Inside Out: Mark 7:17-19
The inside of a person matters. It’s a simple but poignant thought. What we do is significant, but why we do it is even more significant. Motivation matters.
Speaking of motivation, Jesus’ approach to discipleship continues to work. When Jesus finds Himself alone with His disciples, they ask Him about His teaching. They know Jesus’ pattern and routine. Jesus teaches in parables to everyone; but if they are patient and bide their time, they get a deeper lesson with Him when they’re alone. They’re not dumb.
Jesus’ response, though, is a little rough. Jesus asks them if they have the same lack in understanding as the crowd. This statement has bite to it, and it is intentional. Jesus isn’t condemning the disciples, but He knows the storyline. Within the most recent session of teaching the Pharisees had gotten a little bolder and a little more aggressive. It won’t be long before the conflict is intense and out in the open. Jesus needs His disciples to get ready. Jesus needs His disciples to start putting things together on their own.
The beginning of discipleship is fun and engaging. It is filled with learning new things. It is a joy to come upon surprise teaching after surprise teaching as things click and make sense. At some point, though, like all things worth learning discipleship gets tough. Instead of spoon-feeding faith, the mentor begins to place expectations on the disciple. The disciple needs to start thinking for themselves and drawing their own conclusions. The disciple needs to come up with their own hypotheses and check their thoughts against the mentor’s thoughts rather than expect the mentor to do all the thinking.
This is what is at the heart of Jesus’ question to His disciples. Jesus isn’t upset with the disciples for asking the question. Jesus is trying to get them to realize that it is time to take the next step in their spiritual journey. It is time for them to stop being mollycoddled. It is time for them to start thinking on their own, drawing their own conclusions, and bringing those thoughts to Jesus so Jesus can help tweak them and mold them.
Because this thought lends itself well to the lesson Jesus taught the crowd, I believe Jesus picked this moment for His disciples intentionally. Jesus is pushing His disciples past being receptive – or passive – and into being generative – or active. It is time the disciples take what is inside their hearts and minds and bring those ideas out to Jesus. When Jesus says it is not what is on the outside that defiles a person but what is on the inside, Jesus is teaching two lessons. Yes, Jesus is teaching the lesson on sinfulness, which if you’re wondering we’ll get to tomorrow. Jesus is also teaching a much more generalized lesson. The inside needs to come out. The being God has made and calls us to be must come forth. The inside of a person matters.
