1104 Mark 7
What is the “ tradition of the elders ”?
7.5 The “ tradition of the elders ” was the list of many rules that the Pharisees had made up . The Pharisees thought that all of their rules were very important — more important even than God ’ s law and his Word . Jesus said that the Pharisees were wrong . Rules made up by people are never as important as God ’ s Word .
prophesied rightly about you hypocrites , as it is written ,
‘ This people honors me with their lips , but their hearts are far from me ;
7 in vain do they worship me , teaching human precepts as doctrines .’ 8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition .”
9 Then he said to them , “ You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition ! 10 For Moses said , ‘ Honor your father and your mother ’; and , ‘ Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die .’ 11 But you say that if anyone tells father or mother , ‘ Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban ’ ( that is , an offering to God a )— 12 then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother , 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on . And you do many things like this .”
14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them , “ Listen to me , all of you , and understand : 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile , but the things that come out are what defile .” b
17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house , his disciples asked him about the parable . 18 He said to them , “ Then do you also fail to understand ? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile , 19 since it enters , not the heart but the
stomach , and goes out into the sewer ?” ( Thus he declared all foods clean .) 20 And he said , “ It is what comes out of a person that defiles . 21 For it is from within , from the human heart , that evil intentions come : fornication , theft , murder , 22 adultery , avarice , wickedness , deceit , licentiousness , envy , slander , pride , folly . 23 All these evil things come from within , and they defile a person .”
The Syrophoenician Woman ’ s Faith
24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre . c He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there . Yet he could not escape notice , 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him , and she came and bowed down at his feet . 26 Now the woman was a Gentile , of Syrophoenician origin . She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter . 27 He said to her , “ Let the children be fed first , for it is not fair to take the children ’ s food and throw it to the dogs .” 28 But she answered him , “ Sir , d even the dogs under the table eat the children ’ s crumbs .” 29 Then he said to her , “ For saying that , you may go — the demon has left your daughter .” 30 So she went home , found the child lying on the bed , and the demon gone .
Jesus Cures a Deaf Man
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre , and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee , in the region of the Decapolis . 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech ; and they begged him to lay his hand on him . 33 He took him aside in private , away from the crowd , and put his fingers into his ears , and he spat and touched his tongue . 34 Then looking up to heaven , he sighed and said to him , “ Ephphatha ,” that is , “ Be opened .” 35 And immediately his ears were opened , his tongue was released , and he spoke plainly . 36 Then Jesus e ordered them to tell no one ; but the more he ordered them , the more zealously they
a 7.11 Gk lacks to God b 7.15 Other ancient
authorities add verse 16 , “ Let anyone with ears to hear listen ” c 7.24 Other ancient authorities add and Sidon d 7.28 Or Lord ; other ancient authorities prefix Yes e 7.36 Gk he