Mark 7 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Him. 2 They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.[a]) 5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean[b] hands?”
6 He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:
These people honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
7 They worship Me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commands of men.[c]
8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”[d] 9 He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain[e] your tradition! 1
13 You revoke God’s word by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.” 14 Summoning the crowd again, He told them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. 17 When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him? 19 For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated.”[i] 20 Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. 21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess,[k] blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
In our Firm Foundations series we have been exploring how the Old Testament lays the foundation for the New Testament. So far we have considered everything from the Creation, the fall of Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, the call of Abraham, the 12 sons of Israel, and God’s delivering the nation of Israel from slavery. There’s meaning and doctrine behind all of it that gets the world ready for Jesus. And now, for the last few weeks we have been considering the Mosaic law and how it is fulfilled in Christ; the laws of sacrifices, priests, tabernacle, and Sabbaths. And with the Mosaic law we’ve also been asking a very important question; “Are Christians obligated to follow these laws today?” Since the New Testament tells us that the Old Testament law is fulfilled in Christ, What do we do with it today? –sacrifices, Sabbath days? That’s where we have been==looking at different categories of laws.
Today we are considering the next category; Laws of Purity
That’s why I chose Mark 7:14-19 as our Scripture reading. Because it shows how the Old Testament dietary and purity laws are completed in Christ.
After hearing Jesus’ words in Mark 7:14–19, we’re reminded that in Christ we move from outside rituals, and regulations, to considering the heart, what goes on on the inside of a person. Jesus was challenging the purpose of the Mosaic purity laws. But He was doing more than challenging the Pharisees’ traditions—He was redefining purity itself. The Old Testament ceremonial laws were never ends in themselves; they were God’s teaching tools, shadows that pointed forward to something greater. These laws once governed daily life in Israel, regulating what could be eaten, touched, or brought into the presence of God. In Christ, these shadows, these purity laws, find their substance.
So, this morning we will begin looking at different categories of the laws for purity, and look for how Christ fulfilled them. And this morning and next week, we will look at five types of purity laws; Dietary laws, laws regarding contact with dead bodies, laws regarding disease and bodily functions, laws concerning childbirth. But as we do so, remember that Jesus said, “Nothing going into the body defiles a man, what defiles him is what comes out of his heart.”
prayer
Today we will look at the dietary laws and the laws regarding touching dead bodies.
Let me start today by giving you some examples of the types of laws we’re referring to.
Dietary laws: Here’s the simple rule for the Jews
“Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.” – Leviticus 11:3
That means that if an animal is not cloven-footed and does not chew the cud, they couldn’t eat it.
Contact with Dead bodies of people or animals:
“Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.” – Leviticus 11:24
Now I know that this doesn’t sound very exciting or relevant. But we have to remember what Paul said in Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
And so if we look at them as they are intended—God’s got a message for me—we can have hope, endurance, and encouragement.
So, what was the meaning behind these purity laws?
In terms of diet, a Jew could eat beef, chicken, salmon, and grasshoppers but couldn’t eat horse, crow, catfish or cockroaches, among other things.
What was the meaning behind—if you touch something dead, go throught this elaborate ritual to restore cleanliness.
Well, there were 3 categories of purpose; practical, spiritual, and pointing to Christ.
Let’s look first at the dietary laws.
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Now, what was the purpose behind the purity laws? We can see that there are practical reasons for what was done.
But what were God’s stated purposes for these laws?
A. Purpose of Purity Laws
Leviticus 11:44–45 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Leviticus 20:24–26 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. 25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Now remember those three purposes: To remember God’s holiness, to distinguish Israel from other nations, to create a constant awareness of sin, death, and the need for cleansing.
So, let’s look at the main categories of purity laws.
B. Main Categories of Purity Laws
1. Dietary Laws (Leviticus 11) What you could and could not eat.
The dietary laws of Leviticus generally allowed only land animals with both cloven hooves and the ability to chew the cud—traits found in grazing animals like cattle, sheep, and goats—while excluding those without both features, such as pigs, camels, and rabbits. Why couldn’t they eat certain things? Practical reasons; While these purity laws had deep spiritual meaning, they also served very practical purposes for the health and survival of Israel. In a time without modern medicine, germ theory, or refrigeration, God’s commands protected His people from many physical dangers. Refraining from eating scavenger animals, shellfish, and other “unclean” creatures reduced the risk of foodborne illness and parasite infection.
