The Sacred and the Common

Reframing Purity: More Than Good or Bad

One of the most difficult ideas for modern readers to wrap their heads around in scripture is the notion of clean and unclean. Instinctively, we equate these terms with good and bad, right and wrong. But that’s not how the ancient Jewish community understood them. These weren’t moral categories—they were about ritual purity. Think sacred and secular, rather than sinful and sinless.

And that distinction matters. Because if we bring the wrong framework, we risk misreading what the scriptures are actually trying to show us.

A Pharisaic Passion for Ritual

In the gospel text, Jesus engages with a group of Pharisees—religious leaders who had adopted strict rituals for handwashing and cleansing before meals. And honestly, that sounds pretty wise. As parents of young kids (and maybe a golden retriever), we know the constant battle to keep things clean before they go into anyone's mouth.

But for the Pharisees, it was more than hygiene. These practices were rooted in Hebrew scripture, where priests were commanded to purify themselves before eating. The Pharisees, not priests themselves, saw value in extending that holiness into everyday life. Their movement was grassroots, born of a belief that maybe we’d left too much of our spiritual care in the hands of professionals. They wanted to reclaim some of that responsibility for themselves.

And you know what? That’s a sentiment I can get behind.

Rituals Aren’t the Problem

Jesus wasn’t upset with the idea of ritual. Rituals are good. They ground us. They provide stability in a world that often feels anything but stable. What Jesus questioned was whether those rituals were actually shaping people well.

He said, "Nothing outside a person can defile them by going in. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that matters."

In other words, sure—pay attention to what you consume. Be thoughtful about what you give your attention to. Consider how your habits are forming you. But remember: God is not most interested in whether you follow all the right steps. God is interested in who you become. How you treat people. The kind of love that steadily flows out of you.

Defilement and the Ordinary

So what does "defilement" actually mean? It's a loaded word, but in this context, it doesn’t mean evil. It means common. Ordinary. Mundane.

And that’s a powerful reframe. Because it’s easy to be selfish. It’s normal to be greedy. The world’s discipleship program runs 24/7—just open your phone, scroll through social media, and you’ll see it: more, better, now.

But there’s another way. A path that is sometimes hidden in the weeds, but always available. A way of being that is unique, set apart, sacred.

Finding What Shapes You Well

If rituals help you find that path, then they’re good. If religion guides you toward kindness, generosity, trustworthiness, and truthfulness, then hold onto it with both hands.

Because nothing outside of you—not what you eat, not what others say, not what happens to you—can change how God sees you. That is secure.

But how you choose to live? That can shape you. It can shape your relationships. It can shape your soul.

Grace for Today

And the good news—the gospel, if you will—is this: you can always begin again. Even today.