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Chapter 7

The Tradition of the Elders.[a] Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him,(A) they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands,[b] keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles [and beds].) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders[c] but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:(B)

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines human precepts.’

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’(C) 11 Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’[d] (meaning, dedicated to God), 12 you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.” 14 (D)He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” [16 ][e]

17 [f](E)When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 [g](F)since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 “But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. 21 (G)From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. 23 All these evils come from within and they defile.”

The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith. 24 (H)From that place he went off to the district of Tyre.[h] He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.(I) 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.[i] For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

The Healing of a Deaf Man. 31 (J)Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32 And 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 off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) 35 And [immediately] the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 [j]He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. 37 They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and [the] mute speak.”(K)

Footnotes

  1. 7:1–23 See note on Mt 15:1–20. Against the Pharisees’ narrow, legalistic, and external practices of piety in matters of purification (Mk 7:2–5), external worship (Mk 7:6–7), and observance of commandments, Jesus sets in opposition the true moral intent of the divine law (Mk 7:8–13). But he goes beyond contrasting the law and Pharisaic interpretation of it. The parable of Mk 7:14–15 in effect sets aside the law itself in respect to clean and unclean food. He thereby opens the way for unity between Jew and Gentile in the kingdom of God, intimated by Jesus’ departure for pagan territory beyond Galilee. For similar contrast see Mk 2:1–3:6; 3:20–35; 6:1–6.
  2. 7:3 Carefully washing their hands: refers to ritual purification.
  3. 7:5 Tradition of the elders: the body of detailed, unwritten, human laws regarded by the scribes and Pharisees to have the same binding force as that of the Mosaic law; cf. Gal 1:14.
  4. 7:11 Qorban: a formula for a gift to God, dedicating the offering to the temple, so that the giver might continue to use it for himself but not give it to others, even needy parents.
  5. 7:16 Mk 7:16, “Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear,” is omitted because it is lacking in some of the best Greek manuscripts and was probably transferred here by scribes from Mk 4:9, 23.
  6. 7:17 Away from the crowd…the parable: in this context of privacy the term parable refers to something hidden, about to be revealed to the disciples; cf. Mk 4:10–11, 34. Jesus sets the Mosaic food laws in the context of the kingdom of God where they are abrogated, and he declares moral defilement the only cause of uncleanness.
  7. 7:19 (Thus he declared all foods clean): if this bold declaration goes back to Jesus, its force was not realized among Jewish Christians in the early church; cf. Acts 10:1–11:18.
  8. 7:24–37 The withdrawal of Jesus to the district of Tyre may have been for a respite (Mk 7:24), but he soon moved onward to Sidon and, by way of the Sea of Galilee, to the Decapolis. These districts provided a Gentile setting for the extension of his ministry of healing because the people there acknowledged his power (Mk 7:29, 37). The actions attributed to Jesus (Mk 7:33–35) were also used by healers of the time.
  9. 7:27–28 The figure of a household in which children at table are fed first and then their leftover food is given to the dogs under the table is used effectively to acknowledge the prior claim of the Jews to the ministry of Jesus; however, Jesus accedes to the Gentile woman’s plea for the cure of her afflicted daughter because of her faith.
  10. 7:36 The more they proclaimed it: the same verb proclaim attributed here to the crowd in relation to the miracles of Jesus is elsewhere used in Mark for the preaching of the gospel on the part of Jesus, of his disciples, and of the Christian community (Mk 1:14; 13:10; 14:9). Implied in the action of the crowd is a recognition of the salvific mission of Jesus; see note on Mt 11:5–6.

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

上帝的律法与人的传统

一些法利赛人和从耶路撒冷来的犹太律法师围在耶稣的身边。 他们看到耶稣的门徒中有人不洗手就拿东西吃。 法利赛人和其他犹太人一样保持着祖先的传统。他们除非用特定的方式洗手,否则就不吃东西。 他们从集市上买回的食物,除非洗过,否则也不吃。他们还遵守许多其它的传统,比如洗杯子、水壶、铜罐等等。

因此,法利赛人和律法师们就问耶稣∶“您的门徒为什么不遵守我们祖先遗留下来的传统,用脏手拿东西吃呢?”

