What is the meaning of Mark 7:23? All these evils Jesus has just named specific sins (Mark 7:21-22) and then labels the whole collection “evils.” • Evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness—each is objectively sinful because God’s Word says so (cf. Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 1:29-31). • Scripture consistently groups outward acts and inward attitudes together, showing that motives weigh as much as deeds (1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 5:21-28). • The list reminds us that sin is not an occasional slip but a pervasive reality of human nature (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8-10). come from within Jesus pinpoints the source: the heart. • “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9), confirming His diagnosis. • Genesis 6:5 notes that “every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time”—a problem present since the fall. • James 1:14-15 explains the progression: desire conceived inside produces sin, and sin brings death. • Therefore external rituals, diets, or traditions cannot cure the real issue; regeneration is required (Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3-6). and these are what defile a man “Defile” speaks of being spiritually unclean before God. • By tying defilement to inner sin, Jesus dismantles the Pharisees’ focus on ceremonial washings (Mark 7:5-8; Matthew 23:25-26). • Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean,” stressing that inward impurity nullifies outward piety. • Titus 1:15 adds, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to the corrupt… nothing is pure,” underscoring that purity starts inside. • Only Christ’s blood can cleanse the conscience (Hebrews 9:13-14; 1 John 1:7). summary Mark 7:23 teaches that sin springs from the heart, not from unwashed hands or other external factors. Because inner evil is what truly defiles, every person needs the new heart and cleansing Christ provides. |
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