Mark 7:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

NIV: You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions."

NASB: Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.'

CSB: Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition."

NLT: For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.'

KJV: For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

NKJV: For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Despite hundreds of years of warnings, the Jews refused to obey the Mosaic Law in clear issues like not worshiping false gods (Jeremiah 9:13–14) and observing the Sabbath (Jeremiah 17:27). Even after the seventy-year captivity in Babylon, those who returned to Jerusalem had to learn the difficult lesson of not taking pagan wives (Ezra 10). But they did work harder, up to and including developing additional rules known as the oral law.

While the Pharisees and scribes revere this oral law as instructions of the elders passed down from Moses, Jesus regards it as manmade traditions. Ostensibly, the oral law is a supplement to the Mosaic Law, a gate-keeper that prevents anyone from breaking the laws God gave directly. In reality, it is an unnecessary burden that denies the perfection of God's Word (Psalm 19:7) while inciting pride in its followers. In addition, strict adherence to the manmade rules invariably leads to disobedience to God.

"Leave" is from the Greek root word aphiemi and means to abandon all claims to. "Hold" is from the Greek root word krateo and infers a mastery or control marked with power and strength. The words describe the beginning stages of the religious leaders' change of heart toward God's law.

The Pharisees and scribes claim that following the traditions makes it easier to obey the Law. Today's church still has a tendency to follow suit. It's fine to have a tradition, such as a Christmas pageant or a summer church picnic. It's fine for a church to have a particular culture, such as favoring a music style or formal clothing. It's not okay for tradition or culture to supersede the purpose of the church, which is to be a place where believers can serve and love each other.

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.