Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”
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Mark 7:2-5 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”
Parallel Translations
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Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.
They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)
The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”
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And when they sawe certayne of his disciples eate breed with comen hondes (that is to saye with vnwesshen hondes) they complayned.
For the pharises and all the Iewes excepte they washe their hondes ofte eate not observinge the tradicions of the elders.
And when they come from the market except they washe they eate not. And many other thinges ther be which they have taken apon them to observe as the wasshinge of cuppes and cruses and of brasen vessels and of tables.
Then axed him the pharises and scribes why walke not thy disciples accordinge to the tradicions of the elders but eate breede with vnweshen hondes?
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And when they sawe some of his disciples eate meate with common hands, (that is to say, vnwashen) they complained.
(For the Pharises, and all the Iewes, except they wash their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the Elders.
And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eate not: and many other things there be, which they haue taken vpon them to obserue, as the washing of cups, and pots, and of brasen vessels, and of beds.)
Then asked him the Pharises and Scribes, Why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, but eate meate with vnwashen hands?
Cross-references (34)
- Galatians 1:14 (vv3, 5) I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my…
- Matthew 23:25 (v4) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of…
- Luke 11:38-39 (v4) When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse…
- Acts 10:28 (v2) He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation,…
- Hebrews 9:10 (v4) being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
Show all 33 cross-references
- Isaiah 1:16 (v4) Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
- Jeremiah 4:14 (v4) Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
- Mark 7:13 (v3) making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”
- John 2:6 (v4) Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.
- Acts 21:21 (v5) They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise…
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (v5) Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion,…
- James 4:8 (v4) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Job 9:30-31 (v4) If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye, yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
- Psalms 26:6 (v4) I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh,
- Matthew 7:3-5 (v2) Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your…
- Matthew 15:2 (v5) “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
- Matthew 27:24 (v4) So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before…
- Mark 2:16-18 (v5) The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why is it that…
- Acts 21:24 (v5) Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is…
- Romans 14:14 (v2) I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to…
- Colossians 2:8 (v3) Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the…
- Colossians 2:21-23 (v3) “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch” (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men? These things indeed…
- 1 John 1:7 (v4) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses…
- Daniel 6:4-5 (v2) Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion…
- Matthew 15:2-6 (v3) “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” He answered them, “Why do…
- Matthew 23:23-25 (v2) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law:…
- Mark 7:5 (v3) The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with…
- Mark 7:7-10 (v3) But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to…
- John 3:25 (v4) Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
- Acts 10:14-15 (v2) But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” A voice came to him again the second time, “What…
- Acts 11:8 (v2) But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’
- Romans 4:12 (v5) He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father…
- 1 Peter 1:18 (v3) knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your…
33 distinct cross-references across this passage (34 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2–5 For the Pharisees would not eat their meat with…
For the Pharisees would not eat their meat with unwashed hands, because they thought that their hands were defiled with common handling of things, Matt. 15:11, 12.
Word for word, eat bread: a kind of speech which the Hebrews use, taking bread for all kinds of food.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–5 2 And when they saw some of his disciples…
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
Ver. 2. With defiled] Gr. with common hands, κοιναις χερσι. Common and defiled is one and the same in Greek and other languages; to show that those that come to holy things with common affections and carriages, profane them.
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They found fault] εμεμψαντο. They mumped at it, as we say; they dispraised, accused, complained. Vituperant homines quam collaudant promptius, saith one: another being demanded, what was the easiest thing in the world? answered, to find fault with another. Μωμεισθαι ραον η μιμεισθαι, saith a third; it is easier to find a fault, than to mend it.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–5 And when they saw some of his disciples,.... An…
And when they saw some of his disciples,.... An opportunity soon offered of giving them an handle against him: for observing some of his disciples to sit down to meat, they took notice that they
eat bread with defiled (that is to say, with unwashen) hands, and
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they found fault; with them, and charged them with the breach of the traditions of the elders, and took an occasion from hence of quarrelling with Christ. The Jews use the same phrase the evangelist here does, and interpret it in just the same manner: so, speaking of things eaten, , "with defiled hands"; that is, says the commentator (i), it is all one as if it was said, , "without washing of hands"; which was esteemed a very great crime, and especially if done in a contemptuous way: for they say (k),
"he that despiseth washing of hands, shall be rooted out of the world; for in it is the secret of the decalogue:''
and particularly to eat with unwashed hands, was unpardonable in a disciple of a wise man; for they looked upon this to be the characteristic of one of the vulgar people, a common and illiterate man: for they ask (l),
"who is one of the people of the earth, or a plebeian? he that does not eat his common food with purity.''
