Mark 7

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 7

1¶ Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6He answered and said unto them, ‹Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.›

7‹Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.›

8‹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.›

9And he said unto them, ‹Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.›

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

11‹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free].›

12‹And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;›

13‹Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.›

14And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, ‹Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand:›

15‹There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.›

16‹If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.›

17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18And he saith unto them, ‹Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;›

19‹Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?›

20And he said, ‹That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.›

21‹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,›

22‹Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:›

23‹All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.›

24¶ And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid.

25For a [certain] woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27But Jesus said unto her, ‹Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] unto the dogs.›

28And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

29And he said unto her, ‹For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.›

30And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31¶ And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, ‹Ephphatha,› that is, Be opened.

35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published [it];

37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus confronts the Pharisees and scribes for prioritizing human traditions over God's commandments, particularly regarding ritual washing and the Corban vow. He then teaches the multitude that true defilement comes from the evil within a man's heart, not from external things. Following this, Jesus travels to Tyre and Sidon, where he heals a Syrophoenician woman's daughter, and later, in Decapolis, he miraculously restores hearing and speech to a deaf man.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, who criticize his disciples for eating with unwashed hands, thereby neglecting the "tradition of the elders." Jesus rebukes them as hypocrites, quoting Isaiah, asserting that they honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him, and they teach human doctrines instead of divine commandments. He illustrates this by their use of "Corban," which allowed them to neglect their parents while claiming to dedicate resources to God, thus nullifying God's word through their tradition. Jesus then gathers the multitude and teaches that defilement originates not from external things entering a person, but from the evil thoughts and actions that proceed from within the heart. Subsequently, Jesus journeys to the region of Tyre and Sidon, where a Syrophoenician woman demonstrates great faith, persuading Jesus to cast an unclean spirit out of her daughter. Finally, returning through Decapolis, Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment by a direct miraculous act, despite charging those present to keep it secret, which they widely disregarded due to their astonishment.

Long Summary

Mark chapter 7 opens with the arrival of Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, who observe Jesus' disciples eating bread with unwashed hands, violating their established "tradition of the elders." They challenge Jesus on this point, questioning why his followers do not adhere to these ritualistic washings of hands, cups, pots, and tables. Jesus responds by condemning them as hypocrites, quoting the prophet Isaiah, stating that they honor God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him, and they teach human precepts as divine doctrine. He explicitly accuses them of setting aside God's commandment to uphold their own traditions. To illustrate this, Jesus cites the example of "Corban," a practice where individuals could declare their resources as a gift to God, thereby excusing themselves from supporting their parents, effectively nullifying the commandment to honor one's father and mother. Following this discourse, Jesus calls the multitude to him and delivers a profound teaching: "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man." His disciples later seek clarification on this "parable." Jesus explains that external food passes through the body without defiling the heart, but true defilement stems from the evil that originates from within the human heart, listing a comprehensive array of vices such as evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. After these teachings, Jesus withdraws to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, seeking privacy, but his presence is soon discovered. A Syrophoenician woman, whose young daughter was afflicted by an unclean spirit, approaches him, pleading for her daughter's healing. Jesus initially tests her faith by stating, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." The woman humbly and wisely replies, "Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." Commending her faith, Jesus declares her daughter healed, and upon returning home, the woman finds her daughter delivered. Continuing his journey, Jesus departs from Tyre and Sidon, passing through Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. There, a deaf man with a speech impediment is brought to him. Jesus takes the man aside, performs a unique healing ritual involving touching his ears and tongue, and with a sigh, commands, "Ephphatha," meaning "Be opened." Immediately, the man's hearing and speech are restored. Despite Jesus' instruction to keep the miracle quiet, the people, astonished beyond measure, widely proclaimed his power, declaring, "He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

Core Concepts

  • Tradition vs. CommandmentJesus challenges the Pharisees' adherence to human traditions, such as ritual handwashing, which they elevate above God's explicit commandments, like honoring parents. This highlights a central conflict between external religious practices and internal moral obedience.
  • True DefilementJesus redefines defilement, asserting that it does not come from external things entering a person (like food), but from the evil thoughts and intentions that originate from within the human heart. This shifts the focus from ceremonial purity to moral purity.
  • CorbanThis is presented as a specific example of how the Pharisees used a religious vow (dedicating resources to God) to circumvent their duty to care for their parents, effectively nullifying the fifth commandment through their tradition.
  • Faith of the Syrophoenician WomanA Gentile woman demonstrates remarkable humility, persistence, and understanding of Jesus' mission, using a clever analogy to appeal for her daughter's healing despite initial resistance, leading to a miraculous outcome.
  • Healing of the Deaf and MuteJesus performs a distinct miracle by restoring hearing and speech to a man with specific physical actions and a direct command ("Ephphatha"), showcasing his power over physical infirmities and his compassion.
  • HypocrisyJesus directly labels the Pharisees as hypocrites for their outward show of piety and adherence to human rules while their hearts are far from God and they neglect divine commands. This concept underscores the importance of sincerity in worship and obedience.