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Begin Section 1: Mark 7 Text
& Questions
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========================
Verses 1-23 That Which Defiles
========================
1The Pharisees and some of
the teachers of the law who had come from
2and saw some of his
disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
3(The Pharisees and all the
Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to
the tradition of the elders.
4When 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.)
5So the Pharisees and
teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to
the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
6He 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.
7They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
8You have let go of the
commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
9And he continued, “You have
a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own
traditions!
10For Moses said, ‘Honor your
father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put
to death.’
11But you say that if anyone
declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is
Corban (that is, devoted to God)—
12then you no longer let them
do anything for their father or mother.
13Thus you nullify the word
of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like
that.”
14Again Jesus called the
crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.
15Nothing outside a person
can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person
that defiles them.”
[16]
17After he had left the crowd
and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.
18“Are you so dull?” he
asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can
defile them?
19For it doesn’t go into
their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this,
Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20He went on: “What comes out
of a person is what defiles them.
21For it is from within, out
of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22adultery, greed, malice,
deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
23All these evils come from
inside and defile a person.”
----------------------------------------
1)
What is done for
ceremonial washing of hands?
2)
According to
verse 6 what did Jesus point out that was the symptom of hypocrisy of the
Pharisees and teachers of the law?
3)
According to
verse 7 how does God regard the worship of religious hypocrites?
4)
According to
verses 8 and 9 what did Jesus say about the way the Pharisees and teachers of
the law handled God’s commands?
5)
In accordance
with verse 10 what happened to people’s observance of the law of Moses when they
refused to support their parents financially for the sake of observing their traditions?
6)
In accordance
with verse 15 did Jesus think that eating food with unwashed hands would defile
people and why?
7)
In accordance
with verse 15 what is the sole source of uncleanness and therefore the
indisputable defiling agent?
8)
According to
verses 18 and 19 in which part of people does defilement take place and does
not take place?
9)
Given that
defilement of people takes place in their heart, can food defile people and why?
10)
What is the
implication for the Jewish dietary law of Jesus’ declaration that all foods are
clean, given that the dietary law divides food into two categories: clean and
unclean?
11)
What are all
these things that Jesus cited in verses 21 and 22 and that make people unclean?
12)
From Jesus’
perspective what does it mean for people to be unclean?
13)
From Jesus’
perspective how do people make themselves unclean?
14)
Is everyone
sinful given Jesus’ cited list of things that make people unclean and why?
15)
From Jesus’
perspective how should people handle their uncleanness meaning their sins, if
we use the paralytic in chapter 2 as an example?
16)
From the
perspective of the Pharisees and teachers of the law how did they handle their
uncleanness?
17)
In promoting self
help for avoiding uncleanness whom did the Pharisees and teachers of the law exclude
from their lives, given that God alone could forgive their sins and make them
clean?
========================
Verses 1-23 That Which Defiles
========================
========================
Verses 24-30 Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
========================
24Jesus left that place and
went to the vicinity of
25In fact, as soon as she
heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure
spirit came and fell at his feet.
26The woman was a Greek, born
in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27“First let the children eat
all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread
and toss it to the dogs.”
28“Lord,” she replied, “even
the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29Then he told her, “For such
a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
30She went home and found her
child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
----------------------------------------
18)
Were the
inhabitants of Tyre Jews or non-Jews?
19)
What did the
Greek woman falling at Jesus’ feet indicate?
20)
What was the Jews’
prejudice against pagans?
21)
Who did Jesus
mean by the dogs in verse 27?
22)
What was the
Greek woman subjecting herself to in approaching Jesus who is Jewish for help?
23)
Who did Jesus
mean by the children in verse 27?
24)
In accordance
with what Jesus said in verse 27 what was his rationale in denying the woman’s
request?
25)
Was Jesus’
rationale in denying the woman’s request legitimate, given that Jesus was in a
pagan city and was not ministering to Jews?