By this also they distinguished a Jew from a Gentile; if he washed his hands, and blessed, he was known to be an Israelite, but if not, a Gentile (m); See Gill on Mat 15:2.
(i) Bartenora in Misn. Cholin, c. 2. sect. 5. (k) Zoharin Numb fol. 100. 3. (l) T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 61. 1. (m) Bevaidbar Rabba, fol. 228. 4.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and…
Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches - The Greek word (baptisms) means indifferently either washing or sprinkling. The cups, pots, and vessels were washed; the couches sprinkled.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2–5 Verse 2. They found fault.] This is wanting in…
Verse 2. They found fault.] This is wanting in ABEHLV, nineteen others, and several versions: Mill and Bengel approve the omission, and Griesbach rejects the word. If the 3d and 4th verses be read in a parenthesis, the 2d and 5th verses will appear to be properly connected, without the above clause.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v3 Mar 7:3-5. For the Pharisees, &c., except they wash…
Mar 7:3-5. For the Pharisees, &c., except they wash their hands oft — Greek, εαν μη πυγμη νιψωνται τας χειρας, except they wash their hands with their fist: or, as some render it, to the wrist. Theophylact translates it, unless they wash up to their elbows; affirming that πυγμη denotes the whole of the arm, from the bending to the ends of the fingers. But this sense of the word is altogether unusual. For πυγμη, properly, is the hand, with the fingers contracted into the palm, and made round. “Theophylact’s translation, however,” says Macknight, “exhibits the evangelist’s meaning. For the Jews, when they washed, held up their hands, and, contracting their fingers, received the water that was poured on them by their servants, (who had it for a part of their office, 2Ki 3:11,) till it ran down their arms, which they washed up to their elbows. To wash with the fist, therefore, is to wash with great care.” A MS. termed Codex Bezæ, instead of πυγμη, the fist, or wrist, has πυκνη, frequently. And when they come from the market, except they wash — Greek, βαπτισωνται, bathe themselves, as the word probably ought here to be rendered, (see Lev 15:11,) they eat not — Having the highest opinion of the importance of these institutions. Indeed, some of their rabbis carried this to such a ridiculous height, that one of them determined the neglect of washing to be a greater sin than whoredom; and another declared, it would be much better to die than to omit it. See many instances of this kind in Hammond and Whitby on the place. The Pharisees, therefore, viewing these washings in this important light, did not doubt but our Lord, by authorizing his disciples to neglect them, would expose himself to universal censure, as one who despised the most sacred services of religion; services to which a sanction was given by the approbation and practice of the whole nation. Accordingly, they asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders? — Hast thou taught them to despise these institutions? But while they pretended nothing but a sorrowful concern for the contempt which the disciples cast on institutions so sacred, their real intention was to make Jesus himself to be detested by the people as a deceiver. But the charge of impiety which they thus brought against him and his disciples, he easily retorted upon them with ten-fold strength. For he shows clearly, that notwithstanding their pretended regard for the duties of godliness, they were themselves guilty of the grossest violations of the divine law. And as they thus transgressed, not through ignorance, but knowingly, they were the worst of sinners, mere hypocrites, who deserved to be abhorred by all good men; and the rather, as God had long ago testified his displeasure against them, in the prophecy which Isaiah had uttered concerning them. He answered, Well hath Esaias prophesied, &c. — See note on Mat 15:7-9.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2–4 With common hands. It may be translated, with defiled…
With common hands. It may be translated, with defiled hands; as also ver. 15; but the circumstances plainly shew the sense. (Witham)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2–4 2. Unwashen hands — This was not the matter…
2. Unwashen hands — This was not the matter of cleanliness, but of superstitious purity. The Jews of Palestine at the present day wash, indeed, after the meal, because they have handled meat with their fingers, but they wash not, either for cleanliness or superstition, before the meal. According to the Eastern custom, they sometimes think it polite, as Dr. Thomson remarks, to present to the mouth of their guests a piece of food in fingers too dirty to be agreeable to a European taste.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–4 2. with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen,…
