Mark 7:1-8

1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.

² Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.

³ For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

⁴ When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

⁵ Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

⁶ He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Also found in Matthew 15:1-9.

The crowds around Jesus and His disciples were so large that they had to escape from them in a boat to get a moments break. Likely, they weren’t eating leisurely sit-down meals but just grabbing a bite when they could.  The Pharisees said nothing about the work they were doing or the people they were helping, but rather criticized them for a minor man-made tradition they weren’t observing. Verse 1 begins with “then.” In Greek, this word connects things by way of contrast but does not necessarily indicate a temporal sequence. In other words, the point isn’t that the Pharisees came just as Jesus was healing the sick at the end of chapter 6 (although they may have), but Mark was contrasting the priorities of Jesus with the priorities of the Pharisees.

defiled (v.2) = lit. “common to everybody.” It was used to refer to the profane as opposed to the hallowed or sacred, so “ceremonially unclean.” The ritual of hand washing didn’t produce physical cleanliness but ceremonial cleansing.

bread (v.3) — lit. “the bread.” Probably, the disciples were grabbing pieces of that bread that was left over from feeding the multitudes and had been gathered in baskets.

they found fault (v.2) — not in the best texts.

Verses 3-4 are a parenthetical explanation.

wash their hands in a special way (v.3) — The washing is done with the clenched fist. The individual rubs one hand and the arm up to the elbow with the other hand clenched. He rubs the palm of one hand with the other closed, so as to make sure that the part that touched the food would be clean. — Wuest, page 142.

__________

“Tradition” (v.3) [comes from a word that means] “to give into the hands of another, to deliver something to keep, use, take care of.” The noun form therefore refers to something delivered by someone to a second individual for him to keep or care for. A tradition, as it is used here, refers therefore to instructions handed down from one generation to another, which are to be observed by the succeeding generations.

The traditions of the elders consisted of oral law originated by the Jewish religious leaders. They did not come from the Word of God. Our Lord (Matthew 15:6) asserts that they nullify the Word and thus are directly antagonistic to it. The rabbis held that disobedience to it was mortal sin. Thus, a real issue is raised here between the Pharisees and Jesus. It was man-made ceremonial laws in conflict with the Word of God. — Wuest, page 142.

elders (v.3) — members of the Sanhedrin, a title of age and of rank

market (v.4) = the agora, the public forum in every town where people gathered, like the courthouse square in American towns. Jews who went there could not help but come in contact with Gentiles who were considered unclean and would so become ceremonially defiled.

couches (v.4) — tables, not in some texts

The law had imposed certain restrictions upon the chosen race, restrictions which were admirably sanitary in their nature, while aiming also at preserving the isolation of Israel from the corrupt and foul nations which lay around. … But the Pharisees had not been content even with the severe restrictions of the law. They had not regarded these as a fence for themselves against spiritual impurity, but as an elaborate and artificial substitute for love and trust. And therefore, as love and spiritual religion faded out of their hearts, they were the more jealous and sensitive about the letter of the law. They “fenced ” it with elaborate rules, and precautions against accidental transgressions, superstitiously dreading an involuntary infraction of its minutest details. Certain substances were unclean food. But who could tell whether some atom of such substance, blown about in the dust of summer, might adhere to the hand with which he ate, or to the cups and pots whence his food was drawn? Moreover, the Gentle nations were unclean, and it was not possible to avoid all contact with them in the market-places, returning whence, therefore, every devout Jew was careful to wash himself, which washing, though certainly not an immersion, is here plainly called a baptism. Thus an elaborate system of ceremonial washing, not for cleansing, but as a religious precaution had grown up among the Jews. — Chadwick, pages 185-186.

asked (v.5) = kept on asking Him

well (v.6) = beautifully, finely, excellently. The Lord was pointing out the accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy. He used the same word ironically in v.9.

you hypocrites (v.6) — The Greek has it, “You, the hypocrites.” The use of the definite article particularizes the Pharisees as arch-hypocrites, the outstanding ones. The word “hypocrites” [comes from Greek words meaning “under” and “to judge”]. It referred originally to “one who judged from under the cover of a mask,” thus, assuming an identity and character which he was not. The person was the actor on the Greek stage, one who took the part of another. The Pharisees were religious actors, so to speak, in that they pretended to be on the outside, what they were not on the inside. — Wuest, page 144.

written (v.6) — Isaiah 29:13

far from Me (v.6) = lit. “to hold off from.” The picture is of one holding himself a great distance from someone else. … The idea of volition is present, where the person far off, is so, because he wants to be. — Wuest, page 144.

in vain (v.7) = fruitlessly, without profit. It points to the failure of a proposed purpose.

They fruitlessly sought to worship God by teaching laws created by man.

laying aside (v.8) = sending away, bidding to go away or depart, sending from one’s self, letting alone, disregarding. Abandoning one thing to take up another thing.

hold (v.8) = a strong, tight grasp, like a hawk would use to grab prey, to keep carefully and faithfully