7. JESUS BY THE AND SCRIBES Mark 7:1-13 (Matthew 15:1-9) 1 And there are gathered together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,--Mark gives a glimpse of the organized opposition against Jesus. Between the events of this and the preceding chapter were Christ's discourse at Capernaum (John 6:22-71), and the third Passover of his public ministry, which he did not attend (John 6:4; John 7:1). Disappointed in not seeing Jesus at the Passover (John 6:4; John 7:1), they probably came to Galilee to watch his movements and to conspire against him. These Pharisees and scribes were sent, doubtless by the authorities in Jerusalem, to counteract the widespread influence of Jesus in Galilee. No doubt the shrewdest and most able were sent. Sent from the seat of learning and authority, able and shrewd, and they were considered better prepared to meet Jesus than the ones who resided in Galilee. 2 and had seen that some of his disciples ate their bread with defiled, that is, unwashen, hands.--These Pharisees and scribes, watching for an opportunity to attack Jesus, found it in the fact "that some of his disciples ate their bread with defiled hands." Mark explains that "defiled" hands are "unwashen" hands. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently,--That is, frequently--often--carefully and up to the elbow. eat not, holding 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. of the elders;--The ancients, not the old men then living, but those who had lived formerly. This parenthetic clause is an explanation of the practices of "the Pharisees, and all the Jews," in regard to the customs mentioned, in this and next verse. "All the Jews" is a comparative expression, meaning not literally every one of them, but the most of them; for a few were Sadducees, who rejected the tradition. The Jews claim there are two laws--the written law of Moses written in the Bible and the oral law, tradition handed down, they claim, from Moses through Aaron and his sons, the elders of that time, Joshua, and the prophets--from generation to generation successively. They claim that when God gave Moses the written law, he gave him also the tradition, or oral law, as an explanation of the written law. This explanation of the written law is "the tradition of the elders" handed down. They attached more importance to the tradition than to the law itself, or, human nature-like, to their interpretations of the scriptures than to the scriptures themselves. A digest of the tradition is called the "Mishua";comments upon and explanations of the Mishua is the "Talmud." Thus the Mishua explains the law and the Talmud explains the Mishua. 4 and when they come from the marketplace,--Where provisions are sold. A broad place or square in the city of public resort, with the market on one side and colonnades on the other. To this place people resorted for different purposes. Here children met to play (Matthew 11:16-17); laborers to seek work (Matthew 20:1-7);the sick, to be healed (Mark 6:56);and philosophers, to discuss grave and great questions. In the marketplace in Athens, Paul discussed the resurrection with the Epicureans and Stoic philosophers. (Acts 17:17-18.) The Pharisees loved the "salutations in the marketplaces." (Mark 12:38.) There at Philippi, Paul and Silas were dragged before the magistrates. (Acts 16:19.) except they bathe themselves, they eat not;--Except they immerse themselves. The word "bathe" is from the Greek "baptizo." Hence the idea of dipping or immersing themselves, thus taking a bath before eating. While in the marketplace, the whole body was in danger of being defiled by coming in contact with all classes, hence the necessity of immersing the whole body in water. and many other things there are, which they have received to hold,--Many other like usages which the Pharisees had "received" by tradition "to hold," to adhere to and practice. washings of cups,--In the original the baptisms of cups. Drinking vessels--those used at their meals. and pots,--Vessels made of wood, used to hold liquids, etc., had to be washed--immersed. and brasen vessels.--Vessels made of brass, used in cooking or otherwise, if much polluted, were commonly passed through the fire; if only slightly polluted, they were washed. The religious practices of the Jews in question are named. The law of uncleanness is plainly stated in the law of Moses, but these practices of the Jews were not parts of that law; they were traditions, extensions of the law by human wisdom and authority, "doctrines" and "the precepts of men." (Matthew 15:9.) Washing the hands, different vessels, and tables in order to cleanse them of dirt was not peculiar to the Jews. Others did that then and do it now. And this was not the practice Jesus condemned. He condemns all kinds of filthiness. However free from dirt their hands, vessels, tables, and they themselves ceremonially unclean, they performed these acts, nevertheless; they performed them as religious service, or ceremonies, or rites. This was the thing Jesus condemned. The law required the unclean to bathe themselves (Leviticus 14:9-15; Leviticus 16:24-28; Leviticus 17:15; Numbers 19:7-8; Numbers 19:19), but the Pharisees by their theories had added to the word of God and were punctilious in performing ceremonies which the law did not require. Let us beware "of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." (Luke 12:1.) By our own theories, "logical deductions." and traditions, it is possible for us to become pharisaical. 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders,--They do not directly charge Jesus, but his disciples. They relied upon the authority of their tradition for the charge. Not to live according to it was to "transgress" it. (Matthew 15:2.) but eat their bread with defiled hands?--Without washing their hands before eating. The traditionary practices just mentioned, and the fact that the disciples were seen to eat with unwashed hands, gave rise to the discussion which now follows. 6 And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites,--Jesus selects as a proof text Isaiah 29:13. He gave the sense, not the exact language. He applies the text to them. Their false doctrine and practice were foretold by the prophet, but they did not seem to realize it. This is the first time Jesus addressed them openly as hypocrites. as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.