WITH DEFILED, THAT IS UNWASHEN HANDS (κοιναις χερσιν, τουτ' εστιν ανιπτοις). Associative instrumental case. Originally κοινος meant what was common to everybody like the _Koine_ Greek. But in later Greek it came also to mean as here what is vulgar or profane. So Peter in Acts 10:14 "common and un... [ Continue Reading ]
DILIGENTLY (πυγμη). Instrumental case,WITH THE FIST , up to the elbow, rubbing one hand and arm with the other hand clenched. Aleph had πυκνα probably because of the difficulty about πυγμη (kin to Latin _pugnus_). Schultess considers it a dry wash or rubbing of the hands without water as a ritu... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE MARKETPLACE (απ' αγορας). Ceremonial defilement was inevitable in the mixing with men in public. This αγορα from αγειρω to collect or gather, was a public forum in every town where the people gathered like the courthouse square in American towns. The disciples were already ceremonially d... [ Continue Reading ]
WELL (καλως). Appositely here, but ironical sarcasm in verse Mark 7:9. Note here "you hypocrites" (υμων των υποκριτων).... [ Continue Reading ]
YE LEAVE THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD (αφεντες την εντολην του θεου). Note the sharp contrast between the command of God and the traditions of men. Jesus here drives a keen wedge into the Pharisaic contention. They had covered up the Word of God with their oral teaching. Jesus here shows that they care... [ Continue Reading ]
FULL WELL DO YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR TRADITIONS (καλως αθετειτε την εντολην του θεου ινα την παραδοσιν υμων τηρησητε). One can almost see the scribes withering under this terrible arraignment. It was biting sarcasm that cut to the bone. The evident irony should prev... [ Continue Reading ]
CORBAN (κορβαν ο εστιν δωρον). See on Matthew 15:5. Mark preserves the Hebrew word for a gift or offering to God (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9), indeclinable here, meaningGIFT (δωρον), but declinable κορβανας in Matthew 27:6, meaning sacred treasury. The rabbis ( BUT YE SAY , υμεις δε λεγετε) ac... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKING VOID THE WORD OF GOD BY YOUR TRADITION (ακυρουντες τον λογον του θεου τη παραδοσε υμων). See on Matthew 15:6 for the word ακυρουντες, invalidating, a stronger word than αθετειν, to set aside, in verse Mark 7:9. See both used in Galatians 3:15; Galatians 3:17. Setting aside does invalidate.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CALLED TO HIM THE MULTITUDE AGAIN (κα προσκαλεσαμενος παλιν τον οχλον). Aorist middle participle, calling to himself. The rabbis had attacked the disciples about not washing their hands before eating. Jesus now turned the tables on them completely and laid bare their hollow pretentious hyp... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE WAS ENTERED INTO THE HOUSE FROM THE MULTITUDE (οτε εισηλθεν εις οικον απο του οχλου). This detail in Mark alone, probably in Peter's house in Capernaum. To the crowd Jesus spoke the parable of corban, but the disciples want it interpreted (cf. Mark 4:10; Mark 4:33). Matthew 15:15 represen... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE YE SO WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING ALSO? (Hουτως κα υμεις ασυνετο εστε;). See on Matthew 15:16. You also as well as the multitude. It was a discouraging moment for the great Teacher if his own chosen pupils (disciples) were still under the spell of the Pharisaic theological outlook. It was a riddle... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKING ALL MEATS CLEAN (καθαριζων παντα τα βρωματα). This anacoluthon can be understood by repeatingHE SAYS (λεγε) from verse Mark 7:18. The masculine participle agrees with Jesus, the speaker. The words do not come from Jesus, but are added by Mark. Peter reports this item to Mark, probably wi... [ Continue Reading ]
