The Elders Holding Tradition - Mark 7:3

Mark wrote, “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 unwashed, hands, they found fault”, and in chapter seven and verse three of his book, Mark shared how, “the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders” where we read:

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often,

eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

The verse reads, “For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, ...” Mark began with the words, “For the Pharisees” which means “because, since and on account that the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life ”, “and all the Jews” which refers to “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people who belong to the Jewish nations in respect to birth, origin and religion”, “except they wash their hands” which means “in case the Pharisees ceremonially washing to ablution” “often” which means “to the fist, clenched hand or up to the elbow”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees and all Jewish people” “ceremonially washed” “their hands” up to their elbows on a continuous basis.

The verse goes on to say, “... eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.” Mark continued with the words, “eat not” which means “do not consume or devour food”, “holding the tradition” or “taking hold of, seizing, retaining and continuing in the surrender, giving over objectively that which is delivered and the substance of teaching”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees and all the Jews” did not eat food unless they practiced the “ceremonial washing” instructed and given over objectively to them.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how the “Pharisees and Jews” “remained” in their “tradition”. The “ceremonial washing” taught by them included particular ways to hold their hands throughout the washing process and then rinse their hands with them pointed to the ground as a final step to allow all the dirt and “sin” to drip off them. This process is not taught in God's word, the Bible, but they held fast to the “traditional teaching” because it was what they “always did”. God wants people to observe and obey His word, and “traditions” should never supersede what He has to say. God desires to be in a relationship with everyone through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” they shall know what it means to value the word of God more than the “traditions” of men.

Next time Mark shares when the Pharisees, “come from the market, except they wash, they eat not” again, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".