"Nothing Is Unclean" vs Mark 7:19 and Acts 10:14 (pvj-11)¶
Study Question¶
Paul says "there is nothing unclean of itself" (Romans 14:14) and "whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat" (1 Corinthians 10:25). In Mark 7:14-23, Jesus discusses what defiles a man -- and Mark 7:19 contains the clause "purging all meats" which some translate as "thus he declared all foods clean." Did Jesus abolish food laws? Examine: (1) The context of Mark 7 -- the dispute was about handwashing traditions (Mark 7:2-5), not Levitical food laws. (2) Compare the parallel in Matthew 15:1-20 which LACKS the "purging all meats" clause. (3) Is Mark 7:19b Jesus's words or Mark's editorial comment? Parse the Greek. (4) Acts 10:14 -- years after Jesus's teaching, Peter says "I have NEVER eaten any thing that is common or unclean." If Jesus had declared all foods clean, why didn't Peter know? (5) What does koinos (G2839, common) vs akathartos (G169, unclean) mean -- are they the same?
Methodology¶
This study follows the investigative methodology defined in
D:/bible/bible-studies/pvj-series-methodology.md.
Evidence items registered in D:/bible/bible-studies/pvj-evidence.db.
concept_context.py --scope author was run on ROM 14:14 (Paul), MRK 7:15, MRK 7:19, MAT 15:20, ACT 10:14, ACT 10:28 (Gospels/Acts), and 1CO 10:25 (Paul). The koinos/akathartos/broma vocabulary is not mapped to the concept_context tool's theological concept dictionary, so food-specific concept clusters were not found. ROM 14:14 returned a FAITH concept connection (via G3982, peistho = "persuaded"), linking Paul's food discussion to his broader faith/conviction framework across the Pauline corpus. ACT 10:28 returned a WORD concept connection (via G3004, lego), contextualizing Peter's statement within Luke's broader narrative about the word/proclamation.
Summary Answer¶
The text establishes that the dispute in Mark 7 is about handwashing traditions (Mark 7:2,5), not Levitical food laws. Every use of "defile" in Mark 7 employs koinoo (G2840, to make common/profane), never akathartos (G169, Levitically unclean). The Matthew 15 parallel lacks the "purging all meats" clause and states the explicit conclusion: "but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man" (Matt 15:20). Romans 14:14 uses koinos (G2839) three times and never akathartos. Peter, who was present at the Mark 7 teaching, states years later "I have NEVER eaten any thing that is common or unclean" (Acts 10:14), using both koinos and akathartos as distinct categories joined by "and." The text supports the classification that both Jesus and Paul address koinos-type perceived contamination (unwashed hands, idol-market meat), not Levitical food classification.
Key Verses¶
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 7:15 -- "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 7:19 -- "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?"
Matthew 15:20 -- "These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man."
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 10:28 -- "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."
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."
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 10:25 -- "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake:"
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."
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."
Evidence Classification¶
Evidence items tracked in D:/bible/bible-studies/pvj-evidence.db.
1. Explicit Statements Table¶
Each E-item has been processed through Tree 1 (Tier Classification) and Tree 3 (E-Item Positional Classification).