26)
How did the woman
make it clear in her reply in verse 28 that by helping her Jesus would not be
neglecting ministering to Jews?
27)
How convincing
was the woman’s argument?
28)
Would the woman
have won the argument by directly pointing out the obvious fallacy in Jesus’
argument without referring to the children and the dogs?
29)
Why did the woman
not directly point out the obvious fallacy in Jesus’ argument?
30)
In what way did
the woman get to know Jesus better?
31)
Is it true again
that those who fell at the feet of Jesus got to know Jesus better?
========================
Verses 24-30 Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
========================
========================
Verses 31-37 Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
========================
31Then Jesus left the
vicinity of
32There some people brought
to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place
his hand on him.
33After he took him aside,
away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit
and touched the man’s tongue.
34He looked up to heaven and
with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”).
35At this, the man’s ears
were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36Jesus commanded them not to
tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
37People were overwhelmed
with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the
deaf hear and the mute speak.”
----------------------------------------
32)
Would Jesus have
tried to restore hearing to the man by spitting and touching the man’s tongue
and why?
33)
Would Jesus have
tried to restore speech to the man by putting his fingers into the man’s ears
and why?
34)
Would the
supposed remedy of ceremonial hand washing for avoiding uncleanness be a match for
the problem and why?
========================
Verses 31-37 Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
========================
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End Section 1: Mark 7 Text
& Questions
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Begin Section 2: Mark 7
Questions & Answers
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========================
Verses 1-23 That Which Defiles
========================
Concerning the practice of
ceremonial washing that the Pharisees and all the Jews followed,
----------------------------------------
1)
What is done for
ceremonial washing of hands?
o
It consists of
pouring water
§
Twice on the
right hand.
§
Twice on the left
hand.
----------------------------------------
Concerning Jesus’ response to
the complaint,
----------------------------------------
2)
According to
verse 6 what did Jesus point out that was the symptom of hypocrisy of the
Pharisees and teachers of the law?
o
They honored God
with their lips.
o
But
o
Their hearts were
far from God.
3)
According to
verse 7 how does God regard the worship of religious hypocrites?
o
They worship God
in vain.
4)
According to
verses 8 and 9 what did Jesus say about the way the Pharisees and teachers of
the law handled God’s commands?
o
They
§
Had let go of the
commands of God.
§
And were holding
on to human traditions.
o
They had a fine
way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe their own
traditions.
5)
In accordance with
verse 10 what happened to people’s observance of the law of Moses when they
refused to support their parents financially for the sake of observing their traditions?
o
They violated the
law of Moses.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the parable about
what defiles people,
----------------------------------------
6)
In accordance
with verse 15 did Jesus think that eating food with unwashed hands would defile
people and why?
o
No, because nothing
outside people can defile them by going into them.
7)
In accordance
with verse 15 what is the sole source of uncleanness and therefore the
indisputable defiling agent?
o
Because it is
what comes out of people that defiles them, people are
§
The sole source
of uncleanness.
§
And the indisputable
defiling agent.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the explanation of
the parable about what defiles people,
----------------------------------------
8)
According to
verses 18 and 19 in which part of people does defilement take place and does
not take place?
o
It takes place in
their heart.
o
It does not take
place in their stomach.
9)
Given that
defilement of people takes place in their heart, can food defile people and why?
o
No, because it
doesn’t go into their heart.
10)
What is the
implication for the Jewish dietary law of Jesus’ declaration that all foods are
clean, given that the dietary law divides food into two categories: clean and
unclean?
o
Jesus’
declaration nullifies the division.
11)
What are all
these things that Jesus cited in verses 21 and 22 and that make people unclean?
o
They are examples
of sin.
12)
From Jesus’
perspective what does it mean for people to be unclean?
o
People being
unclean means that they are sinful.
13)
From Jesus’
perspective how do people make themselves unclean?
o
People make themselves
unclean by sinning.
