传统与诫命

有法利赛人和一些律法教师从耶路撒冷来见耶稣。 他们看到祂的门徒有些吃饭前没有照礼仪洗手。 因为法利赛人和所有的犹太人都拘守祖先的传统,总是先照礼仪洗手之后才吃饭; 从市场回来也要先洁净自己,然后才吃饭。他们还拘守许多其他规矩,如洗杯、罐、铜器等。

他们质问耶稣:“为什么你的门徒违背祖先的传统,竟用不洁净的手吃饭呢?”

耶稣回答说:“以赛亚先知针对你们这些伪君子所说的预言一点不错,正如圣经上说,

“‘这些人嘴上尊崇我,
心却远离我。
他们的教导无非是人的规条,
他们敬拜我也是枉然。’

你们只知拘守人的传统,却无视上帝的诫命。” 耶稣又对他们说:“你们为了拘守自己的传统,竟巧妙地废除了上帝的诫命。 10 摩西说,‘要孝敬父母’,又说,‘咒骂父母的,必被处死。’ 11 你们却认为人若对父母说,‘我把供养你们的钱财已经全部奉献给上帝了’, 12 他就可以不奉养父母。 13 你们就是这样为了拘守传统而废除上帝的道,类似的情形还有很多。”

内心的污秽

14 耶稣又召集众人,教导他们说:“我的话,你们要听明白, 15 从外面进去的不会使人污秽,只有从人里面发出来的才会使人污秽。 16 有耳可听的,都应当听!”

17 耶稣离开众人,进了屋子,门徒问祂这比喻的意思。 18 耶稣说:“你们也不明白吗?你们不知道吗?从外面进去的,不会使人污秽, 19 因为不能进入他的心,只能进他的肠胃,最后会排出来,也就是说所有的食物都是洁净的。 20 从人里面发出来的才使人污秽, 21 因为从里面,就是从人的心里能够生出恶念、苟合、偷盗、谋杀、 22 通奸、贪婪、邪恶、诡诈、放荡、嫉妒、毁谤、骄傲、狂妄。 23 这一切恶事都是从里面生出来的,能使人污秽。”

外族妇人的信心

24 耶稣从那里启程去泰尔和西顿地区。祂进了一户人家,原本不想让人知道,却无法避开人们的注意。 25-26 当时有一个妇人的小女儿被污鬼附身,她听见耶稣的事,就来俯伏在祂脚前,恳求祂赶出她女儿身上的鬼。这妇人是希腊人,来自叙利亚的腓尼基。

27 耶稣对她说:“要先让儿女们吃饱,因为把儿女的食物丢给狗吃不合适。”

28 妇人说:“主啊,你说的对,但桌子下的狗也吃孩子们掉下来的碎渣呀!”

29 耶稣说:“因为你这句话,你回去吧,鬼已经离开你的女儿了。”

30 她回到家里,见女儿躺在床上,鬼已经离开了。

医治聋哑的人

31 耶稣离开泰尔地区,经过西顿,来到低加坡里地区的加利利湖。 32 有人带着一个又聋又哑的人来见耶稣,恳求祂把手按在这个人身上。 33 耶稣就带他离开众人走到一边,用指头伸进他的耳朵,又吐唾沫抹他的舌头, 34 望天长叹,对他说:“以法大!”意思是“开了吧!” 35 他的耳朵立刻开了,舌头灵活了,说话也清楚了。 36 耶稣吩咐他们不要将这事告诉人。可是耶稣越是这样吩咐,他们越是极力宣扬, 37 听见的人都十分惊奇,说:“祂做的事好极了,甚至叫聋子听见,哑巴说话!”

That Which Defiles(A)

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled,(B) that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.(C) When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a])(D)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders(E) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[b](F)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”(G)

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions!(H) 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[d](I) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[e](J) 11 But you say(K) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God(L) by your tradition(M) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [f]

17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him(N) about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods(O) clean.)(P)

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(Q) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith(R)

24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[g](S) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit(T) came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man(U)

31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre(V) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee(W) and into the region of the Decapolis.[h](X) 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,(Y) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on(Z) him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit(AA) and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven(AB) and with a deep sigh(AC) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.(AD)

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.(AE) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:4 Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches
  2. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13
  3. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up
  4. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  5. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
  6. Mark 7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.
  7. Mark 7:24 Many early manuscripts Tyre and Sidon
  8. Mark 7:31 That is, the Ten Cities

One day some Jewish religious leaders arrived from Jerusalem to investigate him, and noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish rituals before eating. (For the Jews, especially the Pharisees, will never eat until they have sprinkled their arms to the elbows,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. So when they come home from the market, they must always sprinkle themselves in this way before touching any food. This is but one of many examples of laws and regulations they have clung to for centuries, and still follow, such as their ceremony of cleansing for pots, pans, and dishes.)

So the religious leaders asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old customs? For they eat without first performing the washing ceremony.”

6-7 Jesus replied, “You bunch of hypocrites! Isaiah the prophet described you very well when he said, ‘These people speak very prettily about the Lord but they have no love for him at all. Their worship is a farce, for they claim that God commands the people to obey their petty rules.’ How right Isaiah was! For you ignore God’s specific orders and substitute your own traditions. You are simply rejecting God’s laws and trampling them under your feet for the sake of tradition.

10 “For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother.’ And he said that anyone who speaks against his father or mother must die. 11 But you say it is perfectly all right for a man to disregard his needy parents, telling them, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you! For I have given to God what I could have given to you.’ 12-13 And so you break the law of God in order to protect your man-made tradition. And this is only one example. There are many, many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15-16 [b]Your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say!”

17 Then he went into a house to get away from the crowds, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the statement he had just made.

18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that what you eat won’t harm your soul? 19 For food doesn’t come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the digestive system.” (By saying this he showed that every kind of food is kosher.)

20 And then he added, “It is the thought-life that pollutes. 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, 22 wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God.”

24 Then he left Galilee and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon,[c] and tried to keep it a secret that he was there, but couldn’t. For as usual the news of his arrival spread fast.

25 Right away a woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by a demon. She had heard about Jesus and now she came and fell at his feet, 26 and pled with him to release her child from the demon’s control. (But she was Syrophoenician—a “despised Gentile”!)

27 Jesus told her, “First I should help my own family—the Jews.[d] It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

28 She replied, “That’s true, sir, but even the puppies under the table are given some scraps from the children’s plates.”

29 “Good!” he said. “You have answered well—so well that I have healed your little girl. Go on home, for the demon has left her!”

30 And when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

31 From Tyre he went to Sidon, then back to the Sea of Galilee by way of the Ten Towns. 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and everyone begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man and heal him.

33 Jesus led him away from the crowd and put his fingers into the man’s ears, then spat and touched the man’s tongue with the spittle. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, “Open!” 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!

36 Jesus told the crowd not to spread the news, but the more he forbade them, the more they made it known, 37 for they were overcome with utter amazement. Again and again they said, “Everything he does is wonderful; he even corrects deafness and stammering!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:3 sprinkled their arms to the elbows, literally, “washed with the fist.”
  2. Mark 7:15 Many of the ancient manuscripts add v. 16: “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” Your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say, literally, “What proceeds out of the man defiles the man.”
  3. Mark 7:24 the region of Tyre and Sidon, about fifty miles away.
  4. Mark 7:27 First I should help my own family—the Jews, literally, “Let the children eat first.”

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

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

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

And 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.

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

He 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.

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

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.

And 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.

14 And 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.

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

18 And 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?

20 And 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.

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

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

27 But 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.

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

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

30 And 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.

32 And 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.

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

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

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

36 And 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;

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