Mark 7:3

Mark 7:3. All the Jews. Pharisaism had the upper hand.

Diligently, lit., ‘with the fist' The two interpretations now most generally adopted are: (1) Actually ‘with the fist,' as a peculiar ceremony on such occasions. Probably it was part of the rite, that the washing hand was shut; Because it might have been thought that the open hand engaged in washing would make the other unclean, or be made unclean by it, after having itself been washed' (Lange.) (2) ‘Diligently,' thoroughly, in accordance with a Hebrew expression, which uses the fist as meaning strength. But Mark is giving an explanation to Gentile readers, and he would hardly use a Hebrew expression. The literal sense is the correct one, but it conveys no meaning to the ordinary reader without a long explanation. The main point is, that the ceremony was formal.