Mark 7:9 (WEB)
He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Mark 7:9–13 (KJV)
9 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.
Key words
- Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σουtima ton patera sou kai tēn mētera sou · Greek
- 'Honour thy father and thy mother' — the commandment Jesus enforces.
- θανάτῳ τελευτάτωthanatō teleutatō · Greek
- 'let him die the death' (v. 10) — Jesus cites the death penalty for those who fail their parents.
- κορβᾶνkorban · Greek
- 'Corban,' a gift — the device by which a son withheld support from his parents, which Jesus condemns.
Why it matters
Jesus condemns those who use a vow to avoid supporting their parents, and cites the Law's death penalty for dishonouring them. Pitre uses this to give the cross scene its full force (p 109): in Jesus' own words, neglecting one's aging parents was a capital offence. Had Mary other sons, entrusting her to a disciple would have been unthinkable; Jesus gives her to John because he is her only son.
Fathers and councils · 18
Cyprian of Carthage
“The Lord warns us in His Gospel, saying, “Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may establish your own tradition.”” — editor's note: Mark vii. 9.
Read the whole comment“So that to pray otherwise than He taught is not ignorance alone, but also sin; since He Himself has established, and said, “Ye reject the commandments of God, that ye may keep your own traditions.”” — editor's note: Mark vii. 9. [On the Shemoneh Eshreh, Prideaux, I. vi. 2]
Read the whole comment“These, doubtless, they imitate and follow, who, despising God’s tradition, seek after strange doctrines, and bring in teachings of human appointment, whom the Lord rebukes and reproves in His Gospel, saying, “Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”” — editor's note: Mark vii. 9.
Read the whole comment
Augustine of Hippo
Chapter IV.—Of the Words, “The More He Charged Them to Tell No One, So Much the More a Great Deal They Published It;” And of the Question Whether that Statement is Not Inconsistent with His Prescience, Which is…
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Catena Aurea on Mark
- BedeCatena Aurea on Mark
The people of the land of Gennesareth, who seemed to be unlearned men, not only come themselves, but also bring their sick to the Lord, that they may but succeed in touching the hem of His garment. But the Pharisees…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Mark
For the disciples of the Lord, who were taught only the practice of virtue, used to eat in a simple way, without washing their hands; but the Pharisees, wishing to find an occasion of blame against them, took it up;…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Mark
For taking the spiritual words of the Prophets in a carnal sense, they observed, by washing the body alone, commandments which concerned the chastening of the heart and deeds, saying, “Wash you, make you clean;” [Isa…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
Wonderful is the folly of the Pharisees and Scribes; they accuse the Son of God, because He keeps not the traditions and precepts of men. But “common” is here put for unclean; for the people of the Jews, boasting…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
He beats back the vain words of the Pharisees with His arguments, as men drive back dogs with weapons, by interpreting Moses and Isaiah, that we too by the word of Scripture may conquer the heretics, who oppose us.…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Mark
For since they unjustly accused the disciples not of trangressing the law, but the commands of the elders, He sharply confounds them, calling them hypocrites, as looking with reverence upon what was not worthy of it.…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
But Pharisaical tradition, as to tables and vessels, is to be cut off, and cast away. For they often make the commands of God yield to the traditions of men. Wherefore it continues, “For laying aside the commandments…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Mark
Moreover, to convict them of neglecting the reverence due to God, for the sake of the tradition of the elders, which was opposed to the Holy Scriptures, He subjoins, “For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother;…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Mark
The sense of the word honour in Scripture is not so much the saluting and paying court to men, as alms-giving, and bestowing gifts; “honour,” says the Apostle, “widows who are widows indeed.” [1 Tim 5:3]
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Mark
Notwithstanding the existence of such a divine law, and the threats against such as break it, ye lightly transgress the commandment of God, observing the traditions of the Elders. Wherefore there follows: “But ye…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Mark
For the Pharisees, wishing to devour the offerings, instructed sons, when their parents asked for some of their property, to answer them, what thou hast asked of me is corban, that is, a gift, I have already offered…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Mark
Or else it may be said, that the Pharisees taught young persons, that if a man offered a gift in expiation of the injury done to his father or mother, he was free from sin, as having given to God the gifts which are…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Mark
The passage may in a few words have this sense, Every gift which I have to make, will go to do you good; for ye compel children, it is meant, to say to their parents, that gift which I was going to offer to God, I…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
Mystically, again, the disciples eating with unwashed hands signifies the future fellowship of the Gentiles with the Apostles. The cleaning and washing of the Pharisees is barren; but the fellowship of the Apostles,…
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Cross-references · 11
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 39.