Mark 7 (JND) - Bible Truth Library

Up to the elbow.Theophylact. [Pugme ,] the fist; which Dr. Lightfoot illustrates by a tradition from the Talmudical tracts, that when they washed their hands, they washed the fist up to the joint of the arm, [ad perek.]

The Jews laid great stress on these washings, or baptisms, [baptismos ,] considering eating with unwashen hands no ordinary crime, and feigning that an evil spirit, called Shibta, has a right to sit on the food of him who thus eats, and render it hurtful.the tradition.

Mark 7:7‑10,13• ⁷But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their teachings commandments of men.
⁸For, leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men to keep--washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do.
⁹And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves to keep.
¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, he who speaks ill of father or mother, let him surely die.
¹³making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do. (Mark 7:7‑10,13)

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Matt. 15:2‑6• ²Why do thy disciples transgress what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
³But he answering said to them, Why do *ye* also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching?
⁴For God commanded saying, Honour father and mother; and, He that speaks ill of father or mother, let him die the death.
⁵But *ye* say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, whatsoever it be by which received from me thou wouldest be profited:
⁶and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching. (Matt. 15:2‑6)

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Gal. 1:14• ¹⁴and advanced in Judaism beyond many my contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines of my fathers. (Gal. 1:14)

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Col. 2:8,21‑23• ⁸See that there be no one who shall lead *you* away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
²¹Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,
²²(things which are all for destruction in the using of them:) according to the injunctions and teachings of men,
²³(which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour,) to the satisfaction of the flesh. (Col. 2:8,21‑23)

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1 Peter 1:18• ¹⁸knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible things, as silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from your fathers, (1 Peter 1:18)

• They washed cups and pots, but not their hearts. (“Mark 7” by J.N. Darby)

• Any rule invented by man for the government of Christians is a tradition, and of the worst kind, because it is thus made a thing of positive authority for faith and practice. (“Mark 7” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligentlyg, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancientsh;

JND Translation Notes

Or "often." lit. "with the fist," a word of very uncertain and contested meaning.

Or "the tradition of the elders."

W. Kelly Translation

for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligentlya, eat not, holding the tradition of the ancients.

WK Translation Notes

Or "frequently", "with vigour", or "with nicety." The mass of authority sustains this reading. Lit. "with the fist", or "up to the elbow."

WK Verse Note

(Note: Words in italics have been inserted from the J. N. Darby translation where the W. Kelly translation doesn’t exist.)