Church Fathers Commentary Mark 7

The Venerable Bede: The people of the land of Gennesaret, who seemed to be uneducated, not only come themselves but also bring their sick to the Lord, so that they might succeed in just touching the hem of His garment. But the Pharisees and Scribes, who ought to have been the teachers of the people, run to the Lord not to seek healing, but to ask questions intended to trap Him.¹

Therefore, it is said, "Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who came from Jerusalem gathered around Him. And when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault."

Theophylact of Ohrid: For the Lord's disciples, who were taught only the practice of virtue, used to eat in a simple way without washing their hands. But the Pharisees, wishing to find a reason to blame them, seized on this. They did not blame them for transgressing the law, but for transgressing the traditions of the elders.

Therefore, the passage continues: "For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders."

The Venerable Bede: For taking the spiritual words of the Prophets in a carnal sense, they observed commandments concerning the purification of the heart and of one's deeds by washing only the body, such as, "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean" (Isaiah 1:16), and again, "Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD" (Isaiah 52:11).

It is therefore a superstitious human tradition that people who are already clean should wash more often simply because they are eating, and that they should not eat after coming from the marketplace without washing. But for those who desire to partake of the bread that comes down from heaven, it is necessary to often cleanse their evil deeds by alms, tears, and the other fruits of righteousness. A person must also thoroughly wash away the impurities contracted from the cares of worldly business by later focusing on good thoughts and works.

In vain, however, do the Jews wash their hands and cleanse themselves after the market, so long as they refuse to be washed in the font of the Savior. In vain do they observe the washing of their vessels, while neglecting to wash away the filthy sins of their bodies and their hearts.

The passage continues: "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, 'Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?'"

St. Jerome: The folly of the Pharisees and Scribes is astonishing; they accuse the Son of God because He does not keep the traditions and precepts of men. Here, "common" is used to mean unclean, for the Jewish people, boasting that they were God's portion, called foods "common" that everyone else used.²

Pseudo-Jerome: He refutes the vain words of the Pharisees with His arguments, just as people drive back dogs with weapons, so that we too, by the word of Scripture, may conquer the heretics who oppose us.

Therefore, it continues: "Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me'" (Isaiah 29:13).

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Since they unjustly accused the disciples of transgressing not the law, but the commands of the elders, He sharply confounds them by calling them hypocrites for revering what was unworthy of reverence. He then adds the words of the prophet Isaiah, applying them directly to the Pharisees. It is as if He were saying: Just as those people—of whom it is said, "they honor God with their lips, while their heart is far from Him"—vainly pretend to be pious while honoring human doctrines, so you also neglect your own souls, which you ought to care for, and instead blame those who live righteously.³

Pseudo-Jerome: But the Pharisaical tradition regarding tables and vessels must be cut off and thrown away. For they often set aside the commands of God for the traditions of men.

Therefore, it continues, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pots and cups."

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Moreover, to convict them of neglecting the reverence due to God for the sake of the elders' tradition, which contradicted the Holy Scriptures, He adds, "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'"⁴

The Venerable Bede: In Scripture, the meaning of the word "honor" is not so much about greeting or paying respect to people, but about giving alms and bestowing gifts. As the Apostle says, "Honor widows who are really widows" (1 Timothy 5:3).

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Despite the existence of such a divine law and the threats against those who break it, you casually transgress God's commandment in order to observe the traditions of the elders.⁵

Therefore, what follows is: "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"' (that is, a gift to God)." This means, they understand, that he will be freed from the obligation of the preceding command.

Therefore, it continues, "And you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother."

Theophylact of Ohrid: For the Pharisees, wanting to devour the offerings, instructed sons to answer their parents, when asked for some of their property, "What you have asked of me is Corban"—that is, a gift—"I have already offered it to the Lord." In this way, the parents would not demand it, since it was offered to the Lord (and thus supposedly profitable for their own salvation).ⁱ

Thus, they deceived the sons into neglecting their parents while they themselves devoured the offerings. The Lord therefore reproaches them for this, for transgressing God's law for the sake of profit. Therefore, the passage continues, "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such similar things you do."

