Bible In Poetry: Gospel Of St. Mark (Chapter 7) Poem by Dr John Celes

The Pharisees and scribes who came
Had gathered from Jerusalem;
His disciples were eating meals,
With hands unwashed which Jews didn’t do;
The Jews observed traditional things
Like purifying cups, (and beds) .
They questioned Jesus about this.

Then Jesus said, “You hypocrites,
You honor me with lips alone;
Your hearts are far away from me;
You worship me in vain therefore;
Because you teach human precepts,
You cling to human tradition;
But respect not God’s Commandments;
(Isaiah’s prophecy of you)
Honor thy father and mother;
Whoever curses parents dies!

You nullify the Word of God
In favor of your tradition;
You keep not Moses’ laws truly;
He called the crowd and said to them,
“Nothing from outside, one defiles;
All that from within, all defile! ”

At home, his disciples queried
About the parable, He told;
Are you sans understanding too?
Enters all food stomach, not heart!
From heart, come evil thoughts and acts-
Theft, murder, greed, adultery,
Arrogance, blasphemy, folly;
Licentiousness and envy;
Deceit, malice, unchastity:
All evils from the heart defile!

Then, Jesus went on to Tyre!
He went into a house and wished,
No one would know His whereabouts;
But soon, a woman came to him;
A Greek, her daughter was possessed;
She begged the demon be sent out..

Then Jesus told, “Let children eat first;
Their food should not be thrown to dogs”
She said, “Ev’n dogs eat children’s scraps! ”
He said, “For saying so, you go.
The demon left your daughter too.”
Her child was freed from demon then!

Then Jesus reached Decapolis.
A deaf-mute man was brought to him;
They begged to lay His hand on him;
He put His finger in his ears
And spitting, touched his tongue and said,
“Be opened! ” looking to heaven.
The man could hear and spoke so well!
Then Jesus told. ‘Don’t tell others.’
They said, “He does all things so well;
He makes the deaf hear and mute speak”.