Also-cited prior items (already in master evidence DB, cited again by this study):
| # | Explicit Statement | Reference | Position | Master ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | Paul states "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean (koinon) of itself," using the same koinos root found in Mark 7:2,5,15. | Rom 14:14 | Harmony | E006 |
| E2 | The Jerusalem Council decided "that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God" and issued four requirements: abstain from idols, fornication, things strangled, and blood | Acts 15:19-20,28-29 | Neutral | E021 |
| E3 | Paul states "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God" | 1 Cor 7:19 | Neutral | E042 |
New items (added to master evidence DB by this study):
| # | Explicit Statement | Reference | Position | Master ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E4 | The dispute in Mark 7:2-5 is explicitly about eating with unwashed hands: "Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" The word "defiled" in Mark 7:2 is koinos (G2839), which Mark glosses as "unwashen." | Mark 7:2,5 | Neutral | E113 |
| E5 | Jesus states "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:9). In the context of Mark 7, Jesus defends God's commandments against human traditions. | Mark 7:9 | Neutral | E114 |
| E6 | Jesus states "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile (koinosai, G2840) him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile (koinounta, G2840) the man." Every use of "defile" in Mark 7 uses koinoo (G2840). The Levitical verb from akathartos is never used. | Mark 7:15 | Neutral | E115 |
| E7 | Mark 7:19 states "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats." The participle katharizo (G2511) is V-PAP-NSM (Present Active Participle, Nominative Singular Masculine). The word bromata (G1033, foods) is neuter plural. | Mark 7:19 | Neutral | E116 |
| E8 | Matthew 15:20 states "These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." This is the explicit conclusion of the Matthew 15/Mark 7 parallel. Matthew lacks the "purging all meats" clause and directly states the conclusion concerns eating with unwashed hands. | Matt 15:20 | Neutral | E117 |
| E9 | Peter states "Not so, Lord; for I have never (oudepote, G3763) eaten any thing that is common (koinon, G2839) and (kai) unclean (akatharton, G169)." Years after Jesus's ministry, Peter uses oudepote ("never, not at any time") and distinguishes koinos from akathartos with kai, treating them as separate categories. | Acts 10:14 | Neutral | E118 |
| E10 | The voice tells Peter "What God hath cleansed (ekatharisen, G2511), that call not thou common (koinou, G2840)." God's command specifically addresses the koinos (common) category. It does not say "there is no longer akathartos." | Acts 10:15 | Neutral | E119 |
| E11 | Peter states "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." Peter's own inspired interpretation of his vision is about PEOPLE (Gentiles), not food. Peter never eats any of the animals in the vision. | Acts 10:28 | Neutral | E120 |
| E12 | Paul states "Now as touching things offered unto idols" (1 Cor 8:1). This states the explicit subject of the 1 Corinthians 8-10 discussion. 1 Cor 10:25 ("whatsoever is sold in the shambles") is part of this idol-meats discussion. | 1 Cor 8:1; 10:25 | Neutral | E121 |
| E13 | The word kreas (G2907, butcher's meat) appears in only two NT verses: Romans 14:21 and 1 Corinthians 8:13. Since 1 Cor 8:13 is explicitly about idol meats (8:1), this linguistic link connects Romans 14 to the same subject. | Rom 14:21; 1 Cor 8:13 | Neutral | E122 |
| E14 | Paul states "one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs" (Rom 14:2). The "weak" brother eats ONLY vegetables -- not the pattern of Levitical dietary observance (which permits clean meats). | Rom 14:2 | Neutral | E123 |
Positional classification rationale (Tree 3): E1 (E006) is classified Harmony because Paul explicitly invokes "the Lord Jesus" as the basis for his koinos statement, directly linking his food teaching to Jesus. E2-E14 are classified Neutral because they are textual observations that both positions must accept as factual -- what the texts say, who uses which vocabulary, and what the stated subjects are. The interpretive question of what these observations MEAN for the Contradiction vs. Harmony question is addressed at the N and I levels.
