Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Lectionary 22), Year B

PERFECTION BY WAY OF THE CROSS

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Lectionary 22), Year B
Analysis by Ella Moehlman

1Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered  around , 2they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is,  without washing them. 3(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6He  said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
7in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
8You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
14Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.
21 “For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft,  murder, 22adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

“We no longer put faith in our practices, but lean on Christ’s practice.”

DIAGNOSIS: a human precept – Practice Makes Perfect

Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem): Holding to human tradition
Our actions will save us. The hands must be washed. That’s just how it’s done here. It is indeed  right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places follow the lectionary, give our fifth graders first communion instruction, make sure our congregation is culturally relevant, and so  on. These things we do make us who we are, and our congregation/denomination/tradition is the one doing it right.  Or so we think.

Step 2: Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem): Evil in our hearts
We are affronted when others don’t adhere to our rules. We are glad for the traditions of our  elders, and keeping the practices of our congregations alive. But we end up being ruled by our sinful hearts, and all the evil that stems from within when we see others transgress these “rules” of ours. We dismiss the faithfulness of the church down the street because it is not the same denomination as ours or has practices that go against our superior interpretation of the Bible.

Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem): Our worship is in vain, our hearts far from God
We think we are practicing our religion, but it’s all a sham. Practices won’t make us perfect. They won’t save us from death. And it’s not what we do on the outside, but what comes from within which defiles us. We can’t change our insides, and our hearts condemn us. No matter how much we wash our hands, we will still be yelling with Lady Macbeth, “Out damn spot!” Our hands are bloodied.  We crucify God with our hypocritical practices. How will we account for this before God?

PROGNOSIS: a divinely promising doctrine – The Perfect One’s Practice

Step 4: Initial Prognosis: (Eternal Solution): Jesus comes not to call the righteous, but sinners
The Crucified God himself comes on our account. As the Great Physician he opens a practice here on Earth for us, with  his hands bloodied on our  behalf. He comes to set us free. There are no traditions for us to fulfill or practices we have to do. Christ does them all perfectly for us, and for those hypocrites down the street, too.

Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution): Hearts healed
We no longer put faith in our practices, but lean on Christ’s practice. Christ brings our heart, which was far from God, back to faith. And so trusting, we get to behold this work of Christ for us, and we are given the grace to behold Christ’s work for others as well.

Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution): The Spirited-commandment of God
As a new creation in Christ, we are no longer overcome by the evil, defiling things within us. Christ takes command of our hearts with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (cf. Gal. 5:22). Rejoicing in what Christ has done and continues to do for us, our worship and actions are not in vain, but bring promise to the world.