EVIL THOUGHTS (ο διαλογισμο ο κακο). These come out of the heart (εκ της καρδιας), the inner man, and lead to the dreadful list here given like the crimes of a modern police court:FORNICATIONS (πορνεια, usually of the unmarried),ADULTERIES (μοιχαια, of the married),THEFTS (κλοπα, stealings)... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE BORDERS OF TYRE AND SIDON (εις τα ορια Τυρου κα Σιδωνος). The departure from Capernaum was a withdrawal from Galilee, the second of the four withdrawals from Galilee. The first had been to the region of Bethsaida Julias in the territory of Herod Philip. This is into distinctly heathen la... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE LITTLE DAUGHTER (ης το θυγατριον αυτης). Diminutive with tender touch. Note "whose" and "her" like vernacular today.HAVING HEARD OF HIM (ακουσασα περ αυτου). Even in this heathen territory the fame of Jesus was known. When the Sermon on the Mount was preached people were there from "the s... [ Continue Reading ]
A GREEK, A SYRO-PHOENICIAN BY RACE (Hελληνισ, Συροφοινικισσα τω γενε). "A Greek in religion, a Syrian in tongue, a Phoenician in race" (Bruce), from Euthymius Zigabenus. She was not a Phoenician of Carthage.SHE BESOUGHT (ηρωτα). Imperfect tense. She kept at it. This verb, as in late Greek, is h... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE CHILDREN FIRST BE FILLED (αφες πρωτον χορτασθηνα τα παιδια). The Jews had the first claim. See the command of Jesus in the third tour of Galilee to avoid the Gentiles and the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5). Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, but he gave the Jew the first opportunity (Romans... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE DOGS UNDER THE TABLE (κα τα κυναρια υποκατω της τραπεζης). A delightful picture. Even the little dogs (κυναρια) under the tableEAT OF THE CHILDREN'S CRUMBS (εσθιουσιν απο των ψιχιων των παιδιων). Little dogs, little scraps of bread (ψιχιον, diminutive of ψιχος, _morsel_), little childr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS SAYING (δια τουτον τον λογον). She had faith, great faith as Matthew 15:28 shows, but it was her quick and bright repartee that pleased Jesus. He had missed his rest, but it was worth it to answer a call like this.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE DEMON GONE OUT (κα το δαιμονιον εξεληλυθος). This was her crumb from the children's table. The perfect active participle expresses the state of completion. The demon was gone for good and all.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE BORDERS OF DECAPOLIS (ανα μεσον των οριων Δεκαπολεως). Jesus left Phoenicia, but did not go back into Galilee. He rather went east and came down east of the Sea of Galilee into the region of the Greek cities of Decapolis. He thus kept out of the territory of Herod Antipas... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY BRING UNTO HIM (κα φερουσιν αυτω). Another of Mark's dramatic presents. This incident only in Mark.... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK HIM ASIDE (απολαβομενος αυτον). The secrecy here observed was partly to avoid excitement and partly to get the attention of the deaf and dumb demoniac. He could not hear what Jesus said. So Jesus put his fingers into his ears, spat, and touched his tongue. There was, of course, no virtue in... [ Continue Reading ]
EPHPHATHA (διανοιχθÂητ, be opened). Another one of Mark's Aramaic words preserved and transliterated and then translated into Greek. "Be thou unbarred" (_Braid Scots_). Jesus sighed (εστεναξεν) as he looked up into heaven and spoke the word εφφαθα. Somehow he felt a nervous strain in this complex... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPAKE PLAIN (ελαλε ορθως). He began to speak correctly. Inchoative imperfect tense.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO MUCH THE MORE A GREAT DEAL THEY PUBLISHED IT (αυτο μαλλον περισσοτερον εκηρυσσον). Imperfect tense, continued action. Double comparative as occurs elsewhere for emphasis as in Philippians 1:23 "much more better" (πολλω μαλλον κρεισσον). See Robertson's _Grammar_, pp. 663f. Human nature is a pe... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL (Καλως παντα πεποιηκεν). The present perfect active shows the settled convictions of these people about Jesus. Their great amazement (υπερπερισσως εξεπλησσοντο), imperfect passive and compound adverb, thus found expression in a vociferous championship of Jesus in this... [ Continue Reading ]