2. Necessary Implications Table¶
| # | Necessary Implication | Based on | Why it is unavoidable | Position | Master ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Peter, who was present at the Mark 7/Matt 15 teaching and asked Jesus to explain it (Matt 15:15), states years later "I have NEVER eaten any thing that is common or unclean" (Acts 10:14). Peter did not understand Jesus's Mark 7 teaching as abolishing the dietary distinction. | E116, E117, E118 | If Peter had understood Mark 7 as declaring all foods clean, he could not truthfully say he had NEVER eaten anything common or unclean. His use of oudepote (never, not at any time) is incompatible with having understood a dietary abolition from that teaching. | Neutral | N024 |
| N2 | koinos (G2839) and akathartos (G169) are distinct Greek categories. Peter uses both words joined by kai (and) in Acts 10:14, treating them as separate. Mark 7 and Romans 14 use only koinoo/koinos, never akathartos. | E006, E115, E118, E119 | Peter's grammar (koinos kai akathartos) treats them as two distinct things. The consistent use of koinos/koinoo in Mark 7 and Romans 14 with akathartos absent is a verifiable distributional fact. | Neutral | N025 |
| N3 | Both Jesus (Mark 7) and Paul (Romans 14) address koinos-type defilement (perceived contamination), not akathartos-type uncleanness (inherent Levitical classification). The vocabulary in both passages is consistently koinoo/koinos, never akathartos. | E113, E115, E006, E121, E122, E123 | The vocabulary match (koinos/koinoo in both passages) and the absence of akathartos in both passages is verifiable textual fact. The stated subjects differ from Levitical food classification: Mark 7 addresses handwashing traditions; 1 Cor 8:1 addresses idol meats. | Neutral | N026 |
3. Inferences Table¶
| # | Claim | Type | What the Bible actually says | Why this is an inference | Criteria | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I1 | Paul and Jesus address the same type of food question (perceived contamination/koinos) with the same vocabulary (koinoo/koinos), reaching compatible conclusions: Jesus says external contact does not defile (Mark 7:15,18); Paul says nothing is koinos of itself (Rom 14:14). Neither addresses Levitical animal classification. | I-A | E006 (Rom 14:14, koinos 3x); E113 (Mark 7:5, handwashing); E115 (Mark 7:15, koinoo); E117 (Matt 15:20, unwashen hands); N025 (koinos and akathartos distinct); N026 (both address koinos-type defilement) | Systematizes the vocabulary match and subject overlap into the claim that Paul and Jesus are addressing the same TYPE of question. No single verse states "Paul is continuing Jesus's Mark 7 teaching." | #5 | Harmony |
| I2 | Paul's statement "nothing is unclean of itself" (Rom 14:14) and "whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat" (1 Cor 10:25), read broadly, abolish all dietary restrictions including Levitical food classification. If Jesus upheld the Torah's dietary laws, Paul contradicts him. | I-B | E006 (Rom 14:14, nothing koinos); E121 (1 Cor 8:1/10:25, shambles); BUT E113/E117 (Mark 7 about handwashing); E115 (koinoo not akathartos); N025 (koinos/akathartos distinct); N026 (both address koinos-type defilement) | Requires reading koinos in Rom 14:14 as equivalent to akathartos (Levitical uncleanness), which N025 identifies as a distinct category. Requires choosing the broad reading over the narrow reading supported by the kreas link (E122) and idol-meats context (E121). Also requires assuming Jesus upheld Levitical food laws, which Mark 7 does not directly address. | #1, #2 | Contradiction |
| I3 | Peter's "I have NEVER eaten any thing common or unclean" (Acts 10:14) confirms the apostles did not understand Mark 7 as abolishing dietary law. Since Peter asked Jesus to explain the Mark 7 parable (Matt 15:15) and still maintained dietary observance, Paul's Romans 14 likewise does not address Levitical food law. | I-A | E118 (Acts 10:14, NEVER); E117 (Matt 15:20, unwashen hands); E120 (Acts 10:28, people not food); N024 (Peter did not understand Mark 7 as dietary abolition) | Systematizes Peter's post-Mark-7 dietary practice, Peter's vision interpretation, and Matthew's explicit conclusion into the claim that Paul's food teaching is similarly limited in scope. | #5 | Harmony |