耶稣对他们说∶“以赛亚曾经预言说你们是些虚伪的人,这预言是准确的,正如所记载的那样:

‘这些人说他们尊敬我,
但实际上我对他们无关紧要。
他们对我的崇拜毫无价值,
因为他们教导的只是人定的规矩。’ (A)

你们把上帝的诫命抛在一边,而去追随人的教导。”

耶稣又对他们说∶“为了你们能遵守自己的传统,你们很会耍小聪明,拒绝上帝的诫命。 10 摩西说∶‘要孝敬父母’ [a]。他还说过∶‘侮辱父母的人必被处死。’ [b] 11 但是你们却教导人说他们可以对父母说,‘我有一些可用来帮助你们的东西,但是我不用它帮助你们,我要把它献给上帝。’ 12 你们这是在告诉他们不必为父母做任何事了。 13 所以,你们在教执行上帝的话并不重要,你们认为更重要的是保持你们传播的传统,你们做了许多类似的事情。”

14 耶稣又把人们叫到身边,对他们说∶“每个人都要听我的话,而且还要理解我的话, 15 从外界进入一个人体内的事物不能玷污他,但是来自他内在的事物却会玷污他。 16  [c]

17 然后耶稣离开人群,进了屋子。他的门徒们问他这个寓言是什么意思。 18 耶稣对他们说∶“为什么你们也不理解呢?难道你们不知道吗?从外界进入一个人体内的事物不能玷污一个人, 19 因为它进入不了人的内心,它只不过进到他的肚子里,然后又会排泻出去。”(耶稣这么说,意思为所有食物都干净的。)

20 耶稣又说∶“玷污人的事物是来自内心的。 21 因为从内在,一个人发自内心的邪念,不道德的性行为,偷窃、谋杀、 22 通奸、贪婪、邪恶、欺诈、下流、嫉妒、诽谤、自大和愚蠢。 23 所有这些邪恶的事物都来自于内在,它们会玷污人。”

帮助非犹太女子

24 耶稣离开那里,到推罗附近的地区去了。他走进一座房子,本不想让人知道,可是却瞒不住人。 25 一个女子听说耶稣在那里,她的女儿被邪灵附体。她来见耶稣,跪在他脚边。 26 这个女子不是犹太人,生在叙利亚的腓尼基。她恳求耶稣把她女儿身上的鬼赶走。

27 耶稣对她说∶“应该首先让孩子们吃饱,因为不该把孩子的面包拿去喂狗。”

28 女子回答说∶“先生,即便是饭桌下的狗也能吃孩子剩下的残渣剩饭呀。”

29 耶稣说∶“因为你这么讲,你回家去吧。鬼已离开了你的女儿。”

30 女子回到家,看见女儿躺在床上,鬼已经离开她了。

治好聋人

31 耶稣从推罗地区回来,穿过西顿,经过低加波利,来到加利利湖。 32 当地人带着一个又聋又哑的人来见耶稣,求他把手放在聋子的身上。 33 耶稣带着聋子离开人群,把手指伸到他的耳朵里,又吐了点唾沫,摸摸他的舌头, 34 然后仰望天空,长叹一声,说∶“以法大 [d]!” 35 聋子的耳朵顿时能听见了,舌头也变得灵活了,讲话也清楚了。

36 耶稣叮嘱人们不要把这事告诉别人。可是他越嘱咐,大家越是讲得起劲。 37 他们都非常惊讶,说∶“耶稣什么事都做得到。他竟然能让聋子听见,让哑巴说话。”

Footnotes

  1. 馬 可 福 音 7:10 引自《出埃及记》20:12;《申命记》5:16。
  2. 馬 可 福 音 7:10 引自《出埃及记》21:17。
  3. 馬 可 福 音 7:16 一些希腊版本增有16节:听到我说的你们这些人,听着。
  4. 馬 可 福 音 7:34 以法大∶ 打开。