Mark 7:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’

NIV: For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.'

NASB: For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘THE ONE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS CERTAINLY TO BE PUT TO DEATH’;

CSB: For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

NLT: For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’

KJV: For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

NKJV: For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

The Pharisees and scribes have harassed Jesus about specific ways in which He and His disciples do not follow the tradition designed to supplement the Mosaic Law. The disciples do not fast (Mark 2:18–22) and they pick grain on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23–28); Jesus, Himself, heals on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1–6). Thus far, Jesus has countered the religious legalism with paradigm-changing ideas. For instance, that His disciples can't fast while they are in His presence, or that the Sabbath was designed by God for man's benefit, not the other way around. Jesus has explained that the traditions Pharisees and scribes follow merely disguise their lack of worship of and respect for God and His Word. Now He gets down to their level and gives a specific example.

He sets the stage by quoting the Mosaic Law that the scribes and Pharisees claim to honor. By beginning with, "For Moses said," Jesus offers two important insights. First, He affirms Moses as the primary author of the Torah. Second, He refers to the highest source of authority among the Jewish religious leaders, something much greater than the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:5).

Jesus' first quote is from the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). The second is from one of the most controversial topics in the Mosaic Law, the law that states if a son curses his father or mother he should be put to death (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). "Revile" is from the Greek root word kakologeo and means to speak evil of to the point of cursing. It doesn't mean to complain about, but to disrespect to the point of abuse. In the example Jesus gives, it means to vow to not honor one's parents, which is a capital offense.

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.