Christian Art | Tradition Of The Elders | Ritual Cleaning
Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 – 22nd Sunday Year B (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
1 THEN came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
14 ¶ And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The purification rituals of the Jews were originally laid down, in Exodus, for the priests to perform before they offered sacrifices to God. These rules were then later extended to all Jews, to be performed before every meal. This was as there developed a greater and greater call for all Jews to be a priestly people, particularly in the light of national set-backs, which were ascribed to infidelities to God.
The washing is not considered as being primarily for reasons of hygiene. Rather it signifies as it enacts a spiritual purification, the sense being that all meals are to be accorded a religious significance. This is a blessing before a meal. And now we retain this practice, thanking God for the food we have received, asking God to bless this satisfying of among our most fundamental human needs – both for the food, and for the family and friends we are eating with – and treating a meal as a daily opportunity to offer our lives anew to God.
In church celebrations also we retain this tradition and its key significance, as the priest washes his hands, asking God to wash him clean of his sins, of his iniquities.
The Pharisees and scribes, so Jesus teaches us, have fallen away from the true spiritual meaning of this aspect of the law. They observe the traditions of the elders – and St Mark helpfully explains what these traditions were to what would have been a largely Gentile audience and readership – and yet theirs is a hollow observance. Nowadays, we call this ‘lip service’, and we say that a person acts ‘half-heartedly’, or we say, ‘His heart wasn’t in it.’ The Pharisees’ hearts aren’t in it. Theirs is lip service. So says our Lord. They do not follow the deep truth of the commandment of God; theirs is a merely human tradition.
Now Jesus confronts us, shockingly, with a new truth, which forces us to a real confrontation with the true law of God. Once again, Jesus overturns what we think we know, to get us really alert to the reality of our spiritual lives. It is what is in our hearts that matters. It is in the imagination of man that there may be good or evil. It is within ourselves that we have the choice to be with God or to fall to evil.
Never mind what goes into your mouths, so says Jesus: you concern yourself with what comes out. Never mind washing your hands; you make sure those hands do no evil, only good. The dietary laws of the Jews are done away with, for the Gentiles’ sake. And far, far more than that, we are taught about following our conscience, in the light of our full knowledge of the core of God’s commandments as to how we must live our lives.
‘“By God’s grace,” as the apostle says, “we have been saved, not because of works, lest any man should boast; for by his grace you have been saved.” There was no previous virtuous life which God could cherish and love from on high, so as to say: “Let us help and succour these men, for they are living a good life.” Our life was displeasing to him.’ St Augustine
Audio Bible KJV | Endnotes
Tradition Of The Elders
Mark 7:1-23 is a powerful passage that speaks to the importance of understanding the true nature of religion and spirituality. In this passage, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and scribes, who are questioning him about why his disciples do not follow the ‘tradition of the elders’.
The ‘tradition of the elders’ was a set of customs and practices that had been passed down through generations of Jewish leaders. These practices were seen as essential for maintaining purity and holiness, and the Pharisees and scribes were known for their strict adherence to these traditions.
However, Jesus challenges the Pharisees and scribes, stating that they have elevated their own traditions above the word of God. Jesus says: ‘Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ (Mark 7:6-7)
Jesus goes on to explain that true spirituality and religion is not about following a set of external rituals or traditions, but rather about cultivating a pure heart and a deep connection with God. Jesus says: ‘For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.’ (Mark 7:21-23)
The Gospel has been interpreted in many ways throughout history, and has been used to support a variety of religious and spiritual beliefs. Some have seen it as a call to reject all traditions and embrace a more personal, individualized spirituality. Others have used it to criticize religious leaders who prioritize their own traditions over the teachings of God.
One striking interpretation is from Martin Luther, the 16th Century German theologian and leader of the Protestant Reformation. Luther saw the Pharisees and scribes as representative of the Catholic Church, which Luther saw as corrupt and in need of reform. Luther argued that the Catholic Church had elevated its own traditions and rituals above the teachings of the Bible, and that this had led to a widespread spiritual corruption.
Luther wrote: ‘Christ’s words apply also to our time, to the extent that the pope and his followers permit human traditions to be counted among the divine commands and insist upon their observance, as though they were necessary for salvation.’ (Luther’s Works, vol. 35, p. 155)
This interpretation has been controversial, and has been criticized by many Catholics and other religious authorities. However, we can say that this interpretation of the Gospel speaks to the power and relevance of Mark 7:1-23, which continues to challenge and inspire people of all faiths to examine their own beliefs and practices, and to strive for a deeper connection with God.