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, it could be said that the Pharisees taught young people that if a person offered a gift to atone for an injury done to his father or mother, he was free from sin, having given to God the gifts that were owed to a parent. In saying this, they did not permit parents to be honored.⁶

The Venerable Bede: The passage can be understood in short as this: The Pharisees, it is implied, compel children to say ironically to their parents, "Every gift I have to make will go to benefit you. That gift I was going to offer to God, I am now spending to feed you, and it benefits you, O father and mother." Thus, the parents would be afraid to accept what had been dedicated to God and might prefer a life of poverty over living on consecrated property.

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, the disciples eating with unwashed hands signifies the future fellowship of the Gentiles with the Apostles. The cleansing and washing of the Pharisees is fruitless, but the fellowship of the Apostles, though without ceremonial washing, has extended its branches as far as the sea.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: The Jews focus on and complain about only the bodily purification of the law; our Lord wishes to introduce the opposite.¹

For this reason it is said, And when He had called all the people to Him, He said to them, Listen to Me, everyone, and understand: there is nothing from outside a person that, by entering him, can defile him. But the things that come out of a person—those are what defile a person. This means, what makes him unclean.

The things of Christ relate to the inner person, while those of the law are visible and external. As these are bodily, the cross of Christ was soon to put an end to them.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But the Lord’s intention in saying this was to teach people that the observance of food laws, which the law commands, should not be taken in a carnal sense. From this, He began to unfold to them the purpose of the law.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He adds, If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. For He had not clearly shown them what things proceed out of a person and defile him. Because of this saying, the Apostles thought the Lord’s previous discourse implied some other deep meaning.²

Therefore, it follows: And when He was entered into the house from the people, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. They called it a parable because it was not clear.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Lord begins by rebuking them, and so it follows, Are you so without understanding also?

The Venerable Bede: For a person is a faulty hearer who considers an obscure statement to be clear, or a clear statement to be obscurely spoken.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Then the Lord shows them what was hidden, saying, Do you not perceive, that whatever from outside enters a man, it cannot make him common?

The Venerable Bede: For the Jews, boasting that they are God’s portion, call those meals “common” which all people use, such as shellfish, hares, and animals of that sort. However, not even what is offered to idols is unclean, insofar as it is food and God's creature; it is the invocation of demons that makes it unclean. And He adds the reason for this, saying, Because it does not enter his heart.

According to Plato, the principal seat of the soul is the brain, but according to Christ, it is in the heart.

Glossa OrdinariaⁱIt says, therefore, “into his heart”—that is, into his mind, which is the principal part of his soul on which his whole life depends. For this reason, a person must be called clean or unclean according to the state of his heart. Thus, whatever does not reach the soul cannot bring pollution to the person.

Foods, therefore, since they do not reach the soul, cannot in their own nature defile a person. Rather, an inordinate use of foods, which proceeds from a disordered mind, makes people unclean.

He shows that foods cannot reach the mind by what He adds, saying, But into the belly, and goes out into the sewer, purging all meats. He says this, however, without referring to what remains from the food in the body, for what is necessary for the body’s nourishment and growth remains. But what is superfluous goes out, and in this way, as it were, purges the nourishment that remains.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For some things are joined to others in such a way that they both change and are changed. For example, food loses its former appearance and is turned into our body, and we are also changed as our strength is refreshed by it.

ⁱFurthermore, a very fine liquid, after the food has been prepared and digested in our veins and other vessels, passes through us by hidden channels (called pores, from a Greek word) and is expelled as waste.

The Venerable Bede: Thus, it is not food that makes people unclean, but wickedness, which produces in us the passions that come from within. Therefore, it continues: And He said, That which comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

Glossa Ordinaria: He points out the meaning of this when He adds, for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts. And so it appears that evil thoughts belong to the mind, which is here called the heart, and according to which a person is called good or bad, clean or unclean.

The Venerable Bede: This passage condemns those who suppose that thoughts are put into them by the devil and do not arise from their own evil will. The devil may stir up and encourage evil thoughts, but he cannot be their author.

