Mark 7

The Tradition of the Elders

¹Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.

²Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.

³(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

⁴They 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.)

⁵The 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?”

⁶He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

⁷They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸“For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.”

⁹He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

¹⁰For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’

¹¹But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,”’” that is to say, given to God,

¹²“then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,

¹³making void the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”

¹⁴He called all the multitude to himself and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.

¹⁵There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

¹⁶If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁷When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable.

¹⁸He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him,

¹⁹because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?”

²⁰He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man.

²¹For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,

²²covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

²³All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

The Syrophoenician Woman

²⁴From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice.

²⁵For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet.

²⁶Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

²⁸But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

³⁰She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.

The Healing of a Deaf Man

³¹Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis.

³²They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him.

³³He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue.

³⁴Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

³⁵Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.

³⁶He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it.

³⁷They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

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Next Mark 8

Jesus confronts the Pharisees' emphasis on ritual purity over heart transformation, declaring that moral defilement comes from within rather than from external sources like unwashed hands or unclean foods. He demonstrates the universal scope of his ministry by healing the Syrophoenician woman's daughter despite initial hesitation, showing that faith transcends ethnic boundaries. The chapter concludes with Jesus healing a deaf man in the Decapolis region, revealing his compassion and power to restore both physical and spiritual wholeness.

Context

This chapter follows Jesus' walking on water and continues his conflicts with religious authorities while expanding his ministry to Gentile regions.

Key Themes

Outline

1-5
Pharisees Question Hand Washing Religious leaders from Jerusalem challenge Jesus about his disciples eating with unwashed hands, violating traditional purity laws.
6-13
Jesus Condemns Human Traditions Jesus rebukes the Pharisees as hypocrites who prioritize human traditions over God's commandments, citing the Corban example.
14-23
Teaching on True Defilement Jesus teaches that moral contamination comes from the heart's evil intentions, not from external foods or ritual impurity.
24-30
The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith A Gentile woman persistently seeks healing for her daughter, and Jesus grants her request after testing her faith.
31-37
Healing the Deaf Man Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment in the Decapolis, amazingthe crowds with his miraculous power.

The Tradition of the Elders

7:1–7:23

gospel dialogue defiant

Jesus confronts the Pharisees about their traditions, teaching that external rituals don't defile a person but rather what comes from the heart. He criticizes their elevation of human tradition over God's commandments.

person_contrast

Jesus employs rabbinic argumentation techniques—citing Scripture, using *qal wahomer* logic, and invoking the Decalogue—to dismantle Pharisaic authority using their own interpretive methods.

The Syrophoenician Woman

7:24–7:30

gospel dialogue contemplative

A Syrophoenician woman persistently asks Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Her faith and clever response lead Jesus to grant her request and heal the child from a distance.

person_contrast

Jesus's initial harsh response using the metaphor of "dogs" creates the only Gospel scene where a Gentile woman successfully challenges his words and changes his mind through wit.

The Healing of a Deaf Man

7:31–7:37

gospel narration triumphant

Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment through physical touch and divine power. The crowd marvels at his ability to make the deaf hear and mute speak.

person_contrast

Jesus's private healing method using saliva and the Aramaic word "Ephphatha" uniquely combines intimate physical touch with divine command, contrasting his typical public teaching style.

Insight Character Study

Jesus employs rabbinic argumentation techniques—citing Scripture, using *qal wahomer* logic, and invoking the Decalogue—to dismantle Pharisaic authority using their own interpretive methods.

Insight Character Study

Jesus's initial harsh response using the metaphor of "dogs" creates the only Gospel scene where a Gentile woman successfully challenges his words and changes his mind through wit.

Insight Character Study

Jesus's private healing method using saliva and the Aramaic word "Ephphatha" uniquely combines intimate physical touch with divine command, contrasting his typical public teaching style.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Mark 7:1 1 reference

Lexicals 1

Matthew 15:1 Lexical

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

Mark 7

The Tradition of the Elders

The Syrophoenician Woman

The Healing of a Deaf Man

The Tradition of the Elders

The Syrophoenician Woman

The Healing of a Deaf Man

Insights

Cross-References

Mark 7:1 1 reference

Mark 7:2 1 reference

Mark 7:3 1 reference

Mark 7:5 5 references

Mark 7:6 5 references

Mark 7:7 2 references

Mark 7:10 5 references

Mark 7:11 5 references

Mark 7:12 5 references

Mark 7:13 2 references

Mark 7:17 4 references

Mark 7:18 1 reference

Mark 7:19 1 reference

Mark 7:21 2 references

Mark 7:22 3 references

Mark 7:24 5 references

Mark 7:27 4 references

Mark 7:28 1 reference

Mark 7:30 3 references

Mark 7:31 5 references

Mark 7:37 1 reference

Interlinear

Historical Context