Mark 7

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctines the commandments of men.

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

What does Mark 7:12 mean?

Explanation

Mark 7:12 states, "And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother." This verse is part of a larger conversation where Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and some teachers of the law about the issue of Corban.

The verse is criticizing the practice of dedicating something to God as a way to avoid helping one's parents.

In this context, "suffer" means to allow or permit, and "do ought" refers to doing anything or fulfilling an obligation.

Essentially, Jesus is pointing out that people use religious vows to neglect their familial responsibilities, thus invalidating the commandment to honor one's father and mother.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Jewish society was highly religious, with a deep respect for traditions and the interpretations of the law by religious leaders.

The Pharisees, a predominant religious group, emphasized strict adherence to the Torah and developed additional traditions and legal interpretations.

The concept of "Corban", which Jesus refers to earlier in Mark 7, was a vow in which a person could dedicate property to the temple, making it unavailable for any other use, including helping one's parents.

Jesus criticizes this practice as it allowed people to sidestep the command to honor their parents, as outlined in the Ten Commandments.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, the verse highlights Jesus' teaching that true religion is not about legalistic adherence to traditions but about love, mercy, and fulfilling God's commandments.

Jesus is challenging the religious establishment's interpretation of the law, showing that their traditions have distorted God's original intentions.

This teaching emphasizes the importance of the heart's intention over ritualistic practices.

From various denominational viewpoints, the emphasis might be on the critique of hypocrisy, the prioritization of God's Word over human tradition, or the essential principle of caring for one's family.

Practical Applications

The teaching of this verse can be applied to modern life in various ways.

Believers are encouraged to examine their priorities, ensuring that their practices and traditions do not override clear moral responsibilities.

It serves as a reminder to balance religious devotion with practical love and care for family members.

Christians are called to honor their parents and not to use religious or other excuses to neglect family needs.

This verse can also be applied to broader social ethics, where it warns against using religion to justify ignoring the needs of the vulnerable.

Cross-References

Exodus 20:12: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
Matthew 15:4-6: "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.

Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."

Isaiah 29:13: "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek of Mark 7:12 include:

"suffer" (ἀφίημι, aphiēmi): Often means to send away, let go, let alone, or permit.
"him no more" (οὐ μηκέτι, ou mēketi): A phrase signifying that something will not happen anymore.
"do" (ποιέω, poieō): To make or do, in this context, it means to fulfill an obligation or perform a duty.
"ought" (οὐδέν, ouden): Nothing or in no manner, meaning not anything.
"father" (πατήρ, patēr) and "mother" (μήτηρ, mētēr): These terms are straightforward, referring to one's parents.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this verse to other ancient cultures, many had strong traditions surrounding filial piety and respecting parents, much like the Jewish tradition.

In some cultures, like ancient Roman or Greek society, honoring one's family was also intertwined with social and religious duties.

The concept of using religious reasons to circumvent moral responsibilities, as criticized in this verse, can be found in various forms across different cultures and religions.

The criticism of such practices suggests a universal moral principle of caring for one's family that transcends individual religious customs.

Scientific Perspectives

There are no direct scientific perspectives related to this verse since it deals with moral and religious behavior rather than empirical claims about the natural world.

However, in the broader sense, psychological studies on altruism and moral development may provide insight into the importance of prioritizing familial obligations and how religious beliefs and practices can impact moral decision-making.

Commentaries

The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes that these words of Jesus expose the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who would teach such traditions that broke the law of God, which commanded children to honor their parents.
Matthew Henry's Commentary argues that this practice of Corban was a gross perversion of the law and a contradiction to it, suggesting that Christ aimed to rectify misunderstandings of God's law.
The Expositor's Greek Testament notes the legalistic cunning that used the tradition of Corban to sidestep clear moral duties, with Jesus condemning such deception.
John Calvin, in his commentaries, insists on the proper interpretation of God's law, which forbids using religious pretexts to evade helping parents, underscoring that outward piety without kindness and love is worthless.

Mark 7

Mark 7

What does Mark 7:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 7:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?