This standard effectively ruled out many animals that survived by scavenging or eating refuse, which carried a higher risk of disease. Among birds, clean species tended to be seed-eaters or insect-eaters, like doves and quail, while unclean birds included carrion-feeders and predators such as vultures, eagles, and ravens. In aquatic life, only fish with fins and scales were clean, excluding shellfish, eels, and other bottom-feeders that consume decaying material. Even in the insect category, most were prohibited, but certain hopping species like locusts were permitted, while ground-dwelling scavengers were not. These distinctions often steered Israel away from animals with “filthy” eating habits, providing both symbolic separation from uncleanness and practical protection from foodborne illness. That is a practical purpose. But God also had a spiritual purpose—holiness, separation from the world, and a constant reminder.
God’s Holiness
Leviticus 11:44–45 says, “For I am the
LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” The dietary laws were rooted in God’s own
holiness. What they could and could not eat wasn’t arbitrary—it was a
reflection of God’s character and His right to define what was clean. By eating
only what He declared clean, Israel acknowledged that even the most basic acts
of life—like eating—were to be done in a way that honored His holiness.
It also served to keep them separate from the world.
Separation
Leviticus 20:25–26 connects dietary laws to Israel’s distinct identity: “You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the
unclean… and you shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated
you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” This food boundary created a practical
separation from surrounding nations who ate freely of animals God had
forbidden. Mealtime became a daily act of boundary-keeping, both spiritually
and socially.
The dietary laws naturally created a strong barrier between Israel and the Gentile world, shaping daily life in profound ways. In the marketplace, Israelites had to carefully examine vendors’ goods, often avoiding stalls that sold pork, shellfish, or other forbidden foods—making trade with Gentile merchants limited and cautious. ---impossible. In the home, sharing a meal with a Gentile would be fraught with risk, since the cookware, utensils, and food itself might be ceremonially unclean. They didn’t do it. When traveling, Israelites often had to bring their own provisions or prepare food themselves rather than eat what was offered in inns or foreign homes. These boundaries not only preserved ceremonial cleanness but also reinforced Israel’s distinct identity, ensuring that their daily interactions, even in ordinary activities like eating, set them apart as the people of the Lord. These laws practically kept them separate.
And sin, death, need for cleansing.
Constant Reminder
Every trip to the market and every family meal reinforced obedience to God.
Deuteronomy 14:21 ties dietary obedience to identity: “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.” By constantly evaluating their food,
Israelites were reminded that holiness touched every aspect of life. Eating was
never just eating—it was an act of worship and remembrance.
God was connecting diet to holiness—that elevated the meaning of every day—it brought God down to the dinner table—if God is concerned about food—that is very personal and all-consuming.
Any of you who have ever gone on a diet know how a change to your diet, whether for health or weight loss, becomes a consuming thing. That’s why diets are so hard to stay on. Because you have to be thinking about what you are consuming all the time. Did I drink my water today? Did I get my protein allotment, my vegetables, fruits. Did I get my omega 3, my beta-carotene, iron, vitamins ACDEKB. Not to mention all the focus on getting my steps, or exercise in. It is an every moment obsession. And that’s what the dietary laws became for the Jews. A constant reminder of how precariously balanced the status of their being clean or unclean before God was.
And it was a reality of impossibility—it is practically impossible to stay pure in diet-in consuming only clean animals—Jesus criticized the Pharissees, “You strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Gnats were unclean, so when they drank, they sucked the fluid throught their teeth to prevent swallowing gnats. Can you imagine a Pharisee picnic? But, the impossibility led them to Christ.
Jesus abolished the ceremonial requirement of the dietary laws.
How did Christ fulfil this law?
Christ fulfilled the dietary laws in two interconnected ways: by abolishing their ceremonial requirement and by embodying their deeper spiritual meaning.
1. The Setting Aside of Dietary
Laws
Jesus Himself declared all foods clean in Mark 7:18–19, teaching that it
is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out of their
heart. This teaching shifted the focus from ceremonial restrictions to moral
purity. Later, in Acts 10:9–16, Peter received a vision of a sheet
filled with all kinds of animals—clean and unclean—and was told, “What God
has made clean, do not call common.” Paul reinforced this in Romans
14:14 (“I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is
unclean in itself”) and Colossians 2:16–17, where he calls food laws
“a shadow of the things to come,” with the reality found in Christ. Jesus completed the dietary laws.
