The Gospel of Mark – Chapter 7, Part 2
What Defiles a Man? The Heart, True Cleansing, and Great Faith
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Cross References: Matthew 15:1-28, Romans 1, Acts 10, 1 Corinthians 6, 2 Timothy 1:5
Religion Cannot Change the Heart
Jesus had just confronted the Pharisees for making the Word of God of no effect through their traditions.
Religion often allows people to work hard to look righteous outwardly while never addressing the heart.
God’s Law, however, reveals our sin and shows us our need for a Savior.
Galatians 6:7
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
What Defiles a Person?
Mark 7:14-16
Jesus called the multitude and made a radical statement:
“There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.”
This challenged centuries of religious thinking.
Jesus makes it clear that spiritual defilement does not come from external things—it comes from the heart.
Blind Leaders of the Blind
Matthew 15:12-14
The disciples told Jesus that the Pharisees were offended by His teaching.
Jesus replied:
“Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind.”
This is a sobering warning about false religion and spiritual blindness.
Religious systems not planted by God will eventually be uprooted.
External Food Cannot Defile the Heart
Mark 7:17-19
Jesus explains to His disciples that food enters the stomach—not the heart.
This points toward a deeper spiritual truth:
external rituals cannot cleanse internal corruption.
Jesus was also preparing the way for the removal of ceremonial dietary distinctions, something Peter would later struggle with in Acts 10.
The Real Source of Defilement
Mark 7:20-23
Jesus lists what truly defiles a person:
- Evil thoughts
- Adulteries
- Fornications
- Murders
- Thefts
- Covetousness
- Wickedness
- Deceit
- Pride
- Blasphemy
- Foolishness
All these come from within the human heart.
The problem is not merely behavior—it is human nature corrupted by sin.
But Such Were Some of You
1 Corinthians 6:8-11
Paul reminds believers that sin once defined them—
but Jesus changes everything.
“But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
External religion cannot transform the heart.
Only Christ can.
The Faith of a Mother
Mark 7:24-30
Jesus travels to Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region.
A Syrophoenician woman comes pleading for her demon-possessed daughter.
She was:
- A Gentile
- An outsider to Israel’s covenant
- A desperate mother
- A woman of remarkable faith
Though Jesus first emphasized that His earthly ministry was to Israel, she responded in humility and faith:
“Even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”
Jesus answered:
“O woman, great is your faith!”
The Gospel Is for All Who Believe
Romans 1:16
“To the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
This miracle points forward to the expansion of the Gospel to the Gentile world.
Faith—not ethnicity, ritual, or status—is what Jesus honors.
A Mother’s Love and Persistent Faith
This woman would not quit.
She came:
- Humble
- Broken
- Persistent
- Believing
Her love for her daughter drove her to Jesus.
Her faith moved her past barriers.
Her persistence was rewarded by grace.
2 Timothy 1:5 reminds us of sincere faith passed through a godly family.
Key Takeaways
- External religion cannot cleanse the heart.
- Sin begins internally before it appears externally.
- Jesus exposes the real problem—human sinfulness.
- Only Christ can wash and justify sinners.
- Faith moves people toward Jesus.
- Persistent faith honors God.
- The Gospel is for all who believe.
Discussion Questions
- What does Jesus mean by “what comes out of a man defiles him”?
- How can external religion hide heart issues?
- Why was the Syrophoenician woman’s faith so remarkable?
- What barriers keep people from coming to Jesus today?
- How does this passage show that salvation is by grace through faith?
— Valley Christian Church
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