Glossa Ordinaria: From evil thoughts, however, evil actions proceed further. Concerning this, it adds: adulteries, that is, acts that consist in violating another’s marriage bed; fornications, which are unlawful unions between people not bound by marriage; murders, by which harm is inflicted on one’s neighbor; thefts, by which a neighbor’s goods are taken; covetousness, by which things are unjustly kept; wickedness, which consists in slandering others; deceit, in taking advantage of them; and lasciviousness, which includes any corruption of mind or body.

Theophylact of Ohrid: An evil eye, that is, hatred and flattery; for he who hates turns an evil and envious eye on the one he hates, and a flatterer, by looking sideways at his neighbor’s goods, leads him into evil. Blasphemy means offenses committed against God. Pride is contempt of God, when a person ascribes the good that he does not to God, but to his own virtue. Foolishness is an offense against one’s neighbor.

Glossa Ordinaria.ⁱ: Or, foolishness consists in wrong thoughts concerning God, for it is opposed to wisdom, which is the knowledge of divine things. It continues: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. For whatever is in a person’s power is counted against him as a fault, because all such things proceed from the inner will, by which a person is master of his own actions.

Theophylact of Ohrid: After the Lord had finished His teaching concerning food, seeing that the Jews were incredulous, He entered the country of the Gentiles; for with the Jews being unfaithful, salvation turns to the Gentiles.

This is why it is said, And from there He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Tyre and Sidon were Canaanite places; therefore, the Lord came to them not as His own people, but as a people who had nothing in common with the fathers to whom the promise was made. And so He came in such a way that His arrival would not be known to the Tyrians and Sidonians.¹

This is why the text continues, and entered into a house, and wished for no one to know it. For the time had not yet come for Him to dwell with the Gentiles and bring them to the faith; this was not to happen until after His cross and resurrection.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, His reason for coming in secret was so that the Jews would not find an occasion to blame Him, as if He had passed over to the unclean Gentiles.

It goes on: But He could not be hidden.

Pseudo-Augustine: But if He wished to be hidden and could not, it would appear as if His will was powerless. However, it is not possible that our Savior's will should not be fulfilled, nor can He will something that He knows should not happen.²

Therefore, when something has taken place, it can be asserted that He willed it. We should observe that this happened among the Gentiles, for whom it was not yet time to preach. Nevertheless, to refuse them when they came to the faith of their own accord would have been to begrudge them their faith.

So it happened that the Lord was not made known by His disciples. Others, however, who had seen Him entering the house, recognized Him, and it began to be known that He was there. His will, therefore, was that He should not be proclaimed by His own disciples, but that others should come to seek Him—and that is what happened.

The Venerable Bede: Having entered the house, He also commanded His disciples not to reveal who He was to anyone in this unknown region. He did this so that those on whom He had bestowed the grace of healing might learn from His example, as much as they could, to shrink from the glory of human praise in the display of their miracles.

Yet they were not to cease from the pious work of virtue when either the faith of the good justly deserved that miracles be performed, or the unfaithfulness of the wicked made them necessary. For He Himself made His entry into that place known to the Gentile woman, and to whomever else He wished.³

Pseudo-Augustine: Lastly, the Canaanite woman came in to Him on hearing of Him; if she had not first submitted herself to the God of the Jews, she would not have obtained His blessing. Concerning her, the text continues: For a woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as soon as she heard of Him, came in and fell at His feet.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: By this, the Lord wished to show His disciples that He opened the door of faith even to the Gentiles. This is also why the woman's nationality is described when it adds, The woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by nation—that is, from Syria and Phoenicia.⁴

It goes on: and she pleaded with Him that He would cast the devil out of her daughter.

St. Augustine of Hippo: A question about a discrepancy may be raised, however, because it is said that the Lord was in the house when the woman came asking about her daughter. Yet when Matthew says that His disciples suggested to Him, Send her away; for she crieth after us (Matthew 15:23), he seems to imply that the woman was crying out her pleas after the Lord as He was walking.

How, then, do we infer that she was in the house, except from Mark, who says that she came in to Jesus after having already stated that He was in the house? But Matthew, because he says, He answered her not a word, leads us to understand that He went out from the house during that silence. In this way, the other events are connected, so that they no longer disagree in any way.⁵

It continues: But He said to her, Let the children be first filled.