14)
Is everyone
sinful given Jesus’ cited list of things that make people unclean and why?
o
Yes, because
everyone is committing at least some of the sins Jesus cited.
15)
From Jesus’
perspective how should people handle their uncleanness meaning their sins, if
we use the paralyzed man in chapter 2 as an example?
o
The sins of the paralyzed
man were forgiven by Jesus for his faith.
o
He was thus made
clean.
16)
From the
perspective of the Pharisees and teachers of the law how did they handle their uncleanness?
o
They avoided uncleanness
through personal efforts such as eating food with washed hands.
17)
In promoting self
help for avoiding uncleanness whom did the Pharisees and teachers of the law exclude
from their lives, given that God alone could forgive their sins and make them
clean?
o
They excluded God
from their lives.
========================
Verses 1-23 That Which Defiles
========================
========================
Verses 24-30 Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
========================
Concerning Jesus honoring the
faith of a Syrophoenician woman,
----------------------------------------
18)
Were the
inhabitants of Tyre Jews or non-Jews?
o
19)
What did the Greek
woman falling at Jesus’ feet indicate?
o
It indicated the
woman’s
§
Humility.
§
And earnestness.
20)
What was the Jews’
prejudice against pagans?
o
They
§
Considered pagans
unclean.
§
And called pagans
dogs.
21)
Who did Jesus
mean by the dogs in verse 27?
o
Jesus meant
pagans like
§
The Greek woman.
§
And her little daughter.
22)
What was the
Greek woman subjecting herself to in approaching Jesus who is Jewish for help?
o
She was
subjecting herself to the prejudice of
§
Jews.
§
Against pagans.
23)
Who did Jesus
mean by the children in verse 27?
o
Jesus meant the
Jews.
24)
In accordance
with what Jesus said in verse 27 what was his rationale in denying the woman’s
request?
o
Jesus pointed out
that Jews had priority over pagans in receiving help from him.
o
Therefore he could
not help her.
o
Until
o
All the Jews had
received help.
25)
Was Jesus’ rationale
in denying the woman’s request legitimate, given that Jesus was in a pagan city
and was not ministering to Jews?
o
No, because by
helping the woman Jesus would not be neglecting ministering to Jews.
26)
How did the woman
make it clear in her reply in verse 28 that by helping her Jesus would not be
neglecting ministering to Jews?
o
She pointed out
that pagan dogs under the table ate the children’s crumbs without taking
anything away from the children.
27)
How convincing
was the woman’s argument?
o
Very.
28)
Would the woman
have won the argument by directly pointing out the obvious fallacy in Jesus’
argument without referring to the children and the dogs?
o
Yes.
29)
Why did the woman
not directly point out the obvious fallacy in Jesus’ argument?
o
Winning a debate
on the turf of the opponent is
§
Truly winning.
§
And winning big.
o
Besides good
debaters win
§
Hearts.
§
Not just
arguments.
30)
In what way did
the woman get to know Jesus better?
o
The woman did not
know whether Jesus would help her or not.
o
When
o
She approached
him.
o
To her great joy Jesus
crossed the social and racial barriers to help her.
o
When
o
She had the faith
to cross those barriers to ask him for help.
31)
Is it true again
that those who fell at the feet of Jesus got to know Jesus better?
o
Yes.
========================
Verses 24-30 Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
========================
========================
Verses 31-37 Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
========================
Concerning the healing of a
deaf and mute man,
----------------------------------------
32)
Would Jesus have
tried to restore hearing to the man by spitting and touching the man’s tongue
and why?
o
No, because the
supposed remedy would be a mismatch for the problem.
33)
Would Jesus have
tried to restore speech to the man by putting his fingers into the man’s ears
and why?
o
No, because the
supposed remedy would be a mismatch for the problem.
34)
Would the
supposed remedy of ceremonial hand washing for avoiding uncleanness be a match for
the problem and why?
o
No.
========================
Verses 31-37 Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
========================
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End Section 2: Mark 7
Questions & Answers
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