Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 7:13
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
13. through your tradition ] The Jews distinguished between the “Written Law” and the traditional or “Unwritten Law.” The Unwritten Law was said to have been orally delivered by God to Moses, and by him orally transmitted to the Elders. On it was founded the Talmud or “doctrine,” which consists of (1) the Mishna or “repetition” of the Law, (2) the Gemara or “supplement” to it. So extravagant did the veneration for the Traditional Law become, that there was amongst many other sayings this assertion, “The Law is like salt, the Mishna like pepper, the Gemara like balmy spice.” Buxtorf, Synag. Jud. ch. 3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 13. Your tradition] D, later Syriac in the margin, Saxon, and all the Itala but one, add , by your FOOLISH tradition. [Anglo-Saxon], your foolish law: – Anglo-Saxon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Making the word of God of none effect, through your tradition,…. Beza says, in his most ancient copy it is read, “your foolish tradition”; and such it was indeed, that a vow made rashly, and in a passion, or if ever so deliberately entered into, should be more binding upon a man than the law of God; that rather than break this, he should transgress a divine command; and that though he might see his folly, and repent of his sin in making such a wicked vow, he could not go back from it, without the permission of a wise man: should his poor distressed parents come to him for assistance, he was obliged to answer them, that he had bound himself by a vow, that they should receive no advantage from his substance; and should they remonstrate to him the command of God, to honour them and take care of them, and observe that that command is enforced by promises and threatenings; he had this to reply, and was instructed to do it, that it was the sense of the wise men and doctors, and agreeably to the traditions of the elders, to which he ought rather to attend, than to the words of the law, that he should keep and fulfil his vow, whatever command was neglected or broken by it.
Which ye have delivered: they received it from their ancestors, and delivered it to their disciples; and it is in this way, that all their traditions were delivered: they say x, that
“Moses received the law (the oral law) at Sinai, , “and delivered” it to Joshua; and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets; and the prophets to the men of the great synagogue; the last of which was Simeon the just; and Antigonus, a man of Socho, received it from him; and Jose ben Joezer, a man of Tzeredah, and Jose ben Jochanan, a man of Jerusalem, received it from Antigonus; and Joshua ben Perachiah (said to be the master of Jesus Christ), and Nitthai the Arbelite, received it from them; and Judah ben Tabai, and Simeon ben Shetach, received it from them; and Shemaiah and Abtalion received it from them; and from them Hillell and Shammai.”
Who were now the heads of the two grand schools of the Jews; these received, and delivered out these traditions to the Scribes and Pharisees, and they to their disciples:
and many such like things do ye; meaning, that there were many other traditions besides this now mentioned; whereby, instead of preserving the written law, which, they pretended, these were an hedge unto y, they, in a great many instances, made it void.
x Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. y Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Making void the word of God by your tradition ( ). See on Mt 15:6 for the word , invalidating, a stronger word than , to set aside, in verse 9. See both used in Gal 3:15; Gal 3:17. Setting aside does invalidate.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Making of none effect. Rev., making void. See on Mt 14:6. Ye handed down. Note the past tense, identifying them for the moment with their forefathers. Compare Mt 13:35, Ye slew. Christ views the Jewish persecutors and bigots, ancient and modern, as a whole, actuated by one spirit, and ascribes to one section what was done by another.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Making the word of God none effect,” (akurountes ton logon tou theou) “Annulling (setting aside) or ignoring the Word of God.” That which was designed to bless the home and parents in old age, and strengthen family ties had come to be a dead letter to them, meaning nothing, 1Ti 5:8.
2) “Through your tradition,” (te paraclosei humon) “By means of your tradition;” The “your tradition” specifically referred to that form of tradition held by His accusers that day, the “certain” scribes and Pharisees, Mar 7:1; Mar 7:3.
3) “Which ye have delivered (he paredokate) ”Which you all have received or embraced,” which you have cultivated, espoused, and passed on to be practiced among you. The receivers became transmitters of their traditions.
4) “And many such like things do ye (kai paromoia toiauta polla poieite) ”And many similar things such as you all do,” They were made to understand that the ”pots and pans and handwashing” tradition, and the parental ”Corban” tradition were but two of many unbiblical traditions they had unscripturally embraced to their own hurt, Pro 30:6.
