A Challenge from the Pharisees, Part 1. Mark 7:1-7.
Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, They saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as washing cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Dear Citizens of Heaven,
Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees and the scribes this time exposes their hypocrisy and serves as an opportunity for Jesus to clarify the place of ritual traditions.
Code (vv. 1-4). The Pharisees and the scribes are introduced as the custodians of the traditions of the elders. They follow the rules meticulously, but they also take note of anyone who does not, and remind them of their duty. It should not be lost to us that it is mentioned that some of them had come from Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the location of the temple and the center of Jewish worship. It was also soon to become the center of opposition to Jesus and the eventual place of his crucifixion. That the Pharisees and the scribes noticed that some of the disciples of Jesus were ignoring the requirement that one washes hands before eating maybe because they were always observant, but it now also provided them with an opportunity.
Criticism (v. 6). It is unlikely that Jesus had taught his disciples to ignore the rituals of washing. It is more probable that some of his disciples were not keen on them even before they joined Jesus. Jesus did not rebuke them when they violated the rules, so they continued to ignore the regulations. The Pharisees and the scribes challenge Jesus because it is expected that a rabbi would ensure that his disciples did the right thing. They, therefore, were laying the blame for the violations by the disciples at the feet of Jesus.
Castigation (vv. 6-7). Jesus responds to the criticism turning the tables against his detractors. He calls them hypocrites, which means “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion” (Webster). Jesus is saying that the Pharisees are fake. They just pretend. He quotes Isaiah 29:13, in which God had condemned the lip service of Judah, and applies it to the Pharisees and the scribes. In effect, Jesus is saying that as they compel others to obey God’s law, the Pharisees and the scribes themselves do not obey. Are you true? Do you do what you say? Do you do what you tell others to do?
Your Loving Pastor Chris.