The Sunday lectionary reading for Trinity 14 in this Year B is Mark 7.1–8, 14–15, 21–23 (which was Trinity 13 last time around). We have chewed over the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6, and gathered up every last morsel of the ‘bread of life’ discourse over the last five (five!) weeks—and now our fast from Mark’s gospel is at an end!
This important passage needs to be read as a whole. Not only does it form an important transition between the two main phases of Jesus’ ministry, in Galilee, and heading to Jerusalem, it also addresses a key question for Jesus, his followers, and the early church: what is our relation to Torah and the food laws?
Come and join Ian and James as they explore the passage, these key issues, and what they mean for us today.
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“The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart”.
We might well, to our profit, spend a similar few week on “the Heart” as “the Bread”
Keep the heart for out of it are the issues of life[Prov.4 v 23.]
For the health gurus the heart is the key issue, fail to look after the heart and all else fails.
So, Jesus had spoken of Authentic, Eternal Life;
He now shows that central to that life is the condition of the heart; it is vital to enjoying that life; and God has promised or announced that He alone can give us a new heart and renew a right spirit within us.
Life deteriorates as the heart deteriorates which was the perennial problem of the Jews who
constantly “played the Harlot” and its candlestick was removed, it is also the problem of the
Church which will also have its candlestick removed as prophesied by Jesus, thus ending in ruin.
The issue then is one of the individual[s] whether as a “remnant”, “holy seed” [OT] or the “Overcomer “[ NT].
Jesus showed that the preaching of the kingdom would result in only 25% people being productive or fruitful, of those only 8.33% would be either 100% or 66% or 33% fruitful
within the local church; where those who have been careless, watch less and [re]gardless, and “fallen asleep” will find that “an enemy has crept in and sown unfruitful seed “. Should we even try to eradicate those alien plants? “No” says God, that is an impossibility if you try you will only kill healthy fruitful life, wait for the Harvest, then the day will declare it and the hearts of all will be made known. Proverbs Ch. 4 v 23 counsels
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
See Proverbs Ch.4 BSB.
“Let your heart lay hold of my words;
keep my commands and you will live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn from them.
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom.
And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8Prize her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9She will set a garland of grace on your head;
she will present you with a crown of beauty” ….
For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;
they do not know what makes them stumble…..
Do not lose sight of them;
keep them within your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them,
and health to the whole body.
23Guard your heart with all diligence,
for from it flow springs of life.
24Put away deception from your mouth;
keep your lips from perverse speech.