| I4 | Mark 7:19b (katharizo panta ta bromata), read as an editorial parenthetical -- "thus he declared all foods clean" -- means Jesus abolished all food distinctions. Paul's "nothing is unclean of itself" and "whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat" then continue Jesus's abolition, showing agreement. | I-B | E116 (Mark 7:19, katharizo participle); E006 (Rom 14:14); E121 (1 Cor 10:25); BUT E117 (Matt 15:20 about unwashen hands); E118 (Peter NEVER ate common or unclean); N024 (Peter did not understand dietary abolition) | Requires (1) reading the Mark 7:19 participle as a parenthetical editorial comment; (2) reading bromata as including Levitically unclean animals; (3) overriding Peter's testimony in Acts 10:14; (4) explaining why Matthew lacks this clause. | #2, #1 | Harmony |
| I5 | In Hellenistic Jewish usage, koinos and akathartos may have blurred, so Paul's "nothing is koinos" could encompass Levitical categories. | I-C | E006 (Rom 14:14, koinos 3x); E118 (Acts 10:14, Peter distinguishes koinos kai akathartos); N025 (koinos and akathartos distinct in NT usage) | Applies a historical-linguistic framework from outside the text. The NT text itself maintains the distinction -- Peter uses both words with "and" in Acts 10:14. | #3 | Contradiction |
I-B Resolution: I2 -- Paul's broad food statements as dietary abolition contradicting Jesus¶
Step 1 -- Tension: - FOR (Paul abolishes dietary law, contradicting Jesus): E006 (Rom 14:14, "nothing koinos of itself"); E121 (1 Cor 10:25, "whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat") - AGAINST (Paul addresses idol-market meat, not Levitical law): E113 (Mark 7:5, dispute is about handwashing); E115 (Mark 7:15, koinoo not akathartos); E117 (Matt 15:20, explicit conclusion about unwashen hands); E122 (kreas links Rom 14 to 1 Cor 8 idol meats); E123 (Rom 14:2, weak brother eats only vegetables, not Levitical pattern); N025 (koinos/akathartos distinct); N026 (both address koinos-type defilement)
Step 2 -- Clarity Assessment: | Item | Level | Rationale | |------|-------|-----------| | E006 (Rom 14:14) | Ambiguous | The KJV translates koinos as "unclean," but the Greek word is koinos (common), not akathartos (Levitically unclean). The scope of "nothing koinos" is interpretable. | | E121 (1 Cor 10:25) | Contextually Clear | Explicitly contextualized by 1 Cor 8:1 as about idol meats. | | E113 (Mark 7:5) | Plain | Directly states the dispute: "eat bread with unwashen hands." | | E115 (Mark 7:15) | Plain | The Greek word koinoo is verifiable. | | E117 (Matt 15:20) | Plain | Directly states the conclusion: "to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." | | E122 (kreas link) | Plain | The word kreas appears in only two NT verses -- a verifiable distribution fact. | | E123 (Rom 14:2) | Contextually Clear | The "weak" brother eats only vegetables -- not the Levitical pattern. | | N025 (koinos/akathartos) | Plain | Peter's grammar in Acts 10:14 is verifiable. | | N026 (both address koinos) | Plain | Vocabulary distribution is verifiable. |
Step 3 -- Weight: FOR the Contradiction claim: 1 Ambiguous (E006) + 1 Contextually Clear (E121, which actually identifies idol meats as the subject) AGAINST the Contradiction claim: 4 Plain (E113, E115, E117, E122) + 1 Contextually Clear (E123) + 2 Plain N-items (N025, N026)
The Plain statements overwhelmingly support the reading that both Mark 7 and Romans 14 address perceived contamination (koinos), not Levitical food classification.
Step 4 -- SIS Application: The Plain identification of the Mark 7 subject as handwashing (E113, E117), the Plain vocabulary evidence that koinoo/koinos is used throughout (E115, N025, N026), and the Plain kreas distribution linking Romans 14 to the idol-meats passage (E122) determine the reading of the Ambiguous "nothing koinos of itself" (E006). The Ambiguous verse is read in its narrow sense: nothing is contaminated by marketplace or idol association inherently.
Step 5 -- Resolution: Strong The FOR side has 1 Ambiguous item and 1 Contextually Clear item that actually supports the AGAINST side (1 Cor 8:1 explicitly states the subject is idol meats). The AGAINST side has 4 Plain items and 2 Plain N-items. The reading that Romans 14 addresses idol-market meat scruples (not Levitical food classification) is supported by multiple independent Plain-level observations: the stated subject of Mark 7 (handwashing), the vocabulary (koinos not akathartos), the kreas distribution, and the vegetarianism pattern.
