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Mark 7:17-23

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

17. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 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; 19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Mark 7:17-23 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Mark 7:17

Theological / Devotional

The house. Rather, “a house,” possibly the house of Peter in Capernaum (see on chs. 1:29; 2:1). The remainder of this section was addressed to the disciples in private (ch. 7:17–23).

His disciples. According to Matthew it was Peter, as usual, who acted as spokesman for the group (see on Matt. 14:28).

Parable. See pp. 203-207. A parable might be only a pithy saying, however brief. Here it refers to the figure employed in v. 15, about things entering into a man and things coming out of a man. If this “parable” had proved to be a riddle even to the disciples, the multitude could hardly have grasped its full significance (see on v. 14).

By SdaBc