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Markchapter 7

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A.Washed Hands and Nullified Commandmentsvv. 1-13

1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, 2 and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. 3 Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. 4 And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.” 6 Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 7 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ 8 You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.” 9 He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

B.Defilement Comes From Withinvv. 14-23

14 Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand: 15 Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.” 16 17 After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable. 18 “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.) 20 He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. 21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23 All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

C.The Syrophoenician Mother Who Would Not Leavevv. 24-30

24 Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. 25 Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 “First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 28 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

D.Ephphatha: the Deaf Man Hearsvv. 31-37

31 Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. 33 So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). 35 Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition
← Back: Mark 6Continue: Mark 8 →

Chapter summary

Tradition of the elders; Corban; that which defiles comes from within.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

Tradition of the elders; Corban; that which defiles comes from within. The Syrophoenician woman's faith: 'the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.' Deaf and dumb man of the Decapolis healed: 'Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.' Mark's unique account.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Mark — Mark overview

  • A. 1–13 Washed Hands and Nullified Commandments
  • B. 14–23 Defilement Comes From Within
  • C. 24–30 The Syrophoenician Mother Who Would Not Leave
  • D. 31–37 Ephphatha: the Deaf Man Hears
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • Matthew 1512 verses
  • Mark 55 verses
    • Mark 5:20So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
    • Mark 5:23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
    • Mark 5:40And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.
    • Mark 5:41Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
    • Mark 5:42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old, and at once they were utterly astounded.
    • Read Mark 5 →
  • Mark 74 verses
    • Mark 7:3Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.
    • Mark 7:9He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
    • Mark 7:13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
    • Mark 7:15Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”
    • Read Mark 7 →
  • Titus 13 verses
    • Titus 1:14and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
    • Titus 1:15To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
    • Titus 1:16They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
    • Read Titus 1 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • Luke 113 verses
    • Luke 11:14One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,
    • Luke 11:38But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
    • Luke 11:53As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,
    • Read Luke 11 →
  • Mark 32 verses
    • Mark 3:12But He warned them sternly not to make Him known.
    • Mark 3:22And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”
    • Read Mark 3 →
  • Matthew 72 verses
    • Matthew 7:3Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
    • Matthew 7:6Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
    • Read Matthew 7 →
  • Colossians 22 verses

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.