Church Fathers Commentary Mark 7:1-13

"And there are gathered together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of his disciples ate their bread with defiled, that is, unwashen, hands. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; and [when they come] from the market-place, except they bathe themselves, they eat not; and many other things there are, which they have received to hold, washings of cups, and pots, and brasen vessels.) And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands? And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men. Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death: but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given [to God]; ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do." — Mark 7:1-13 (ASV)

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.

1. in Marc., 2, 29
2. Hier. in Matt., 15
3. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
4. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
5. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
6. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.