Physical and Spiritual Purity as Basis for Healing and Holiness in Mark 7:1-7

Abstract

This paper explores the significance of purity for healing and health. Despite all the exploits that the world has witnessed in the field of science and technology, sicknesses and diseases still pose a serious threat to the existence of man on earth. Many new contagious, incurable, terminal diseases are being discovered almost on daily basis and the medical sciences seem not to have solutions to most of these health challenges. It has been discovered however that the choice of personal lifestyle is crucial to health and illness. The link between lifestyle and health is a major area of interest in public health today. Man's lack of clean habits has been identified as the major cause of contagious diseases. In most cases, poor personal hygiene and public sanitation aid the spread of infectious diseases. In this regard, physical and spiritual purity as a basis for healing and holiness is examined through an exegetical analysis of Mark 7 to actualize the theological meaning of the text in today's context and engender commitment to personal and societal transformation. The paper adopts both the historical-critical method and historical materialist sociological
method. It is believed that the control of most of contagious diseases depends largely on high standard of personal and environmental hygiene and holy living.