Mark 7  The Pharisees complained to Jesus about the disciples' lack of following their traditions.  They picked one example - the washing of hands.  Not that washing one's hands before eating is a bad thing, but they had made it equivalent to the Law of God.  To not follow the tradition then, became as much of a sin as murder or adultery .  Jesus confronts this false teaching and false thinking.

"This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me."  Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah.  They skirted around the direct commands of the Law and exalted their traditions over the Truth.  "... thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition.."  What the Pharisees had complained about and judged the disciples for... was nothing compared to what they were doing themselves.

Jesus then teaches the people what is True.  The truth is, that what we eat or how we eat - has nothing to do with sin.  Food doesn't defile you.   The truth is " things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man." ( verse 15 and verse 20).  The fact that Jesus repeats this statement while talking to His disciples shows us how important and foreign this concept was for them.

Think of what Jesus is saying -the things - the defiling things - proceed out of the man - that means they are already in us!  Sin is not something that happens to us - it is something that is part of us and we let come out - "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  It is what happened when Adam sinned and we were all infected.  Jesus expands this thought, " For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting, and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.  All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man." He hits most of the commandments here.  We break the commandments, not because of some food we eat or because we haven't washed our hands - we break the commandments because our hearts are evil!

The Pharisees didn't want to examine their hearts and confess their own wickedness.  They wanted to keep it all about external things - things they could control; things that they could flaunt in front of others; things that they could congratulate themselves on.   We are tempted to do the same, aren't we?
We go to church, we read our devotions, we do good works,  we don't drink or swear or whatever..... But, these are also external traditions.. and the real question is - What is in our heart?

Are there evil thoughts? Are we dealing with the sinful nature that we all have?  It is the same message that Matthew records on the Mount - The one who hates is just as much a murderer as the one who follows through and kills; the one who lusts is just as guilty as the adulterer. The one who ignores the commandment for his own benefit and covers it with traditions - is still guilty in God's eyes.

The Truth that Jesus teaches is that our "righteousness" stinks!  We are infected in our hearts with the evilness of sin.  It is not going to be dealt with by washing our hands or our dishes.  The only way to deal with it is through Him.  It is impossible with man - But all things are possible with God!
This is what He wants us to hear and understand.  This is why He came, this is why He died on the cross, this is why He was raised from the grave, and this is the Truth - our only hope is Jesus. 

"What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
O Precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow!
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Father in heaven,  Unchangeable God, infinite in mercy and kindness; we bless Your holy Name. You have done what we cannot - You have washed away our sins by the blood of our precious Lord Jesus.
Thank You! Forgive us for trying to deal with our own sinfulness by any other method -we cannot do anything on our own - it is believing in Jesus and receiving the gift of salvation that He purchased for us on the cross- that has qualified us to "share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light." We joyfully give You thanks.  Fill us again with the full knowledge of Your will. Grant to us spiritual wisdom and understanding, that we might live a life worthy of our Lord.  That we might please You in every way.  Lead us away from temptations, deliver us from the evil one, and make us patient and steadfast by the power of Your glorious might. We  pray this in the Name of Jesus, our mediator and friend. Amen.