Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 7].
from market they take a bath before eating." This is not the
place to enter into any controversy about the meaning of
\baptiz•\, to dip, \rantiz•\, to sprinkle, and \ecche•\, to pour,
all used in the New Testament. The words have their distinctive
meanings here as elsewhere. Some scribes felt a difficulty about
the use of \baptis•ntai\ here. The Western and Syrian classes of
manuscripts add "and couches" (\kai klin•n\) at the end of the
sentence. Swete considers the immersions of beds (\baptismous
klin•n\) "an incongruous combination." But Gould says: "Edersheim
shows that the Jewish ordinance required immersions,
\baptismous\, of these vessels." We must let the Jewish
scrupulosity stand for itself, though "and couches" is not
supported by Aleph, B L D Bohairic, probably not genuine.
7:6 {Well} (\kal•s\). Appositely here, but ironical sarcasm in
verse 9. Note here "you hypocrites" (\hum•n t•n hupokrit•n\).
7:8 {Ye leave the commandment of God} (\aphentes t•n entol•n tou
theou\). 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 more for the
oral teaching of the scribes and elders than for the written law
of God. The Talmud gives abundant and specific confirmation of
the truthfulness of this indictment.
7:9 {Full well do ye reject the commandment of God that ye may
keep your traditions} (\kal•s atheteite t•n entol•n tou theou
hina t•n paradosin hum•n t•r•s•te\). One can almost see the
scribes withering under this terrible arraignment. It was biting
sarcasm that cut to the bone. The evident irony should prevent
literal interpretation as commendation of the Pharisaic pervasion
of God's word. See my _The Pharisees and Jesus_ for illustrations
of the way that they placed this oral tradition above the written
law. See on ¯Mt 15:7.
7:11 {Corban} (\korban ho estin d•ron\). See on ¯Mt 15:5. Mark
preserves the Hebrew word for a gift or offering to God (Ex
21:17; Le 20:9), indeclinable here, meaning {gift} (\d•ron\),
but declinable \korbanas\ in Mt 27:6, meaning sacred treasury.
The rabbis ({but ye say}, \humeis de legete\) actually allowed
the mere saying of this word by an unfaithful son to prevent the
use of needed money for the support of father or mother. It was a
home thrust to these pettifogging sticklers for ceremonial
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