Mark 7:1-23
1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’] 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16]
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?”he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Media is defined as a means of communication, such as radio, television, movies, newspapers, magazines and internet, that reach or influence people widely...The media may have the largest influence on people in society on what they believe in and sometimes in what they follow...We have to understand that there is a certain type of power in media as we read, watch, and hear the different things we are reading, watching, and listening to...We are influenced by the different types of media, and sometimes we do not even realize it...And if an alien only had our media of radio, TV, movies, and the internet to describe us, what would we be like and how would we be described through their eyes...Would the aliens know what we value?...
Before radio, TV, movies, and the other means of communication we have today, we did it orally and person to person...
The Pharisees have a great influence on the people of Israel and how they interpreted the Bible...Many people could not read or write, so they were dependent on Pharisees helping then understand Scripture...I think the Pharisees tried to follow the Scripture the best way they read it...But they saw it different and interpreted Scripture than Jesus did...The Pharisees were the largest group that carried the message of the Bible to the people...The Pharisees had added different things to Scripture...Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus Why His disciples did not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?...These traditions were traditions of men, the elders...
When we get information we have to ask where did it come from, and is it arbitrary, somewhat changed, responsible, but most of all is it the Truth...Is what we see and hear moral?...Is our information we receive and read, true reality or is it perceived reality?...Jesus was upfront with the Pharisees...He shows people the clear path and the true way...He was honest with the Pharisees...He told them the Truth...He is Truth...He is Perfectly Moral...Jesus helps us analyze what truth is and what truth is not...Jesus would tell the media of today, much of what He told the Pharisees...