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Lo que contamina al hombre(A)

Los fariseos y algunos de los escribas, que habían venido de Jerusalén, se acercaron a Jesús y vieron que algunos de sus discípulos comían pan con manos impuras, es decir, sin habérselas lavado. (Los fariseos, y todos los judíos, viven aferrados a la tradición de los ancianos, de modo que, si no se lavan las manos muchas veces, no comen. Cuando vuelven del mercado, no comen si antes no se lavan. Y conservan también muchas otras tradiciones, como el lavar los vasos en que beben, los jarros, los utensilios de metal, y las camas.) Entonces los fariseos y los escribas le preguntaron a Jesús: «¿Por qué tus discípulos no siguen la tradición de los ancianos, sino que comen pan con manos impuras?» Jesús les respondió: «¡Hipócritas! Bien profetizó de ustedes Isaías, cuando escribió:

»“Este pueblo me honra con los labios,
pero su corazón está lejos de mí.
No tiene sentido que me honren,
si sus enseñanzas son mandamientos humanos.”(B)

Porque ustedes dejan de lado el mandamiento de Dios, y se aferran a la tradición de los hombres.» [Es decir, al lavamiento de jarros y de vasos para beber, y a muchas otras cosas semejantes.][a]

También les dijo: «¡Qué bien invalidan ustedes el mandamiento de Dios, para mantener su propia tradición! 10 Porque Moisés dijo: “Honra a tu padre y a tu madre”,(C) y también: “El que maldiga al padre o a la madre, morirá irremisiblemente.”(D) 11 Pero ustedes dicen: “Basta que alguien diga al padre o a la madre: ‘Todo aquello con que podría ayudarte es Corbán’ (es decir, mi ofrenda a Dios)”, 12 y con eso ustedes ya no permiten que nadie ayude más a su padre o a su madre. 13 Es así como ustedes invalidan la palabra de Dios con la tradición que se han transmitido, además de que hacen muchas otras cosas parecidas.»

14 Jesús volvió a llamar a toda la gente, y les dijo: «Escúchenme todos, y entiendan: 15 Nada que venga de afuera puede contaminar a nadie. Lo que contamina a la persona es lo que sale de ella.» 16 [Si alguno tiene oídos para oír, que oiga.][b] 17 Cuando entró en la casa, luego de alejarse de la multitud, sus discípulos le preguntaron acerca de la parábola. 18 Jesús les dijo: «¿Tampoco ustedes pueden entender esto? ¿Acaso no entienden que nada que venga de afuera y entre en alguien puede contaminarlo? 19 Porque eso no entra en su corazón, sino en su vientre, y al final va a parar en la letrina.» Con esto Jesús estaba diciendo que todos los alimentos son limpios, 20 aunque también decía que lo que contamina es lo que sale de la persona. 21 Porque de adentro del corazón humano salen los malos pensamientos, la inmoralidad sexual, los robos, los homicidios, 22 los adulterios, las avaricias, las maldades, el engaño, la lujuria, la envidia, la calumnia, la soberbia y la insensatez. 23 Todos estos males vienen de adentro y contaminan a la persona.

La fe de la mujer sirofenicia(E)

24 De allí Jesús se fue a la región de Tiro y de Sidón. Llegó a una casa y trató de que nadie lo supiera, pero no pudo esconderse 25 porque, tan pronto como una mujer, cuya hija tenía un espíritu impuro, supo que él había llegado, fue a su encuentro y se arrojó a sus pies. 26 Esa mujer era griega, de nacionalidad sirofenicia, y le rogaba que expulsara de su hija al demonio; 27 pero Jesús le dijo: «Primero deja que los hijos queden satisfechos, porque no está bien quitarles a los hijos su pan y echárselo a los perritos.» 28 La mujer le respondió: «Es verdad, Señor. Pero hasta los perritos comen debajo de la mesa las migajas que dejan caer los hijos.» 29 Entonces Jesús le dijo: «Por esto que has dicho, puedes irte tranquila; el demonio ya ha salido de tu hija.» 30 Cuando la mujer llegó a su casa, encontró a su hija acostada en la cama, y el demonio ya había salido de ella.

