Mark Chapter Seven
Pharisees Allow Traditions to Supercede Commandments
[Text parallels Matthew 15:1-9]
7:1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he 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 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
Some Pharisees and scribes made the trek north from Jerusalem to the Galilee region to investigate Jesus and His disciples. They noticed that some of Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before eating. Mark interjects with a quick lesson on Pharisaic traditions, that the Pharisees and Jews do not eat before they properly wash their hands. Plus, they wash their cups, pots, copper vessels, and dining couches (Greek ‘klinōn’,[1] a place to sit and recline for a meal). Those Pharisees and scribes then approach Jesus and ask Him why His disciples did not honor the traditions of the elders and eat with defiled (unwashed) hands. Jesus quickly notes how Isaiah’s prophecy recorded in Isaiah 29:13 had accurately described their hypocrisy and quoted him saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (NLT)
The Jews by this time not only revered the Torah (the written law, being the first five books of the Bible written by Moses) and the “oral law” (written version is known as the Mishnah), they also honored many writings from many Jewish leaders and rabbis, many of which pertained to proper procedures, including hand washing.[2]
7:8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Jesus calls their attention to how they have embraced the ideas and traditions of man over the obedience to God’s commandments. In a backhanded complement, He further notes how skilled they were in circumventing God’s law in favor of their own tradition. To illustrate, Jesus refers to the commandment that says, “Honor your father and your mother”[3] and “Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.”[4] He points out that instead of complying to the law they say, “It is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents.” (NLT) Therefore voiding the Word of God with their traditions. Jesus adds that this is just one example of how they have superseded Scripture with man-made regulations.
Evil Things Defile a Person
[Text parallels Matthew 15:10-20]
7:14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
While on the subject of what constitutes defilement (being unclean, polluted, etc.), Jesus calls the people around Him and tells them that there is nothing outside of a person that by going into them (eating) can defile them. It is, however, those things that come out of a person (words, actions, etc.) that defile them. Shortly afterwards, when they were alone with Jesus in the house, the disciples ask Jesus what that parable meant. With a slight rebuke, He asks them if they are also without understanding. He then inquires, if they can understand that whatever a person eats or drinks from the outside cannot defile them, as it enters not his heart but his stomach and then is expelled. Mark adds that Jesus is therefore declaring all foods clean. Jesus explains that what defiles a person comes from within them, that the heart is the source of evil thoughts, sexual immortality, theft, murder, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All of these evil things come from within and result in defiling a person. Jesus made it clear that the Pharisees and scribes had it backwards, that what made a person defiled (unclean) was their sin and lust to sin more, not due to eating with unclean hands or using dirty pots and pans.
Considerations
Jesus offered a list of things that would defile a person, including evil thoughts. Many question what is the definition of evil, or more accurately, what is an evil thought? The easiest answer would be, any thought or action that results in taking your eyes off Jesus. Those are often the things that are the root causes that then can lead to defilement, sexual immortality, theft, murder, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
A Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
[Text parallels Matthew 15:21-28]
7:24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
Jesus left the Galilee region and headed toward the region of Tyre and Sidon, a predominantly Gentile area on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Even there He was recognized, as when He entered a house, He was approached by a Syrophoenician woman (believed to be half Syrian and half Phoenician). She had a daughter with an unclean spirit and fell down in front of Jesus, begging Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus would not, saying, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Referring to the Jews as being “the children,” Jesus’ response may have been perceived as being dispassionate and uncharacteristic for Him as well as being unusual, considering He was currently in a non-Jewish location.[5] He undoubtedly wanted this Gentile woman to publicly proclaim her faith, something He saw little of in Judea. The woman immediately answered, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Jesus then told her that for her profession of faith in God, that what she asked for was now done, that the demon that was in her daughter was gone.
Jesus Heals a Deaf Man
[Text parallels Matthew 15:29-31]
7:31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Jesus returned to the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Decapolis.[6] When He arrived, a man was brought to Him that was deaf and also could not talk (Greek ‘mogilalon’,[7] difficulty in speaking, in context was probably due to not being able to hear, unable to learn speech). The people who brought him pleaded with Jesus to lay His hand on the man. Mark notes that Jesus then took the man aside, some place that was private. Jesus then put His fingers in the man’s ears and placed some saliva on his tongue. Many readers often get confused as to why Jesus used these actions. Perhaps the best way to explain is that He was communicating with the man using gestures (a crude, but effective sign language). Letting the man know He understands what he needs, The ears and the mouth were the locations where He would be healing.
Though Jesus used saliva in His healings on two other occasions (cf. Mark 8:23; John 9:6), it obviously had no power. However, ancient people generally believed that saliva had healing properties. The deaf man would have understood that Jesus’ use of saliva meant He intended to heal him.[8]
Jesus looked up at heaven, another gesture to show the man where the healing was coming from, and sighed, acknowledging both sympathy and hope of relief. Jesus then said to the man, ‘Ephphatha’,[9] an Aramaic word meaning, as Mark notes, “be opened.” Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue released and was able to speak. Jesus again tells the people not to tell anyone about this healing.[10] Mark records that the more Jesus charged the people to not tell only encouraged them to enthusiastically proclaim as they were all astonished “beyond measure.” Saying, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” (NLT)
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[1] Strong’s Greek 2825.
[2] See commentary under Matthew 15:1-9 regarding Jewish traditions.
[3] See Exodus 20:12.
[4] See Exodus 21:17.
[5] See commentary under Matthew 15:21-28.
[6] See commentary under Matthew 4:23-25.
[7] Strong’s Greek 3424.
[8] MacArthur, J. (2015). Mark 1–8 (p. 377). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
[9] Strong’s Greek 2188.
[10] See Considerations under Matthew 9:27-31 “Tell No One.”