I-B Resolution: I4 -- Mark 7:19b as editorial parenthetical declaring all foods clean¶
Step 1 -- Tension: - FOR (Mark 7:19b is an editorial declaration): E116 (Mark 7:19, katharizo participle is NSM, could refer to Jesus); E006 (Rom 14:14, Paul's koinos statement); E121 (1 Cor 10:25) - AGAINST: E117 (Matt 15:20, explicit conclusion about unwashen hands, lacks this clause); E118 (Peter NEVER ate common or unclean); N024 (Peter did not understand dietary abolition)
Step 2 -- Clarity Assessment: | Item | Level | Rationale | |------|-------|-----------| | E116 (Mark 7:19) | Ambiguous | The participle can be read either as physical process or editorial comment. No original punctuation exists. | | E006 (Rom 14:14) | Ambiguous | Scope of "nothing koinos" is interpretable (see I2 resolution above). | | E121 (1 Cor 10:25) | Contextually Clear | About idol meats per 1 Cor 8:1. | | E117 (Matt 15:20) | Plain | Matthew's explicit conclusion states the topic is unwashed hands. | | E118 (Acts 10:14) | Plain | Peter's "never" (oudepote) is unambiguous. | | N024 | Plain | If Peter understood dietary abolition, he could not say "never." |
Step 3 -- Weight: FOR the editorial-declaration reading: 1 Ambiguous (E116) + 1 Ambiguous (E006) + 1 Contextually Clear (E121) AGAINST: 1 Plain (E117) + 1 Plain (E118) + 1 Plain (N024)
Step 4 -- SIS Application: Matthew's Plain conclusion (Matt 15:20 = the subject is unwashen hands) and Peter's Plain testimony (Acts 10:14 = NEVER eaten anything common or unclean) determine the reading of the Ambiguous Mark 7:19 participle. The participle is read as describing the physical purging process, not as an editorial declaration of dietary abolition.
Step 5 -- Resolution: Strong The editorial-declaration reading rests on an Ambiguous grammatical construction in Mark 7:19 while contradicting the Plain evidence from (a) Matthew's explicit conclusion, (b) Peter's post-Mark-7 testimony, and (c) the consistent koinos vocabulary throughout the passage. The physical-process reading is consistent with all three Plain items.
Verification Phase¶
Step A: Verify explicit statements. All 14 E-items directly quote or closely paraphrase actual verse text, including the Greek words used. Each represents the plain lexical meaning of the cited verses. E006 is classified Harmony because Paul explicitly invokes "the Lord Jesus" as the basis for his koinos statement; all other E-items are Neutral because they are textual observations both positions accept. Verified.
Step A2: Verify positional classifications of E-items. E006 (Harmony): Tree 3, V1 = YES (Paul linking his teaching to Jesus). Gate 1 = PASS (same subject: food/koinos). Gate 2 = PASS (Greek koinos is the same root as Mark 7:2). Gate 3 = PASS (epistolary/didactic). Gate 4 = PASS (consistent with other E-items about Paul citing Jesus). Verified.
E4-E14 (Neutral): Tree 3, both V1 and V2 = NO for all items in isolation. These are vocabulary facts, stated subjects, grammatical parsings, and distribution data that both positions accept. Verified.
Step B: Verify necessary implications. - N024: Based on E116, E117, E118. If Peter understood dietary abolition from Mark 7, he could not say "never" (oudepote). N-Test 1: Both sides must accept Peter's statement is incompatible with dietary abolition understanding. N-Test 2: No alternative reading. N-Test 3: No concept added. Verified. - N025: Based on E006, E115, E118, E119. Peter's grammar and the vocabulary distribution are verifiable. N-Test 1: Both sides accept these are different Greek words. N-Test 2: Only one reading of the distribution. N-Test 3: No concept added. Verified. - N026: Based on E113, E115, E006, E121, E122, E123. The stated subjects and vocabulary are textual facts. N-Test 1: Both sides can verify the vocabulary. N-Test 2: Only one reading. N-Test 3: No concept added. Verified.
Step C: Verify inference classifications (source test). - I1 (I-A): All components from E/N tables. Text-derived. Confirmed. - I2 (I-B): E006, E121 FOR; E113, E115, E117, E122, E123, N025, N026 AGAINST. E/N on both sides. Confirmed. - I3 (I-A): All components from E/N tables. Text-derived. Confirmed. - I4 (I-B): E116, E006, E121 FOR; E117, E118, N024 AGAINST. E/N on both sides. Confirmed. - I5 (I-C): Applies external historical-linguistic framework. Not all components in E/N tables. External. Confirmed.