2. The Meaning Found in Christ
The dietary laws served as a daily, tangible reminder that God’s people were to
be holy and distinct—avoiding what was unclean, just as they were to avoid sin.
Christ fulfills this symbolism by making His people holy through His blood, not
through dietary separation. In Ephesians 2:14–16, Paul says Jesus “has
broken down the dividing wall of hostility” between Jew and Gentile,
reconciling both in one body to God. Through Him, holiness comes not from
avoiding certain foods but from being cleansed from sin and empowered to walk
in obedience (Hebrews 9:13–14).
Despite the fact that Jesus abolished and fulfilled this law.
Several religious groups still observe dietary rules in some form. Seventh-day Adventists follow Old Testament clean/unclean laws, avoiding pork, shellfish, and other prohibited meats, with many choosing vegetarian diets. Ethiopian Orthodox and other Oriental Orthodox churches avoid pork and follow strict fasting seasons that exclude meat, dairy, and sometimes fish. Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics do not permanently forbid specific meats but observe fasting and abstinence periods, especially during Lent. Messianic Jewish and Hebrew Roots groups keep biblical kosher laws, avoiding unclean animals entirely. Certain Church of God splinter groups also uphold Leviticus 11’s dietary commands. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not follow the Old Testament food laws but refuse to eat blood or food containing blood, based on Acts 15:28–29.
And there may be good health reasons to avoid certain foods, especially for individual health issues. But the main purposes; holiness, separation, and reminder are fulfilled in Christ.
2. Contact with Dead Bodies (Numbers 19; Leviticus 21:1–4)
Laws requiring separation after touching a dead body, acted like an ancient form of quarantine—limiting the spread of potentially deadly conditions. There were Rules about washing garments, cleansing utensils touched, and bathing after contact with unclean things promoted personal hygiene long before it was scientifically understood. These laws showed God’s care not only for Israel’s spiritual holiness but also for their physical well-being, ensuring the health of both the individual and the whole community.
If a person touched a dead body, either human or animal, he was considered unclean for 7 days. To be unclean meant that you were ceremonially unfit to enter the tabernacle, the tent of meeting with God, and that you were not to have close contact with the community. So, what do you do?---peculiar ritual
The Red Heifer Ritual (Numbers 19:1–22)
1. The Command
God instructed Israel to take a perfect red heifer—without defect and
never used for work—and bring it outside the camp to be slaughtered in
the priest’s presence (Numbers 19:2–3).
2. The Burning
The entire animal—hide, flesh, blood, and even offal—was burned. Cedar wood,
hyssop, and scarlet yarn were thrown into the fire (Numbers 19:5–6).
3. The Ashes and Water
The ashes from the red heifer were collected and stored outside the camp. When
someone became unclean by touching a dead body, a small portion of the ashes
was mixed with fresh water to make the “water for impurity” (Numbers
19:9).
4. The Cleansing Process
The unclean person was sprinkled with this water on the third day and
the seventh day. On the seventh day, they washed their clothes and
bathed, and then they were declared clean (Numbers 19:12–13).
On the third day after becoming unclean, the person had to be sprinkled with this water by someone who was ceremonially clean. The sprinkling was repeated on the seventh day, followed by washing their clothes and bathing. Only after this process was complete would they be declared clean.
And Failing to undergo this process was serious—Numbers 19:13 says the person would defile the Lord’s tabernacle and be cut off from Israel. Throw them out.
The first purpose for separating and cleanliness laws regarding dead bodies, either human or animal, is God’s Holiness. As with the dietary laws—practical, spiritual, Christ.
Practical---disease and dead bodies
spiritual
God’s Holiness
Numbers 19:13 warns, “Whoever
touches a dead person… defiles the tabernacle of the LORD.” Death was a stark reminder of sin’s curse,
and God—who is life—cannot be associated with corruption. The strict rules
surrounding death kept His dwelling place pure and underscored His life-giving
holiness.
