Lisa Loveless
THL 105
March 3, 2017
Gospel of Mark - What is “Unclean”
In the Book of Mark, as early as the first chapter, we encounter the word “unclean” Today we define unclean to mean dirty or unwashed. What was the meaning of unclean as Mark referred to in the Bible? Who in today’s society what type of people are considered “unclean” and what does that mean in modern day terms?
In Mark 1, Jesus encounters the man in a synagogue, a woman who lay ill with a fever, a person with leprosy and many others with various illnesses. They are all possessed with unclean spirit. It’s thought if the body can be rid of the demons possessing them, their illnesses would be gone. The Pharisees and the Jews have a tradition of making certain that their hands are washed before eating a meal. Could this be cause of the defiling of the men and women deemed unclean?
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Man possesses an unclean spirit from what is in his heart. Jesus proclaims “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark