DOI: 10.5325/bullbiblrese.33.3.0259 ISSN: 2576-0998
Did Jesus Nullify the Torah and Declare Nonkosher Foods Clean? Toward a Better Reading of Mark 7:19b
Joshua Strahan- General Medicine
Abstract
According to the standard interpretation of Mark 7:19b—“Thus Jesus declared all foods clean”—Jesus nullifies the dietary commandments of the Torah. A close examination, which draws together some important recent research on this text, reveals that this is a misreading. Instead, Mark maintains a consistent portrait of Jesus as one who is faithful to Torah, even to the dietary laws. This will be shown through a close study of the syntax, literary context, sociocultural situation, Matthean parallel, and early church reaction. This article offers a close look at the standard interpretation, followed by an evaluation of two alternate readings.