Just like the dietary laws were often visual illustrations to stay away from animals who consumed rotting and wretched things, and that reminded the Jews of the wretchedness of sin, so a dead body was an assault on the senses that physically reminded the Jews of God’s holiness, and the decaying nature of sin. So they were to be separate from it as much as possible. Even the priests…
Separation
Leviticus 21:1–3 shows that priests could only make themselves unclean for the
death of close family. This reinforced their special calling to remain ready
for God’s service, unlike surrounding nations where death rituals were often
intertwined with pagan worship. The laws kept God’s people from adopting
idolatrous mourning practices.
It was a constant reminder
The restriction from touching dead bodies (Numbers 19:11–16) would have significantly shaped daily life in ancient Israel, as anyone who came into contact with a corpse was ceremonially unclean for seven days and required a purification ritual before rejoining normal activities.
Think about what this would mean.
This meant that certain professions—such as soldiers, shepherds and even fishermen—would face frequent or constant ceremonial uncleanness due to the nature of their work. Fishermen handling dead fish, especially unclean species caught in their nets, would be regularly affected. Hunters might also become unclean when handling dead game, and shepherds or farmers could be impacted butchering livestock. Those in such roles would have to plan around purification rituals, periods of isolation, and temporary exclusion from worship at the tabernacle. Even ordinary citizens might find themselves unclean after tending to a dying family member or preparing a loved one for burial, making funerals and mourning a spiritually weighty matter. These rules served not only to protect the community from disease but also to continually remind Israel of sin’s connection to death and the need for God’s cleansing before approaching His presence.
Only the rich could afford to remain clean.
Every dead animal
Every funeral, burial, or cemetery visit brought the awareness that sin brings
death—and that only God provides cleansing from it.
Practical, spiritual, Christ
Foreshadowing Christ
The red heifer ritual is rich in messianic symbolism: one of the most deeply symbolic of the sacrifices.
· One way to be made clean
· Without defect – Just as the red heifer had to be perfect (Numbers 19:2), Christ was sinless (1 Peter 1:19).
· Never under a yoke – The heifer was free from the yoke of labor, symbolizing Christ’s freedom from sin’s bondage (John 8:36).
· Outside the camp – The heifer was killed outside the camp (Numbers 19:3), pointing to Christ’s crucifixion outside the city gate (Hebrews 13:12–13).
· Total sacrifice – The whole animal was burned, picturing the complete offering of Christ’s body and life (Philippians 2:8).
· Ashes for cleansing – The ashes mixed with water brought ceremonial cleansing from death’s defilement; Christ’s blood cleanses us from the true defilement of sin (Hebrews 9:13–14).
· Third and seventh day cleansing – The sprinkling on the third day foreshadows resurrection power (Luke 24:46), and the seventh day points to final, complete restoration in God’s eternal rest (Hebrews 4:9–10).
· Hyssop – Used in the ritual fire, hyssop also appears at the crucifixion when Jesus was offered sour wine (John 19:29), linking the two cleansing acts.
And here’s to me the biggest foreshadowing—the ashes were perpetual—without the ashes nobody could be made clean—priests, people—any touching of a dead body—insect animal, human, made you unclean—if you are unclean, you cannot enter God’s presence in temple-so you had to go get sprinkled with water mixed with these ashes—clear up to Jesus’ day—but what happened in 70 AD? Jerusalem is destroyed, temple destroyed—there is evidence that the ashes were saved in stone jars and continued to be used even as late as 500 AD. But what eventually happened? They ran out. No priesthood, no temple. So from that time until today, orthodox jews consider themselves unclean—there’s talk of rebuilding the temple—but even if they did—no one could enter it unless they are cleansed—that’s why orthodox jews in Israel yoday are searching for “parah adumah” (red heifer) that meets the biblical standard –in fact in July of this year-there was a ceremonial burning of a red heifer in Samaria—touted as an historic step toward restoring the temple and temple worship.
In one way, that is exciting because it portends prophetic fulfillment of Scripture. But in another way it is sad. All these years—considering themselves unclean—unable to enter God’s presence—because they didn’t have certain ashes. But we do not come into God’s presence unclean. Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in our time of need.
Teaching Impact:
The red heifer ritual taught Israel that death brings separation from God and
only His appointed sacrifice can restore fellowship. In Christ, the shadow
becomes reality—He is the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice whose blood doesn’t
just make us ceremonially clean but truly and eternally clean before
God.