Mark 7:22 MEANING

(22) Covetousness, wickedness.--The Greek words for these are, like the preceding, in the plural, as pointing to the manifold forms in which the sins show themselves.

An evil eye.--As explained by Matthew 20:15 (where see Note), the "evil eye" is that which looks askance on the good of others--i.e., envy in its most malignant form.

Pride.--Better, perhaps, haughtiness. This is the only passage in the New Testament where the word so translated occurs. The cognate adjective meets us in Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2.

Foolishness.--This, again, is a rare word in the New Testament, meeting us only in 2 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Corinthians 11:17; 2 Corinthians 11:21. As interpreted by Proverbs 14:18; Proverbs 15:21, it is the folly which consists in the absence of the fear of God, the infatuation of impiety.

7:14-23 Our wicked thoughts and affections, words and actions, defile us, and these only. As a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so does a corrupt heart send forth corrupt reasonings, corrupt appetites and passions, and all the wicked words and actions that come from them. A spiritual understanding of the law of God, and a sense of the evil of sin, will cause a man to seek for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to keep down the evil thoughts and affections that work within.Thefts,.... These also are mentioned in Matthew, but Mark omits "false witnesses", and adds the following; which, excepting "blasphemy", are not taken notice of by the other evangelists;

covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; See Gill on Matthew 15:19.