Jesús sana a un sordo

31 Jesús volvió a salir de la región de Tiro, y fue por Sidón al lago de Galilea, pasando por la región de Decápolis. 32 Le llevaron allí a un sordo y tartamudo, y le rogaban que pusiera la mano sobre él. 33 Jesús lo apartó de la gente, le metió los dedos en las orejas y, con su saliva, le tocó la lengua; 34 luego levantó los ojos al cielo, y lanzando un suspiro le dijo: «¡Efata!», es decir, «¡Ábrete!» 35 Al instante se le abrieron los oídos y se le destrabó la lengua, de modo que comenzó a hablar bien. 36 Jesús les mandó que no contaran esto a nadie, pero mientras más se lo prohibía, ellos más y más lo divulgaban. 37 La gente estaba muy asombrada, y decía: «Todo lo hace bien. Hasta puede hacer que los sordos oigan y que los mudos hablen.»

Footnotes

  1. Marcos 7:8 El texto que aparece entre corchetes se halla sólo en mss. tardíos.
  2. Marcos 7:16 El texto que aparece entre corchetes se halla sólo en mss. tardíos.

Chapter 7

Traditions That Falsify the Law of God.[a] When the Pharisees, along with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around Jesus, they noted that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and in fact all Jews, do not eat without thoroughly washing their hands, thereby observing the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without first washing. In addition, there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and bronze kettles and tables.[b]

Therefore, the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but eat with unclean hands?” He answered, “How rightly Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You thrust aside the commandment of God in order to preserve the traditions of men.”[c]

Then he said to them, “How cleverly you have set aside the commandment of God to preserve your own tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother will be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: “Anything I might have used for your support is Corban” ’[d] (that is, dedicated to God), 12 then he is forbidden by you from that very moment to do anything for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things just like that.”

14 Clean and Unclean.[e] Then he called the people to him and said to them: “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. 15 There is nothing that goes into a person from outside that can defile him. The things that come out of a person are what defile him. [ 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!]”[f]

17 When he had gone into the house, away from the crowds, his disciples questioned him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not realize that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not into the heart but into the stomach and is discharged into the sewer?” Thus, he pronounced all foods clean.

20 Then he went on, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For from within, from the human heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. 23 All these evils come from within, and they defile a person.”

24 The Faith of a Gentile Woman.[g] He moved on from that place to the region of Tyre. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he was not able to avoid being recognized. 25 Almost immediately, a woman whose daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him and hastened to fall down at his feet. 26 The woman was a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 Jesus said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children.” 29 Then Jesus said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she returned home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

31 Jesus Heals a Deaf Man.[h] Returning from the region of Tyre, Jesus traveled by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 Thereupon people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha!” which means, “Be opened!” 35 At once, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he spoke properly.

36 Then he ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he ordered them not to do so, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 Their astonishment was beyond measure. “He has done all things well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf able to hear and the mute able to speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:1 Jesus reproaches the teachers, who insist upon “traditions” that they themselves have sometimes invented, with a legalism that allows them to have a good conscience, even as they disregard the essential demands of the Law (Ex 20:12; 21:17; Lev 20:9; Isa 29:13). See also note on Mt 15:2ff.
  2. Mark 7:4 Moses had prescribed a few ablutions for priests when they prepared for service at the altar (Ex 30:17-21). However, Rabbinic tradition had gone beyond the spirit of this prescription and arbitrarily extended it. Jesus condemns this Pharisaic formalism and censures his opponents who out of love for their traditions had nullified the more important commandments of the Law. His disciples—like the great majority of the common people—paid little attention to these prescriptions of the Pharisees. And tables: found only in some early manucripts.
  3. Mark 7:8 The commandment of God . . . the traditions of men: Jesus makes a clear contrast between the two. The commandment of God is found in Scripture and is binding; the traditions of men (also known as the tradition of the elders: v. 3) are not found in Scripture and are not binding.
  4. Mark 7:11 Corban: an Aramaic word meaning “offered to God.”
  5. Mark 7:14 Jesus settles the question of clean and unclean foods that was erecting a barrier between Jews and pagans and was troubling Jews who had converted to Christianity (see Acts 10:11, 15; Rom 14:14-23; 1 Tim 4:3-4; Tit 1:15). See also note on Mt 15:10-20.
  6. Mark 7:16 This verse is lacking in some of the most ancient manuscripts; it was probably added here from Mk 4:9 or 4:23.
  7. Mark 7:24 See notes on Mt 15:21-28 and 15:21-22.
  8. Mark 7:31 The miracle of the deaf mute is omitted by the other evangelists. This man may also have been a pagan, for the population of the Decapolis was mostly pagan. The various gestures that Jesus performs on the man had the sole purpose of strengthening his faith. Mark might have recounted them in detail to foreshadow the future Christian Sacraments.

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