Mark 7 18

Mark 7:18 kjv

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;

Mark 7:18 nkjv

So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

Mark 7:18 niv

"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?

Mark 7:18 esv

And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,

Mark 7:18 nlt

"Don't you understand either?" he asked. "Can't you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you?

Mark 7 verses

Mark 7 18 Meaning

Jesus here expresses dismay at His disciples' lack of comprehension, challenging their ingrained understanding of purity. He states unequivocally that physical things entering a person from the outside, specifically referring to food, cannot inherently render them defiled in a spiritual or moral sense. This declaration shifts the focus of defilement from external ritual purity to internal moral corruption, redefining what truly separates a person from God and righteousness.

Mark 7 18 Context

Mark 7:18 is a direct address by Jesus to His disciples, explaining the deeper meaning of a parabolic statement He made to the crowd (Mk 7:15). This discussion arose after the Pharisees and some scribes from Jerusalem criticized Jesus' disciples for not adhering to the "tradition of the elders," specifically regarding ritual handwashing before meals. They saw this neglect as a violation of ceremonial purity laws. Jesus countered their accusation by condemning their adherence to man-made traditions that nullified God's own commandments (Mk 7:9-13). Moving beyond the specific argument, Jesus used this incident to teach a fundamental truth about what truly defiles a person, drawing a clear distinction between external ceremonial impurity and internal moral corruption originating from the heart.

Mark 7 18 Word analysis

• And He said to them,: This marks a shift from Jesus addressing the crowd (Mk 7:14-16) to a private instruction for His inner circle. It highlights the confidential nature of the deeper spiritual truth being revealed.
• Are you so dull also?: From the Greek Asynetetoi (ἀσύνετοι), meaning "lacking understanding," "foolish," or "without comprehension." This rhetorical question expresses Jesus' frustration or disappointment that even His close disciples struggled to grasp this fundamental spiritual principle. The "also" (kai, καί) connects their dullness to the dullness of the broader audience or even the Pharisees in their misperception of truth.
• Do you not understand: From the Greek Syniete (συνίετε), which means "to put together," "comprehend," or "perceive intellectually and spiritually." This re-emphasizes their cognitive and spiritual block regarding the truth He is presenting. It highlights a critical inability to grasp profound spiritual insights despite their proximity to Jesus.
• that whatever goes into the man: Refers to external physical elements, primarily food. This phrase challenges the long-standing Mosaic and rabbinic purity codes focused on distinguishing clean and unclean foods and contact with certain objects as sources of defilement. The emphasis is on outside as the origin point.
• from outside: Greek exōthen (ἔξωθεν). This adverb precisely pinpoints the origin of the material thing: external to the body. It forms a sharp contrast with what comes from within (Mk 7:21), setting up the core argument. This external source, according to Jesus, cannot be the origin of true defilement.
• cannot defile him: From the Greek koinōsai (κοινῶσαι), "to make common," "render unholy," "defile." This is the pivotal theological statement. Jesus declares that what enters the body physically does not, by its nature, render a person ritually or morally impure before God. This overturns centuries of Jewish religious understanding regarding food and purity. This assertion shifts the focus of spiritual purity from adherence to outward dietary or ritualistic regulations to the condition of the heart and mind.

Mark 7 18 Bonus section

The seemingly harsh "Are you so dull also?" directed at His disciples underlines the immense paradigm shift Jesus was attempting to impart. It was not a trivial matter of etiquette but a fundamental redefinition of sin and holiness that was challenging deeply ingrained cultural and religious norms. The disciples, being devout Jews, would have grown up with a meticulous focus on ritual purity, and Jesus' teaching directly contradicted the established framework, explaining their difficulty in immediate comprehension. This verse therefore also serves as an example of the often slow and difficult process of spiritual unlearning and relearning, even for those closest to the Messiah. Jesus' explanation here, later elaborated in Mk 7:20-23, became foundational for the early church's understanding of dietary freedom, especially as Gentile believers were integrated (Acts 10-15).

Mark 7 18 Commentary

Mark 7:18 is a pivotal verse in the Gospels, signaling a radical shift in the understanding of defilement from the Old Covenant's emphasis on external ritual purity to the New Covenant's focus on the internal condition of the heart. Jesus' sharp question to His disciples reveals His frustration that, even after witnessing His teachings and miracles, they still struggle with the superficial religious thinking prevalent in their time. His declaration explicitly reinterprets ceremonial purity laws, asserting that sin and defilement do not originate from external contact or consumed items but from the sinful intentions and desires of the human heart. This teaching dismantled barriers related to food and contact, laying the foundation for a more universal Gospel not bound by dietary or ritualistic strictures, highlighting that spiritual impurity stems from a moral source within, necessitating an inner transformation rather than mere outward cleansing.