From: btiffany@pbs.org
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: Re: re:clean and unclean under the new covenant
Date: 24 Jul 92 11:47:20 EDT
Organization: PBS:Public Broadcasting Service, Alexandria, VA

  ** Submitted for Bruce Benning by B. Tiffany **
     -----------------------------------------

  The view that Yeshua was speaking of "ALL" foods (pork, lobster, 
  shrimp...) being clean in the Mark 7 passage seems to have more 
  than one possible perspective. Was Yeshua's definition of -food- 
  all inclusive (Leviticius 11 plus everything) or was he referring to 
  -food- as defined by Leviticus 11 only? And was the contents of the 
  discussion about whether some foods were clean and some dirty? Or 
  was the content the validity of a ceremonial practice used my men 
  to judge other men for the purpose of self-righteousness.

    The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come 
    from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and -Mark 7:1
    saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were 
    "unclean," that is, unwashed. -2
    (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their 
    hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the 
    elders.-3
    When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they 
    wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing 
    of cups, pitchers and kettles.) -4

  There is no mention of food that would have been considered unclean 
  in this passage. If there were, the religious leadership would have 
  a good argument that Yeshua taught his disciples to disobey the 
  law. But the issue is eating food with hands that were not cleaned
  according to the ceremonial washing. The food was most likely kosher.
  The other issue is that the leadership expected everyone to follow 
  their lead (ver 4,5). 

    So they  asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according 
    to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 
     'unclean' hands?" -Mark 7:5

  Let me paraphrase: "If we, the leaders do it it must be right. So 
  when you don't do it, you must be wrong. Get in step with us or 
  you will not be clean in our eyes." 

  Yeshua didn't try to defend himself or the disciples against the 
  charge. Instead he went to the root of the problem. The "Religious 
  LIST" that we expect others to live up to. It is a list that seeks 
  to glorify SELF and not God. It is also a ticket to hypocrisy.
      
    He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you 
    hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their 
    lips, but their hearts are far from me. -6 They worship me in vain; 
    their teachings are but rules taught by men.' -7  You have let go 
    of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."-8
    And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the 
    commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! -9

  Then Yeshua turns to those listening to him. He wants everyone to 
  know that the rabbinic view is not correct. 
      
    Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, 
    everyone, and understand this. -Mark 7:14
    Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. 
    Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'" 
    -Mark 7:15
    
  Again I will paraphrase: "Hey folks, if you are concerned about 
  being clean and unclean, listen to me. Eating food, or drinking 
  liquids with dirty hands may put dirt and germs into you body, but 
  that won't separate your relationships between men or God. If the 
  food you are eating is kosher in God's eyes, then it will not 
  become unclean because of dirty hands. What will cause you to be 
  unclean comes from within your heart and not off your hands."
  
    After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples 
    asked him about this parable. -Mark 7:17 "Are you so dull?" he asked.
    "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can
    make him 'unclean'? -18 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his 
    stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared 
    all foods "clean.") -Mark 7:19

    He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 
    -Mark 7:20
    For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual 
    immorality, theft, murder, adultery, -Mark 7:21
    greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and 
    folly. -Mark 7:22
    All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'" 
    -Mark 7:23

  Let me reprint Yeshuas conclusion from Matthew 15:20 regarding this 
  topic:
  
    These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed 
    hands does not make him 'unclean.'" -Matthew 15:20

  Notice that Yeshua doesn't state,"But eating unkosher food does not 
  make someone unclean." He clearly states that you are not made 
  unclean by eating food in a custom the Pharisees and teachers of the 
  law called wrong. Had the leadership also understood Yeshua's statement
  as meaning, "It is now and has always been acceptable to eat unkosher
  food..." They would have pounded Yeshua with Torah references. It would
  appear (to this student) that they understood that Yeshua was saying
  the extra-religious practice was faulty and unnecessary, and his point
  was against extra-religious practices, and not FOR the CONSUMPTION of
  shell-fish, pork, and squid.

  OK. Now we can get a better understanding. Food that is clean 
  according to Leviticus 11 doesn't become unclean because you forgot 
  to wash your hands in the -Special- way the religious leaders did.
  Again, the food the disciples were eating must have been kosher 
  according to Leviticus 11, or the religious leaders would have 
  attacked Yeshua and company on that very issue. -Food- to those in 
  the crowd, to the disciples, and to Yeshua was what God said could 
  be eaten. Perhaps one of the EVIL THOUGHTS Yeshua was speaking of 
  was the desire to use this passage as a means to sin against God 
  and ignore HIS laws regarding clean and unclean foods. :--)
  (Even to the point of making their own LIST that says unless you
   eat pork...you cannot be saved!)


 __Bruce Benning______BENNING@ALF.CS.HH.AB.COM