Mar 7:1-9 | Barnes | STEP | MARK CHAPTER 7 Verses 1-23. See this passage explained in the Barnes Notes on . and . Verse 1. Came from Jerusalem . Probably to observe his conduct, and to find matter of accusation against him. (l) "Then came together"

Mark 7:1-9

MARK CHAPTER 7

Verses 1-23. See this passage explained in the Barnes Notes on Mt 15:1-20. Mt 15:1 and Mt 15:2-20.

Verse 1. Came from Jerusalem. Probably to observe his conduct, and to find matter of accusation against him.

(l) "Then came together" Mt 15:1 Verse 2. Defiled hands. The hands were considered defiled, or polluted, unless they were washed previous to every meal.

(2) "defiled" or, "common" Verse 3. Except they wash their hands oft. The word oft means frequently, often. The word translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means "up to the wrist;" unless they wash their hands up to the wrist. Others have said, "up to the elbow." There is evidence that the Pharisees had some such foolish rule as this about washing, and it is likely that they practised it faithfully, But the word probably means, diligently, accurately, carefully. Unless they wash their hands carefully, or according to rule, etc.

The tradition. What had been handed down, not what was delivered by writing in the law of Moses, but what had been communicated from father to son, as being proper and binding. The elders. The ancients, not the old men then living, but those who had lived formerly.

(1) "hands oft" or, "diligently" "Gr. with the fist" Theophylact, "up to the elbow"

(m) "tradition" Gal 1:14, Col 2:8,22,23 Verse 4. Market. This word means either the place where provisions were sold, or the place where men were convened for any purpose. In this place it probably means the former.

Except they wash. In the original, "Except they baptize." In this place it does not mean to immerse the whole body, but the hands only. There is no evidence that the Jews washed their whole bodies every time they came from market. It is probable they washed as a mere ceremony; and often, doubtless, with the use of a very small quantity of water.

The washing of cups. In the Greek, the baptism of cups.

Cups. Drinking vessels. Those used at their meals.

Pots. Measures of liquids. Vessels made of wood, used to hold wine, vinegar, etc.

Brasen vessels. Vessels made of brass, used in cooking or otherwise. These, if much polluted, were commonly passed through the fire; if slightly polluted, they were washed. Earthen vessels, if defiled, were usually broken.

Tables. This word means, in the original, beds or couches. It refers not to the tables on which they ate, but to the couches on which they reclined at their meals. Mt 23:6. These were supposed to be defiled when any unclean or polluted person had reclined on them; and they deemed it necessary to purify them with water. The word baptism is here used--in the original, the baptism of tables; but as it cannot be supposed that couches were entirely immersed in water, the word baptism, here, must denote some other application of water, by sprinkling or otherwise, and shows that the term is used in the sense of washing in any way. If the word here is used, as is clear, to denote anything except entire immersion, it may be elsewhere; and baptism is lawfully performed without immersing the whole body in water.

(n) "except they wash" Job 9:30,31 (2) "and pots" "Sexatarius is about a pint and a half" (3) "of tables" or, "tables" Verse 6.

(o) "Esaias" Isa 29:13 Verse 7. For doctrines. For commands of God binding on the conscience. Imposing your traditions as equal in authority to the commands of God. Verse 8. Laying aside. Rejecting, or making it give place to traditions; considering the traditions as superior in authority to the Divine law. This was the uniform doctrine of the Pharisees. See Mt 15:1-9.

The tradition of men. What has been handed down by men, or what rests solely on their authority.

(p) "For laying aside" Isa 1:12 Verse 9. Full well. These words are capable of different interpretations. Some read them as a question: "Do ye do well in rejecting?" etc. Others suppose they mean skilfully, cunningly. "You show great cunning, or art, in laying aside God's commands, and substituting in their place those of men." Others suppose them to be ironical. "How nobly you act! From conscientious attachment to your traditions, you have made void the law of God;" meaning to intimate by it, that they had acted wickedly and basely.

(1) "reject" or, "frustrate"