Verses - PVJ-11 Food Laws¶
Mark 7:1-23 (Jesus on handwashing and defilement)¶
Mark 7:1 -- "Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem." Mark 7:2 -- "And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault." Mark 7:3 -- "For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders." Mark 7:4 -- "And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables." Mark 7:5 -- "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" Mark 7:6 -- "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me." Mark 7:7 -- "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men." Mark 7:8 -- "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do." Mark 7:9 -- "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." Mark 7:13 -- "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." Mark 7:14 -- "And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand:" Mark 7:15 -- "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man." Mark 7:17 -- "And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable." Mark 7:18 -- "And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;" Mark 7:19 -- "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" Mark 7:20 -- "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man." Mark 7:21-22 -- "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:" Mark 7:23 -- "All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
Matthew 15:1-20 (Synoptic Parallel)¶
Matthew 15:1-2 -- "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." Matthew 15:3 -- "But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" Matthew 15:10-11 -- "And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." Matthew 15:15 -- "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable." Matthew 15:17 -- "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?" Matthew 15:18-19 -- "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" Matthew 15:20 -- "These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man."
Acts 10:9-28 (Peter's Vision)¶
Acts 10:9-10 -- "On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance," Acts 10:11-12 -- "And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air." Acts 10:13 -- "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." Acts 10:14 -- "But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." Acts 10:15 -- "And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common." Acts 10:16 -- "This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." Acts 10:17 -- "Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean..." Acts 10:28 -- "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."
Acts 11:1-9 (Peter's Retelling)¶
Acts 11:7-8 -- "And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth." Acts 11:9 -- "But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common."
Romans 14 (Paul on food scruples)¶
Romans 14:1 -- "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations." Romans 14:2 -- "For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs." Romans 14:14 -- "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean." Romans 14:17 -- "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Romans 14:20 -- "For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed [are] pure; but [it is] evil for that man who eateth with offence." Romans 14:21 -- "[It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Romans 14:23 -- "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin."
1 Corinthians 8 and 10 (Idol Meats)¶
1 Corinthians 8:1 -- "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." 1 Corinthians 8:4 -- "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but one." 1 Corinthians 8:7 -- "Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat [it] as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." 1 Corinthians 8:8 -- "But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." 1 Corinthians 8:13 -- "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 1 Corinthians 10:25 -- "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake:" 1 Corinthians 10:28 -- "But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:"
Supporting OT/Prophetic Verses¶
Genesis 7:2 -- "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female." Leviticus 11:44 -- "For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Leviticus 11:47 -- "To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten." Ezekiel 4:14 -- "Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth." Isaiah 66:17 -- "They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one [tree] in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD." Acts 15:29 -- "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." Revelation 18:2 -- "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."
Synoptic Parallel Comparison (Mark 7 vs Matthew 15)¶
From greek_parallel_passages.py --compare "MRK 7" "MAT 15": - Mark 7:6 / Matt 15:8 (score 106) -- Isaiah quote about lips/heart - Mark 7:10 / Matt 15:4 (score 71) -- Moses said honor father/mother - Mark 7:7 / Matt 15:9 (score 58) -- Teaching commandments of men - Mark 7:11 / Matt 15:5 (score 59) -- Corban/gift argument - Mark 7:15 / Matt 15:20 (score 22) -- What defiles a man - Mark 7:18 / Matt 15:17 (score 25) -- Goes into belly/draught
Key observation: Mark 7:19 has no high-scoring parallel in Matthew. Matthew 15:17 parallels the "belly/draught" language but Matthew 15:20 provides the EXPLICIT conclusion: "but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." This conclusion is absent from Mark.