Mark 7:14-19 — Jesus declares all foods clean by distinguishing ceremonial uncleanness from moral defilement; the Levitical purity laws were pedagogical, not moral.

Winger argues Jesus is not contradicting Leviticus but clarifying its purpose and announcing the new covenant. The Levitical clean/unclean laws were never intended to teach that eating pork makes you sinful; they were ceremonial picture-language designed to impress upon Israel the holiness of God and the radical separation between sinful humanity and a holy God — a separation that Jesus himself resolves. Mark's editorial comment ("thus he declared all foods clean") signals the shift to the new covenant. Jesus' point is that moral defilement comes from within (evil thoughts, murder, adultery, covetousness, pride, etc.) not from external contact. The Pharisees' error was observing the ceremonial aspects while ignoring the internal heart the laws were pointing toward. Acts 15 confirms that Gentile believers are not required to observe these purity laws.