Step D: Verify inference classifications (direction test). - I1 (I-A): Does not require any E/N to mean other than lexical value. Aligns. Confirmed. - I2 (I-B): Requires E006 (koinos) to mean akathartos. Conflicts. Confirmed. - I3 (I-A): Does not require any E/N to mean other than lexical value. Aligns. Confirmed. - I4 (I-B): Requires E116 to be read as editorial comment, requires E117 (Matt 15:20 conclusion) to be secondary to Mark's version. Conflicts with E118. Confirmed. - I5 (I-C): Does not override any E/N statement but adds an external concept. Compatible external. Confirmed.
Step E: Consistency checks. - I1 (I-A): Only requires #5 (systematizing). Confirmed. - I2 (I-B): E/N on both sides (FOR: E006, E121; AGAINST: E113, E115, E117, E122, E123, N025, N026). Confirmed. - I3 (I-A): Only requires #5 (systematizing). Confirmed. - I4 (I-B): E/N on both sides (FOR: E116, E006, E121; AGAINST: E117, E118, N024). Confirmed. - I5 (I-C): Does not override any E/N statement. Confirmed.
Tally Summary¶
- Explicit statements: 14 (1 Harmony, 0 Contradiction, 13 Neutral)
- Necessary implications: 3 (0 Harmony, 0 Contradiction, 3 Neutral)
- Inferences: 5
- I-A (Evidence-Extending): 2 (2 Harmony)
- I-B (Competing-Evidence): 2 (1 Contradiction, 1 Harmony) (2 resolved Strong)
- I-C (Compatible External): 1 (1 Contradiction)
- I-D (Counter-Evidence External): 0
Positional Tally (This Study)¶
| Tier | Harmony | Contradiction | Neutral | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explicit (E) | 1 | 0 | 13 | 14 |
| Necessary Implication (N) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| I-A | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| I-B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| I-C | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| I-D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 4 | 2 | 16 | 22 |
What CAN Be Said¶
Scripture explicitly states or necessarily implies: - Scripture explicitly states that the dispute in Mark 7 is about eating with unwashed hands (Mark 7:2,5), and Jesus's response contrasts God's commandments with human traditions (Mark 7:8-9). - Scripture explicitly states that every use of "defile" in Mark 7 employs koinoo (G2840, to make common/profane); the Levitical term akathartos is not used. - Scripture explicitly states that the synoptic parallel in Matthew 15:20 concludes: "but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." - Scripture explicitly states that Mark 7:19 contains the participle katharizo (G2511, Present Active Participle, Nominative Singular Masculine) with the phrase "panta ta bromata" (all foods, neuter plural). - Scripture explicitly states that Peter, years after Jesus's ministry, said "I have NEVER eaten any thing that is common (koinos) and unclean (akathartos)" (Acts 10:14). - Scripture explicitly states that Peter's own interpretation of his vision is about people: "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean" (Acts 10:28). - Scripture explicitly states that the 1 Corinthians 8-10 discussion concerns "things offered unto idols" (8:1), and "whatsoever is sold in the shambles" (10:25) is part of that discussion. - Scripture explicitly states that Romans 14:14 uses koinos (G2839) three times and never uses akathartos (G169). - Scripture explicitly states that the word kreas (G2907, butcher's meat) appears in only Romans 14:21 and 1 Corinthians 8:13, linking these passages. - Scripture necessarily implies that Peter did not understand Mark 7 as abolishing the dietary distinction, because his "never" (oudepote) is incompatible with having understood a dietary abolition. - Scripture necessarily implies that koinos (common/profane) and akathartos (inherently unclean) are distinct categories, as demonstrated by Peter's grammar in Acts 10:14 and the consistent vocabulary distribution.
