Mark 7:1-23 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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The Washing of Hands and the Traditions of the Elders. This discussion with the Pharisees serves to bring out the antagonism of Jesus to the restrictions which separated Jews from Gentiles. Perhaps for this reason it is associated with the story of the Syro-Phœ nician woman. In substance it is connected with the disputes recorded in chs. 2f. The Jerusalem scribes of Mark 3:22 reappear in Mark 7:1. Into the original story some explanations are inserted, e.g. the reference to Jewish washings in Mark 7:3 f. and the interpretation of common by unwashed (Mark 7:2) and of Corban by gift (Mark 7:11). These insertions are probably due to Mk. himself. There is a characteristic touch of exaggeration in ascribing these customs to all the Jews (cf. Mark 1:5). The washings are ceremonial to avoid religious defilement due to contact with Gentiles or with legally unclean objects in the market-place. The reply of Jesus to the challenge of the Pharisees consists of three main utterances, Mark 7:6-8; Mark 7:9-13; Mark 7:14 f. The quotation from Isaiah 29:13 may be due to the evangelist, since it is close to LXX and the point urged is not apparent from the Heb. The direct answer of Jesus begins with Mark 7:9 and consists of two parts: (1) To follow the traditions of the elders may annul the law of God instead of safeguarding it; (2) Religious impurity cannot be contracted from without. Inward defilement, the defilement of the heart by the sins of the heart, is the only possible religious defilement (Montefiore, i. 168, 170). The first involves the discussion of Corban. The term was used as a formula in vows. This form of speech, - a gift, by whatsoever thou mayest be profited by me-' does neither argue that he who thus spake devoted his goods to sacred uses nor obliged him. to devote them; but only restrained him. from helping him by his goods to whom he thus spake. So J. Lightfoot (Works, xi. 218) rightly explains the use of the phrase, which does not imply that the goods are actually made over for the use of the Temple, as Loisy and Menzies suggest. Herford (Pharisaism, pp. 156- 162) and Montefiore point out two difficulties: (a) the binding character of vows is laid down in the Law, e.g. Numbers 30:2, and is not a matter of men's traditions; (b) it appears that Rabbinic teaching as recorded in the Mishnah did permit the annulling of vows which conflicted with duty to parents. With regard to (a), either Jesus was not conscious that His argument directly infringed Mosaic Law, just as in Mark 7:14 f. He criticises Lev. and not simply Pharisaic tradition, or else He regards the whole Pharisaic attitude towards the Law as a human tradition. The reverence which sets legislation about vows on an equality with the fifth commandment is a teaching of men which conflicts with God's will. The violence done to conscience in attempting to believe in the equal inspiration of all Scripture is a vain worship. As to (b), while we cannot, in view of later evidence, charge Pharisaism as a whole with this rigid maintenance of vows, there must have been some scribes in the time of Jesus who held the strict view, that a hasty vow, probably uttered in anger (this seems suggested by the cursing of father and mother in Mark 7:10) was binding, even if it involved neglect of parents. (See Matthew 15:1-20 *, Montefiore, i. 166, and Menzies, Hibbert Journal, iv. 791f.).

[ Mark 7:3. diligently: lit. with the fist (mg.) but the meaning of this is quite uncertain. The rendering up to the wrist is grammatically questionable, and this applies to that in the Westminster Version, do not eat save only after washing their fingers, the Gr. being supposed to mean to the juncture of the fingers. Possibly the clenched list was rubbed against the palm of the other hand. Allen says, It suggests some particular method of ceremonially cleansing the hands, the precise nature of which we do not know. A. S. P.]

Mark 7:17-23. forms the development and interpretation of the principle laid down in Mark 7:15. The catalogue of things that defile may be compared with the list of sins in Galatians 5:19 f., Romans 1:29 f.

Mark 7:19. Follow RV in regarding the phrase making all meats clean as referring to Jesus. A late addition, emphasizing the far-reaching significance of the position taken up by Jesus. (Cf. Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary, p. 118, brô ma.)

Mark 7:22. an evil eye: not the malignant power familiar in folk-lore, but the spirit of envy (cf. Matthew 20:15).

Related Commentaries of Mark 7:1

Mark 7:1-23

1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled,a that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft,b eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots,c brasen vessels, and of tables.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them,Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them,Full well ye rejectd the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them,Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18 And he saith unto them,Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

20 And he said,That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22 Thefts, covetousness,e wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.