--In motive and purpose. The motive and purpose, as well as the words, must be pure. Their hearts were not right. 7 But in vain do they worship me,--Emptiness is all you give me in your worship. He gives the reason in the next clause. teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.--The precepts of men were the doctrine they taught. "Doctrines" refer to those things taught as binding upon the conscience, as obligatory. Jesus applies it to the Pharisees and scribes as religious teachers. 8 Ye leave the commandment of God,--Set the pure word of God on the sidetrack--neglecting and disregarding the commandment of God. and hold fast the tradition of men.--They neglected the commandment of God and clung to the traditions of men. In this they preferred man to God. They set God aside --they dethroned him and gave man his seat. A severe charge indeed. 9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition.--They could not do both, so in order to keep their tradition they rejected the commandment of God. Note that Jesus did not deny the charge they brought against his disciples but virtually acknowledged its truth. He came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of God who sent him (John 6:38), and not, therefore, "the tradition of the elders." "The precepts of men" are no part of the will of God. Jesus did not keep them, because they were not commandments of God. In reply to this accusation, Jesus attacked tradition itself and charged his accusers with three things: (1) hypocrisy, because they pretended to honor God with their lips when their hearts were far from him; (2) worshiping God in vain, because they taught "as their doctrines the precepts of men"; (3) rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep their tradition. He applied the declaration of Isaiah (29:13) to them: "And their fear of me is a commandment of men which bath been taught them." 10 For--Jesus introduces an example where the scribes and Pharisees set aside God's law for their tradition to prove his charge against them. Moses said,--In Exodus 20:12. Jesus here gives his sanction of the decalogue as of divine origin and Moses as an inspired teacher and lawgiver. God gave the law through Moses. Honor thy father and thy mother;--In every way--in word, deed and thought and by providing for them in old age or during distress. and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death:--"Or, surely die." Let him end with death. A severe penalty indeed and shows the importance of honoring father and mother. 11 but ye say,--By your tradition and your practice in opposition to what Moses says. He arrays Moses against themselves. If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given to God;--A gift--something brought near, or devoted to God, as a gift, offering or sacrifice. It was applied to all offerings whether with or without blood, and especially in fulfillment of a vow. (Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 1:10; Leviticus 1:14; Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 2:4; Leviticus 7:13 Numbers 31:50.) According to the Mosaic law, persons could devote certain things to God with certain limitations. (Leviticus 27:2-33; Numbers 30:2-15; Deuteronomy 23:21-22; Judges 13:7.) To these regulations were added those of tradition by the scribes and Pharisees. And so far was it carried that even the pronouncing of the word "Corban" over one's property absolved him from the obligation of caring for his parents. And even if this was done in the excitement of anger, it was held to be binding. 12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother;--This was the result of setting aside the commandment of God and doing the tradition of men. God said to care for father and mother, but tradition would not allow it. You allow the children to do as they desire. Such an exposure as this should have made them ashamed of so wicked a practice. 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered:--The tradition had been handed down and by their practice had annulled the word of God. Jesus returns in his argument to the charge made in verse 8, which he had sustained. Jesus shows the Pharisees and scribes by an example that they had rejected the commandment of God for their tradition. The example does not touch the uncleanness, but is against tradition, and is the stronger because it proves that tradition is not only without authority, but sets aside the command and authority of God. To honor father and mother is to give them the attention, care, and support necessary in their old age or affliction. God teaches that children who have widowed mothers and grandmothers should "learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to requite their parents"; that this service is acceptable in his sight; and that all who refuse to render it deny the faith and are worse than unbelievers. (1 Timothy 5:4-8.) One of the most general and popular evils of the day is neglect of the old, disregard for parents, and throwing off home duties and restraints. This is not taught at home, in school, or from the pulpit as it should be. Another popular evil of the day, and one that is growing more prevalent, is the neglect of the aged by both church and the business part of the world. The old preachers and the aged laborers who bore the heat and burden of the day in building up the churches and business enterprises are "laid on the shelf" without any means of support and their places given to the young. No nation can hope to prosper as long as it suffers such injustice to its aged. God emphasizes the duty of learning this kind of piety first. To honor father and mother is "the first commandment with promise," and the promise is great--"that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3.) Nothing can take the place of this, and it cannot be set aside for anything else. To pretend to be Christians while neglecting these home duties is to be pharisaical and worse than infidels. There is such a thing as being worse than an infidel, and this is it. There is too much self-denial, hard work, and homekeeping in Christianity to suit the Pharisees of the present or any other age. and many such like things ye do.--After giving the above example, Jesus here made the application. Not only this one, but "many others" on the same order are practiced by you.