What CANNOT Be Said¶
Not explicitly stated or necessarily implied by Scripture: - It cannot be said from the text alone that Paul's "nothing koinos of itself" (Rom 14:14) addresses Levitical food classification. The Greek word is koinos (common), not akathartos (Levitically unclean), and the kreas distribution links Romans 14 to the idol-meats discussion. - It cannot be said from the text alone that Mark 7:19 is an editorial parenthetical declaring all foods clean. This reading requires a punctuation choice not present in the original text, contradicts Matthew 15:20's explicit conclusion, and is incompatible with Peter's Acts 10:14 testimony. - It cannot be said from the text alone that Jesus abolished Levitical dietary laws in Mark 7. The stated subject is handwashing traditions, the vocabulary is koinos/koinoo (not akathartos), and the apostle present at the teaching maintained dietary observance afterward. - It cannot be said from the text alone that Paul and Jesus are "in agreement" about food laws in the sense that both teach the same comprehensive food ethic. The claim of vocabulary and subject overlap (I1) systematizes multiple observations; no single verse states this. - It cannot be said from the text alone that koinos and akathartos never overlapped in Hellenistic usage. The blurring hypothesis (I5) introduces an external linguistic framework; the NT text maintains the distinction. - It cannot be said from the text alone that Paul contradicts Jesus on food laws. The Contradiction reading (I2) requires reading koinos as akathartos, which the vocabulary evidence (N025) identifies as distinct categories.
Conclusion¶
This study examined 14 explicit statements, 3 necessary implications, and 5 inferences concerning the alleged contradiction between Paul's food statements (Rom 14:14; 1 Cor 10:25) and Jesus's teaching in Mark 7:14-23.
All 13 Neutral E-items and all 3 N-items are textual observations that both Contradiction and Harmony interpreters accept as factual data: the stated subject of Mark 7 (handwashing), the Greek vocabulary used (koinoo/koinos, not akathartos), Peter's "never" testimony (Acts 10:14), the kreas distribution linking Romans 14 to 1 Corinthians 8 (idol meats), and the koinos/akathartos distinction demonstrated in Peter's grammar.
The 1 Harmony-classified E-item (E006) documents Paul's explicit invocation of "the Lord Jesus" as the basis for his koinos statement in Romans 14:14.
The positional divergence occurs at the inference level. The Harmony position holds 2 I-A inferences (I1: vocabulary/subject match; I3: Peter's post-Mark-7 testimony) and 1 I-B inference (I4: editorial reading of Mark 7:19b). The Contradiction position holds 1 I-B inference (I2: broad reading of Paul's food statements) and 1 I-C inference (I5: koinos/akathartos blurring hypothesis).
Both I-B items were resolved Strong through the SIS protocol. I2 (Paul abolishes dietary law, contradicting Jesus) was resolved Strong against Contradiction: the FOR side has 1 Ambiguous item (E006/Rom 14:14 where koinos is translatable multiple ways) while the AGAINST side has 4 Plain items (Mark 7's stated subject, koinoo vocabulary, Matthew's explicit conclusion, kreas distribution). I4 (Mark 7:19b as editorial declaration) was resolved Strong against that reading: the editorial reading rests on 1 Ambiguous grammatical construction while contradicting Matthew 15:20's Plain conclusion and Peter's Plain "never" testimony.
The Contradiction position requires one of two paths: (a) reading koinos in Romans 14:14 as equivalent to akathartos, which the text distinguishes as separate categories (N025); or (b) reading Mark 7:19b as an editorial declaration of dietary abolition, which contradicts the synoptic parallel's explicit conclusion (Matt 15:20) and Peter's post-event testimony (Acts 10:14). Both paths require overriding Plain statements with Ambiguous ones.
The vocabulary data established in pvj-04-greek-terms-baseline is relevant here: Paul's semantic range for key terms is a proper superset of Jesus's (N007). In this case, the relevant observation is that Paul uses koinos in Romans 14:14 for the same concept Jesus addresses with koinoo in Mark 7:15 -- perceived contamination from external contact, not inherent Levitical uncleanness.
(The prior study "biblical-diet-romans14-timothy" provides additional analysis of the Romans 14, 1 Timothy 4:1-5, and Mark 7 passages, including the 1 Timothy 4:5 "sanctified by the word of God" connection to Leviticus 11.)
Study completed: 2026-03-03 Evidence items registered in D:/bible/bible-studies/pvj-evidence.db