The Venerable Bede: The time will come when even you Gentiles will obtain salvation. But it is right that first the Jews, who are deservedly and customarily called the children of God's ancient election, should be refreshed with heavenly bread, and so, at last, the food of life should be given to the Gentiles.

There follows: For it is not right to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He did not say these words because there is a deficiency of power in Him that would prevent Him from ministering to all. Rather, it was because His blessing, if given to both Jews and Gentiles who had no interaction with each other, might become a cause of jealousy.⁶

Theophylact of Ohrid: He calls the Gentiles "dogs," as they were considered wicked by the Jews. By "bread," He means the blessing which the Lord promised to the children, that is, the Jews. The meaning, therefore, is that it is not right for the Gentiles to be the first to partake of the blessing promised principally to the Jews.

Therefore, the reason the Lord does not answer immediately, but delays His grace, is so that He might also show that the woman's faith was firm. It is also so that we may learn not to grow weary in prayer at once, but to remain persistent until we receive what we ask.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Likewise, this was also to show the Jews that He did not bestow healing on foreigners to the same degree as on them, and that through the revelation of the woman's faith, the unfaithfulness of the Jews might be more fully exposed. For the woman was not offended, but with great reverence agreed with what the Lord had said.⁷

Therefore, it continues, And she answered and said to Him, Truth, Lord, but the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

Theophylact of Ohrid: It is as if she said, "The Jews have the whole of that bread which comes down from heaven, and Your blessings also; I ask only for the crumbs—that is, a small portion of the blessing."

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Her placing herself in the rank of dogs is therefore a sign of her reverence. It is as if she said, "I consider it a favor to be in the position of a dog, eating not from another table, but from the Master's own."⁸

Theophylact of Ohrid: Therefore, because the woman answered with great wisdom, she received what she wanted. This is why the text continues, And He said to her... He did not say, "My power has made you whole," but rather, For this saying—that is, for your faith, which is shown by this saying—go your way; the devil has gone out of your daughter.

It goes on: And when she came to her house, she found her daughter lying on the bed, and the devil gone out.

The Venerable Bede: On account of the mother's humble and faithful words, therefore, the devil left the daughter. A precedent is given here for catechizing and baptizing infants, since by the faith and confession of their parents, infants are freed from the devil in baptism, even though they themselves can neither have knowledge nor do good or evil.

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, however, the Gentile woman who prays for her daughter is our mother, the Church of Rome. Her daughter, afflicted with a devil, is the barbarian western race, which by faith has been turned from a dog into a sheep. She desires to take the crumbs of spiritual understanding, not the unbroken bread of the letter.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The soul of each of us, when it falls into sin, is also like this woman. This soul has a sick daughter, which represents our evil actions, and this daughter, in turn, has a devil, because evil actions arise from devils.

Likewise, sinners are called dogs, as they are filled with uncleanness. For this reason, we are not worthy to receive the bread of God or to partake in the immaculate mysteries of God. If, however, in humility we acknowledge that we are like dogs and confess our sins, then the daughter—that is, our evil life—will be healed.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Lord did not wish to stay in the regions of the Gentiles, so that He would not give the Jews an occasion to say that they considered Him a transgressor of the law for associating with Gentiles. Therefore, He immediately returns.

Therefore it is said, And again departing from the coasts of Tyre, He came through Sidon, to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.

The Venerable Bede: Decapolis is a region of ten cities across the Jordan, to the east, opposite Galilee.ⁱ Therefore, when it is said that the Lord came to the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the region of Decapolis, it does not mean that He entered the territory of Decapolis itself. For He is not said to have crossed the sea, but rather to have come to the shores of the sea, reaching the place that was opposite the middle of the region of Decapolis, which was situated at a distance across the sea. ¹

It goes on, And they bring Him one that was deaf and dumb, and they begged Him to lay hands upon him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This is rightly placed after the deliverance of one possessed by a demon, for such an instance of suffering came from the devil.

Then follows, And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He takes the deaf and mute man who was brought to Him apart from the crowd, so that He might not perform His divine miracles openly. He teaches us to cast away vainglory and pride, for no one can work miracles as he can who loves humility and is humble in his conduct.

