71 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem, are gathered together to him, 2 and seeing some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, 3 (for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients; 4 and [on coming] from the market-place, unless they are washed, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the washing of cups and vessels, and brazen utensils, and couches), 5 then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands? 6 But he answering said to them, Well did Esaias prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, teaching [as their] teachings commandments of men. 8 [For], 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. 9 And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves [to keep]. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, he who speaks ill of father or mother, let him surely die. 11 But ye say, If a man say to his father or his mother, [It is] corban (that is, gift), whatsoever thou mightest have profit from me by ... 12 And ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do. 14 And having called again the crowd, he said to them, Hear me, all [of you], and understand: 15 There is nothing from outside a man entering into him which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those it is which defile the man. 16 If any one have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 And when he went indoors from the crowd, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he says to them, Are ye also thus unintelligent? Do ye not perceive that all that is outside entering into the man cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter into his heart but into his belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which goes forth out of the man, that defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, a wicked eye, injurious language, haughtiness, folly; 23 all these wicked things go forth from within and defile the man.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 7:1-23
Commentary on Mark 7:1-13
(Read Mark 7:1-13)
One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty.
Commentary on Mark 7:14-23
(Read Mark 7:14-23)
Our wicked thoughts and affections, words and actions, defile us, and these only. As a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so does a corrupt heart send forth corrupt reasonings, corrupt appetites and passions, and all the wicked words and actions that come from them. A spiritual understanding of the law of God, and a sense of the evil of sin, will cause a man to seek for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to keep down the evil thoughts and affections that work within.