CHAPTER VII. _The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with_ _unwashen hands_, 1-5. _Christ exposes their hypocrisy, and shows that they had made_ _the word of God of no effect by their traditions_, 6-13. _He shows what things defile men_, 14-16; _and teaches his disciples in pri... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:2. _THEY FOUND FAULT._] This is wanting in ABEHLV, nineteen others, and several versions: _Mill_ and _Bengel_ approve the omission, and _Griesbach_ rejects the word. If the 3d and 4th verses be read in a _parenthesis_, the 2d and 5th verses will appear to be properly connected, without... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:3. _EXCEPT THEY WASH THEIR HANDS_] πυγμη, the hand to the wrist-_Unless they wash the hand up to the wrist, eat not_. Several translations are given of this word; that above is from Dr. Lightfoot, who quotes a tradition from the rabbins, stating that the hands were to be thus washed. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:4. _AND_ WHEN _THEY COME_] This clause is added by our translators, to fill up the sense; but it was probably a part of the original: for εαν ελθωσι is the reading of the _Codex Bezae_, _Vulgate, Armenian_, and most of the _Itala_. The clause in my old MS. Bible is read thus: _And thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:5. _WHY WALK NOT THY DISCIPLES_] See Clarke on Matthew 15:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:6. _HONOURETH ME_] με τιμα - but the _Codex Bezae_, and _three_ copies of the _Itala_, have με αγαπα, _loveth me_: - the _AEthiopic_ has both readings.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:8. _WASHING OF POTS AND CUPS_, c.] This whole clause is wanting in BL, _five_ others, and the _Coptic_: one MS. omits this and the whole of the ninth verse. The eighth verse is not found in the parallel place of Matthew 15:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:9. _FULL WELL_] καλωσ , -a strong irony. How noble is your conduct! From conscientious attachment to your own traditions ye have annihilated the commandments of God! _THAT YE MAY KEEP_] But στησητε, _that ye may establish_, is the reading of D, _three_ others, _Syriac_, all the _Itala_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:10. _FOR MOSES SAID_, c.] See all these verses, from this to the 23d, explained Matthew 15:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:13. _YOUR TRADITION_] D, later _Syriac_ in the margin, _Saxon_, and all the _Itala_ but one, add τη μωρα, _by your_ FOOLISH _tradition_. [Anglo-Saxon], _your foolish law_: - _Anglo-Saxon_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:14. _WHEN HE HAD CALLED ALL THE PEOPLE_] But instead of παντα, _all_, παλιν, _again_, is the reading of BDL, later _Syriac_ in the margin, _Coptic, AEthiopic, Saxon, Vulgate_, all the _Itala_ but one. _Mill_ and _Griesbach_ approve of this reading.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _INTO THE DRAUGHT_] Matthew 15:17, Matthew 15:17. _PURGING ALL MEATS?_] For what is separated from the different aliments taken into the stomach, and thrown out of the body, is the innutritious parts of _all_ the _meats_ that are eaten; and thus they are purged, nothing being left behind... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _INTO THE BORDERS OF TYRE END SIDON_] Or, _into the_ _country between Tyre and Sidon_. I have adopted this translation from KYPKE, who proves that this is the meaning of the word μεθορια, in the best Greek writers.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _A_ CERTAIN _WOMAN_] See this account of the Syrophoenician woman explained at large, Matthew 15:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _THE WOMAN WAS A GREEK_] Rosenmuller has well observed, that all heathens or idolaters were called Ἑλληνες, _Greeks_, by the Jews; whether they were Parthians, Medes, Arabs, Indians, or AEthiopians. Jews and Greeks divided the whole world at this period.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _LAID UPON THE BED._] The demon having _tormented_ her, so that her bodily strength was _exhausted_, and she was now laid upon the couch to take a little _rest_. The _AEthiopic_ has a remarkable reading here, which gives a very different, and, I think, a _better_ sense. _And she found her... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _THEY BRING UNTO HIM ONE THAT WAS DEAF, AND HAD AN_ _IMPEDIMENT IN HIS SPEECH_] Though from the _letter_ of the text, it does not appear that this man was absolutely deprived of speech; for μογιλαλος literally signifies, one that cannot _speak plainly _- a _stammerer_; yet it is certain al... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _AND HE SPIT, AND TOUCHED HIS TONGUE_] This place is exceedingly difficult. There is scarcely an action of our Lord's life but one can see an _evident reason_ for, except this. Various interpretations are given of it-none of them satisfies my mind. The Abbe Giradeau spiritualizes it thus:... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _EPHPHATHA_] _Ethphathach_, [Syriac] Syriac. It is likely that it was in this language that our Lord spoke to this poor man: and because he had pronounced the word _Ephphathach_ with peculiar and _authoritative_ emphasis, the evangelist thought proper to retain the original word; though th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:35. _HE SPAKE PLAIN._] ορθως, _distinctly, without_ _stammering_. One MS. has, _And he spoke, praising God_. There is no doubt of this: but the evangelist, I think, did not write these words.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:36. _TELL NO MAN_] Matthew 8:4. This miracle is not mentioned by any other of the evangelists. Another proof that Mark did not _abridge_ Matthew. For a practical review of the different important subjects of this chapter, see Matthew 15:1, and particularly the observations at the end. M... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 7:37. _HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL_] This has been, and ever will be, true of every part of our Lord's conduct. In _creation, providence_, and _redemption_ he hath done all things _well._ The wisest philosophers are agreed that, considering _creation_ as a _whole_, it would be impossibl... [ Continue Reading ]