Mark 7:14-15

[16]

What Jesus had to say was so important that He urged the crowd present to listen carefully to His words (cf. Mark 4:3). His response so far had been to His critics primarily.

Mark 7:15 states the general principle. It clarifies what does not and what does cause uncleanness. Food does not, but thoughts do (cf. Isaiah 29:13). Obviously Jesus was speaking morally and spiritually, not medically and physiologically. Jesus clarified the intent of the Mosaic laws regarding clean and unclean food (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14). The Jew who ate unclean food became unclean because he or she disobeyed God’s Word, not because the food made him or her unclean.

Mark 7:16 is of questionable authenticity. Later copyists may have added it as a result of reading Mark 4:9 and or Mark 4:23. It may be genuine since many early manuscripts contain it. Most modern translators have judged it a later addition to the text.