But He puts His fingers into the man's ears, when He could have cured him with a word, to show that His body, being united to the Deity, was consecrated by divine power in all that He did. For since, because of Adam's transgression, human nature had endured much suffering and injury in its members and senses, Christ, coming into the world, showed the perfection of human nature in Himself. For this reason, He opened ears with His fingers and gave the power of speech by His saliva. ²

Therefore it goes on, And spit, and touched his tongue.

Theophylact of Ohrid: He did this to show that all the members of His sacred body are divine and holy—even the saliva that loosed the string of the tongue. For saliva is only the superfluous moisture of the body, but in the Lord, all things are divine.

It goes on, And looking up to heaven, He groaned, and says to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

The Venerable Bede: He looked up to heaven to teach us that from there we are to obtain speech for the mute, hearing for the deaf, and health for all who are sick. And He sighed, not because it was necessary for Him to ask anything from His Father with groaning—for He, together with the Father, gives all things to those who ask—but to give us an example of sighing when we call upon the protection of divine mercy for our own errors and those of our neighbors.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He also groaned at the same time, as if taking our cause upon Himself and pitying human nature, seeing the misery into which it had fallen. ³

The Venerable Bede: But what He says, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened, properly belongs to the ears. For the ears are to be opened for hearing, but the tongue is to be loosed from the bonds of its impediment so that it may be able to speak.

Therefore it goes on, And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

Here each nature of the one and same Christ is clearly distinct: looking up to heaven as a man and praying to God, He groaned; but then, with one word, as one who is strong in divine majesty, He healed.

It goes on, And He charged them that they should tell no one.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: By this He has taught us not to boast in our own powers, but in the cross and humiliation. He also commanded them to conceal the miracle, so that He would not incite the Jews by envy to kill Him before the appointed time. ⁴

Pseudo-Jerome: A city, however, placed on a hill cannot be hidden, and humility always precedes glory.

Therefore it goes on, but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it.

Theophylact of Ohrid: By this we are taught that when we do good for anyone, we should by no means seek applause and praise. But when we have received benefits, we should proclaim and praise our benefactors, even if they are unwilling.

St. Augustine of Hippo: However, if He, as one who knew the present and future wills of people, knew that they would proclaim Him all the more as He forbade them, why did He give them this command? Was it not because He wished to prove to those who are idle how much more joyfully and obediently those whom He commands to proclaim Him should preach, when even those who were forbidden could not remain silent?

Glossa Ordinaria: However, from the preaching of those who were healed by Christ, the wonder of the multitude and their praise for Christ's good works increased.

Therefore it goes on, And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He has done all things well; he makes the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, Tyre is interpreted as "narrowness" and signifies Judea, to which the Lord said, For the bed is too narrow (Isaiah 28:20), and from which He turns to the Gentiles. Sidon means "hunting," for our race is like an untamed beast, and "sea" signifies a wavering inconstancy. Again, the Savior comes to save the Gentiles in the midst of the region of Decapolis, which may be interpreted as the commands of the Decalogue.

Furthermore, the human race throughout its many members is considered as one man, consumed by various plagues in the first created man. It is blinded—that is, its eye is evil. It becomes deaf when it listens to evil, and mute when it speaks evil. And they prayed Him to lay His hand upon him, because many righteous men and patriarchs wished and longed for the time when the Lord would come in the flesh.

The Venerable Bede: Or, he is deaf and mute who neither has ears to hear the words of God nor opens his mouth to speak them. Such a person must be presented to the Lord for healing by people who have already learned to hear and speak the divine words.

Pseudo-Jerome: Furthermore, he who obtains healing is always drawn aside from turbulent thoughts, disorderly actions, and incoherent speech. The fingers that are put into the ears are the words and gifts of the Holy Spirit, of whom it is said, This is the finger of God (Exodus 8:19; Luke 11:20). The saliva is heavenly wisdom, which loosens the sealed lips of the human race so that it can say, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty," and the rest of the Creed.

And looking up to heaven, he groaned—that is, He taught us to groan and to raise the treasures of our hearts to heaven, because by the groaning of heartfelt remorse, the foolish joy of the flesh is purged away. But the ears are opened to hymns, songs, and psalms, and He looses the tongue that it may pour forth the good word, which neither threats nor beatings can restrain.