2. with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands] Thus St Mark explains for his Roman readers, and then proceeds more fully to set forth certain Jewish usages. The Pharisees had probably crept in secretly into some of the social gatherings of the disciples.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–5 (2) With defiled, that is to say, with unwashen,…
(2) With defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands.—The first word means literally common. This came to be associated, as in Act_10:14, with what was “unclean,” and so, for Jews at all events, the word acquired a new meaning. St. Mark’s Gentile readers, however, were not likely to understand what was meant by “common hands,” and therefore he adds his explanation of “unwashed.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv3–5 Except they wash their hands oft. The Greek word…
Except they wash their hands oft. The Greek word here rendered "oft" is pugmh : literally, with the fist, i.e. with the closed hand, rubbing one against the other. This word has caused a vast amount of criticism; and the difficulty of explaining it seems to have led to the adoption of a conjectural reading (puknwv or puknh) rendered "oft;" crebro in the Vulgate. But the Syriac Peshito Version renders the Greek word by a word which means "diligently," and it is interesting and helpful, as a matter of exegesis, to know that it also renders the Greek word (epimelwv) in Luk_15:8 by the same Syriac synonym, "diligently." The "clenched fist" implies vigor and resolution, and points to "diligence," and there are very high authorities in favor of this rendering, as, Epiphanius, Isaac Casaubon, and Cornelius a Lapide, to say nothing of our best modern expositors. It is also adopted in the Revised Version. Holding the tradition of the elders. The Pharisees pretended that this tradition had been orally delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and then transmitted orally down to their time. These oral precepts were afterwards embodied in the Talmud.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv2–5 2. Eat bread with defiled hands. Not dirty, but…
2. Eat bread with defiled hands. Not dirty, but “unwashen.” The “tradition of the elders” required them to always wash before eating lest they might have touched something ceremonially unclean.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v5 i.e. the so-called "oral law" alleged to have been…
tradition
i.e. the so-called "oral law" alleged to have been handed down from Moses; really a traditional interpretation of the written law.
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See margin ref., (See Scofield "Mar 7:7")
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv2, 5 General Information:
General Information:
In verses verses 3 and 4, the author gives background information about the Pharisees' washing traditions in order to show why the Pharisees were bothered that Jesus' disciples did not wash their hands before eating. This information can be reordered in order to make it easier to understand, as in the UDB. (See: Background Information and Verse Bridges)
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They saw
"The Pharisees and the scribes saw"
that is, unwashed
The word "unwashed" explains why the disciples' hands were defiled. It can be expressed in active form. AT: "that is, with hands that they had not washed" or "that is, that they had not washed their hands" (See: Active or Passive)
elders
Jewish elders were leaders in their communities and were also judges for the people.
copper vessels
"copper kettles" or "metal containers"
the couches upon which they eat
"benches" or "beds." At that time, the Jews would recline when eating.
translationWords
disciple
bread
defile
Pharisee
Jew
tradition
elder
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv2, 5 7:2-4 Mark explains the Pharisaic practices of ritual cleansing…
7:2-4 Mark explains the Pharisaic practices of ritual cleansing for his non-Jewish (Gentile) readers. The ancient traditions (literally the traditions of the elders) were as yet unwritten accounts that the Pharisees believed had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai along with the written law. They were written down around AD 200 in the Mishnah, one of the key sources for understanding ancient Judaism.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.