He takes this circuitous route, doesn't go directly back to Capernaum from the Sea of Galilee, goes through Decapolis, and maybe he goes by to see the demon-possessed man and see the results of his labors that he cast the demon out of in Mark 4. We're not told that. But as he goes there it says, verse 32, they brought to him 1 who was deaf and had an impenitent in his speech and they begged him to put his hand upon him. Notice they brought him. There are about 32 separate miracles in the Bible of individuals, not counting crowds, and at least half and maybe even 2 thirds, somebody brings somebody to Jesus.

Somebody brings somebody to Jesus. Who are you bringing to Jesus? Who are you sharing Jesus' love with? Somebody is not going to come to Jesus unless you bring them, unless you share the love and grace of Christ. Now, it's interesting to me, the man who comes is deaf and he's a mute, he can't speak.

Deaf and a mute, he can't speak. Cannot hear, can't speak. How do people who can't hear and speak often feel? Unfortunately, they often feel isolated. Isn't that 1 reason to reach out to them in love and compassion?

Isn't that 1 reason to embrace them? Isn't that 1 reason to make them feel inclusive, included? Isn't that 1 reason as well to help them understand not only that they are wanted, but they have a contribution to make to the church of God? So here, this person must have felt isolated. So what does Jesus do?

Look at Jesus' tenderness. It says he brought him aside from the multitude. Jesus brought him out where he could talk to him. And then it says, Jesus put his finger in his ears and spat and touched his tongue. Put his finger in his ears and then Jesus moistens his hand because you know, in that part of the world, breath and moisture were a symbol of life.

And then Jesus just touches him. Jesus uses the senses that the man has. The man does not have the sense of hearing. He does not have the sense of speaking, but he does have the sense of touch and the sense of sight. Jesus looks right in his eyes.

He puts his hands in his ears. The man can feel. Jesus always begins where we are, never where we are not. Jesus always comes to us in the place of our greatest need and ministers to us in the very, very place we are. Jesus miraculously, miraculously restores the man's hearing and enables him to speak clearly.

Now notice what it says that in verse 34, looking up to heaven, he sighed. What does it mean Jesus sighed? Again, this is something I had missed studying this passage, but our author of our lesson makes a very critical point here. He quotes Ellen White in page 404, Desire of Ages. Jesus, he sighed at the thought of ears that would not open to the truth, the tongues that refused to acknowledge the Redeemer." Then our author makes this comment, Jesus miraculously restored the man's hearing and enabled him to speak clearly.

We read that, now this, his sigh illustrates the limits that God has placed upon himself in regard to the free choice of humanity. He will not force the will. All humans are free to choose whom they will have lead their life, the prince of life or the prince of darkness. Jesus could open deaf ears, but he could not force unbelieving hearts to acknowledge his messiahship. So Jesus says to you and me today, listen, listen, listen, listen to my word, listen to the convictions of your heart, open your heart and respond to my grace and my goodness.

Jesus can open deaf ears, but he cannot open blind eyes that do not see and deaf ears that do not want to hear and hard hearts that do not want to to respond to his grace, his goodness and love. 1 of the great things about this story is this. Jesus is sensitive to this man. Jesus begins where this man is, but the deeper lesson is Jesus wants us to hear his word and speak it out to others. Watch out for bad bread.

Thursday, have you ever eaten a loaf of bread and you found that the bread was spoiled? Has you ever cut your bread and taste it and then saw a moldy spot and you said, oh, you want to spit it out? Well, here Jesus says in Mark chapter 8 verses 11 to 13, but the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply." Again, he's sighing, why? Because they will not hear, because their hearts are hardened, because their ears are deaf to his word.

He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "'Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." So then he goes on to say, and he left them getting into the boat on the other side. They go in the boat and he says, "'Take heed, beware the leaven of the Pharisees, " verse 15, Mark 8. And they reason it's because we have no bread. So they think that he's talking to them because they didn't take any physical bread with them.

But Jesus says, What do you reason, verse 16, because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, don't you see? Ears, don't you hear?

When I broke the 5 loaves for the 5, 000, how many baskets did you take up? They say 12. When I broke for the 4, 000, how much did you take up? 7. How is it you don't understand?

In other words, what's Jesus saying? Look, you think it's because you didn't take any bread. I broke the bread, fed the 5, 000. I fed the 4, 000. I can speak bread into existence.

I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the Pharisees who closed their eyes. Watch out for the 11 of the Pharisees. Watch out that your eyes be closed to spiritual truths. Watch out that your ears not be deaf.

There's something that really impressed me in Mark chapter 8 verse 1, then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with him. They began to dispute. There are some people in the church that they take pleasure in disputing. They sit in your Sabbath class, they want to dispute everything. There's some people that take pleasure in criticizing the church and its leadership.

There's some people that take pleasure in the cynical attitudes, but, but, Jesus is saying, open your heart to me. Open your heart to me. Don't have the attitude of disputing, criticizing, because looking for evil in others – don't miss this – looking for evil in others, we're told, produces evil in those that look. Looking for evil in others produces evil in those that look. Put the best construction possible on the actions of another.

Look favorably on others. Keep your heart tuned to the word of God and let God's word change you and make you over again. In Jesus name, amen as we pray. Father in heaven, thank you for your love, your grace, your goodness. Oh Jesus, help us learn the lessons from today that it's not some ceremonial uncleanness you're concerned about, some petty little thing.

It's what comes out of our mouth and our heart. It's speaking words of kindness and love. Thank you for being so tender and compassionate and caring. And thank you, dear Jesus, that we need not have our hearts and minds filled with dispute, criticism, cynicism, but we can be open to your word today and forever. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Series

Sabbath School 3rd Quarter: The Book of Mark

06 Inside Out

Parent Series

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Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

01 The Beginning of the Gospel

25m

02 A Day in the Ministry of Jesus

25m

03 A Day in the Ministry of Jesus

29m

06 Inside Out

22m

07 Teaching Disciples Part 1

23m

08 Teaching Disciples: Part 2

22m

09 Jerusalem Controversies

19m

10 The Last Days

25m

11 Taken and Tried

22m

12 Taken and Tried

23m

13 The Risen Lord

26m

Sound Doctrine