HEART WORSHIP REQUIRED
God requires soul worship, and men give Him body worship, He asks for the heart, and they present Him with their lips, He demands their thoughts and their minds, and they give Him banners, and vestments, and candles No matter how painful may be the mortification, how rigid the penance, how severe the abstinence, no matter how much may be taken from his purse, or from the wine vat, or from the store, he will be content to Suffer anything sooner than bow before the Most High with a true confession of sin and trust in the appointed Saviour with sincere, child-like faith
– Spurgeon
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(13) Making the word of God of none effect.Again the Greek word is somewhat more technical, making null and void, cancelling, as in Gal. 3:17.
Through your tradition.Here the structure of the sentence points to the tradition as being the instrument with which the Law was made null and void. In Mat. 15:6 the meaning is slightly different (see Note there).
Many such like things.Assuming the words washing of cups and pots, in Mar. 7:8, to be genuine, there is an emphatic scorn expressed in this iteration of the same formula.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Ver. 13. See Trapp on “ Mat 15:6 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] ., a repetition from Mar 7:8 ; common in Mark.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 7:13 . , which ye have delivered. The receivers are also transmitters of the tradition, adding their quota to the weight of authority. : many such similar things, a rhetorically redundant phrase ( such, similar ) expressive of contempt. Cf. Col 2:21 .Heb 9:10 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Making. of none effect = Making void, or annulling. Compare Mat 15:6.
the word of God. Notice the Lord’s claim here for the Mosaic Law. Greek logos. See note on Mar 9:32.
ye have delivered. Note the Past Tense, thus identifying them with their forefathers. Compare Mat 23:35, “ye slew”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13.] ., a repetition from Mar 7:8;-common in Mark.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 7:13. , which ye have delivered) Ye have made into a tradition what was a mere custom among the ancients.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the word: Mar 7:9, Isa 8:20, Jer 8:8, Jer 8:9, Hos 8:12, Mat 5:17-20, Mat 15:6, Tit 1:14
such: Eze 18:14, Gal 5:21
Reciprocal: 1Ki 12:33 – in the month Mal 2:9 – before Mat 15:3 – Why Mar 7:3 – the tradition
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE INFLUENCE OF TRADITION
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition: and many such like things do ye.
Mar 7:13
Such was our Lords word to the Pharisees; and if we turn to our own life it is difficult, if not impossible, for us fully to estimate the influence which traditions exercise upon it. A good tradition is a great help, yet the Saviour gives us no encouragement to depend upon those helps that tradition might bring us. His language shows how dangerous He felt the influence of tradition to be.
I. Tradition a bar to progress.If the spirit of traditional usage and influence holds the citadel of a mans life, the spirit of progress cannot gain an entrance. That is the lesson which the Saviour presses upon our attention by His denunciation of the Pharisaic usage, habit, and attitude, and it is hardly possible to overestimate the importance of the lesson, because this same spirit of Pharisaic tradition is constantly laying its hand upon every human institution, and it has contributed to every abuse or perversion that has taken possession of the Christian Church.
II. Two contending principles.Our life is, in fact, a continuous struggle between the two principles here represented. Which is to prevail in it and fix its charactertraditional custom, or personal inspiration? The tendency of our life will be determined in one direction or the other according as we surrender our will to the rule of traditional notions and usages, the power of the external world, or as we seek for direct illumination of mind, conscience, and spirit at the Divine sources of truth and light. The Christian mans attitude towards all traditions or customs is that of independence; his thought and his judgment are as free in regard to them as if they were newly born. He is, in fact, bound to judge them according to their deserts; and no society can hope to prosper unless this is recognised, so that evil customs may not corrupt the common life. It is the danger of such corruption that makes the Saviour denounce the traditional habit, and summon His followers to live by the rule of close personal communion with God.
Bishop Percival.
Illustration
This episode was critical both for Jesus and for Christianity. It secured for the Church independence of Judaism, and on the part of Jesus it involved a larger claim of authority, and a more hopeless breach with current orthodoxy. From the outset Jesus set His authority above that of the Pharisees. He now asserted His right to overrule Moses. It was due to the recognition of this claim that the Christian Church did not remain a Jewish sect, but became an independent organisation.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
3
In the aforesaid practice they made their traditions more important than the inspired law that had been delivered to them by the hand of Moses.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 7:13. The last clause of Mar 7:8 was probably taken from this verse.