Mark 7:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

NIV: They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

NASB: AND IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’

CSB: They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands.

NLT: Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

KJV: Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

NKJV: And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

The Pharisees and Jewish leaders think that following the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:5) will ensure their close relationship with God. Jesus tells them the opposite—the pride and control that impels them to demand adherence to their extra-scriptural rules is what keeps them from God. Isaiah, whom Jesus paraphrases, equates such hubris with a man thinking his actions are hidden from the Lord and the clay questioning the wisdom of the potter (Isaiah 29:15–16).

Later, Peter will discover that Jesus revoked the Jewish dietary law (Acts 10:9–16), and James, Jesus' half-brother and pastor of the church in Jerusalem, will affirm that Gentile believers should not be held to the Jewish law of circumcision (Acts 15:1–21). Paul will warn Christians against getting caught up in "Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth" (Titus 1:14). Today, that can include insisting that Jesus will return during the Day of Atonement or other significant Jewish date, or being dogmatic about other end-times predictions.

Orthodox Jews still follow much of the traditions of the elders, including ceremonial hand-washing. David, however, said that God's law is complete, by which he meant the written Word (Psalm 19:7). Jesus affirms that while the Pharisees "tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders" (Matthew 23:4), God meant for the burden of His law to be light (Matthew 11:30).

The church today is often guilty of trying to enforce similar traditions. Tithing, for instance, is not a command meant for the church age. Speaking in tongues is not evidence of having the Holy Spirit. Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath to the point that we are not required to observe it. Some of our modern church traditions are useful and some are harmful, but none of them is necessary for salvation.

Mark 7:1–13 argues that the traditions of Jewish elders are twisted interpretations of the Mosaic Law that hide the purpose of that law. Washing is a particular requirement of priests and has nothing to do with ensuring the ceremonial cleanness of a meal. And keeping a rash oath does not relieve a child from the commandment to care for his parents. In their attempt to add to the ceremonial law, the elders subtract from the moral law. They find that anyone who attempts to find salvation through works will end up stumbling on Christ (Romans 9:30–33). This story is also found in Matthew 15:1–9.

Jesus counters another traditional error from the scribes and Pharisees, explaining that food in and of itself does not make a person unclean. Rather, it is the intent of the heart that matters to God. He specifically condemns traditions which effectively undo the original intent of God's commands. Jesus heals the daughter of a persistent Gentile woman, and a man suffering from deafness and a speech impediment.

After showing His authority over demons, death, and physics, Jesus asserts His superiority over manmade traditions. For generations, Jewish religious leaders have added to the Law in an attempt to keep the nation holy. Such traditions, however, serve to make the leaders look good but unnecessarily burden the people. Jesus argues in word and action that any law that dismisses love is either misinterpreted or manmade.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.