Christian Art | Our Lord Jesus On The Cross | God The Father | God The Son Office Of Readings | Advent December 23rd | A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed ‘The hidden sacrament is revealed.’ In this reading, Saint Hippolytus writes against the Noetic heresy, which denied the real distinction between the Father and the Son by treating them as the same person acting under different names. The purpose of Saint Hippolytus is to defend the Church’s confession of one God who is not solitary, but who exists with his Word and Spirit. Hippolytus begins by setting a principle: knowledge of God comes from the Holy Scriptures, not from speculation or private reasoning. Faith is not shaped by human preference but by what God has chosen to reveal. The Father determines how He is believed, the Son how He is glorified, and the Spirit how He is received. This establishes Scripture as the rule of faith and guards against theological invention. Hippolytus then affirms that God existed alone before creation, with nothing co-eternal alongside Him. At the same time, God was not without reason, wisdom, or power. Hippolytus insists that plurality within God does not compromise divine unity. God contains within himself Word, wisdom, and counsel. Creation begins when God wills and manifests His Word. The Word is not created from nothing but proceeds from God and acts as the agent of creation. The Word is first invisible to the created world, though known to God. When God chooses, He makes the Word visible, described as ‘Light of Light’. This language safeguards both distinction and unity: the Word comes from God and reveals God, without being separate from Him. The manifestation of the Word is ordered towards salvation, so that the world may see and be saved. Hippolytus identifies this Word clearly with the Son of God. Through him all things were made, and he alone comes forth from the Father. The Law and the prophets belong to the same saving plan. God speaks through them by the Holy Spirit, so that they proclaim not their own ideas but the Father’s will. Revelation is therefore coherent: creation, prophecy, and incarnation belong to one divine purpose. Hippolytus appeals to the Gospel of John to show continuity between prophecy and fulfilment. The Word spoken of by the prophets is the Word made flesh. Though the world was made through him, it failed to recognise him. This failure does not negate God’s plan but reveals the depth of the mystery now disclosed. A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures and from no other source. Whatever things the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatever they teach, let us learn it; and as the Father wills our belief to be, let us believe; and as he wills the Son to be glorified, let us glorify him; and as he wills the Holy Spirit to be bestowed, let us receive him. Not according to our own will, nor according to our own mind, nor yet storming by force the things which are given by God, but even as he has chosen to teach them by the Holy Scriptures, so let us discern them. God, subsisting alone, and having nothing coeval with himself, chose to create the world. And conceiving the world in mind, and willing and uttering the Word, he made it; and at once it appeared, formed it in the way he desired. For us it is sufficient simply to know that nothing was coeval with God. Outside him there was nothing; but he, while existing alone, yet existed in plurality. For he did not lack reason, or wisdom, or power, or counsel. All things were in him, and he was the All. At a time and in a manner chosen by him he made his Word manifest, and through his Word he made all things. He bears this Word in himself, as yet invisible to the created world. He makes him visible, uttering the voice first, and begetting him as Light of Light. He presents him to the world as its Lord; and whereas the Word was visible formerly to God alone, and invisible to the world which is made, God makes the Word visible in order that the world might see him and be able to be saved. This is the mind which came forth into the world and was manifested as the Son of God. All things came into being through him, and he alone comes from the Father. He gave us the Law and the prophets; and in giving them, he made them speak by the Holy Ghost, in order that, receiving the inspiration of the Father’s power, they might declare the Father’s counsel and will. Thus, then, was the Word made manifest, even as the blessed John says. For he sums up the things that were said by the prophets, and shows that this is the Word, by whom all things were made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made. And later, The world was made by him, and the world did not know him; he came to his own, and his own did not receive him. Christian Prayer With Jesus Lord God,You are one, and from You come the Word and the Spirit.You have chosen to make Yourself known, not by human effort,but by what You have revealed in the scriptures. You spoke Your Word, and all things were made.You made that Word visible, so that the world might see and be saved.Grant that we may receive what You give,believe what You teach,and worship You as You have shown Yourself to be. Keep us […]
There is an extraordinary contrast between yesterday’s celebration of the birth of Jesus, and today’s of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, stoned to death because he had to the courage to believe in Jesus, and would not be cowed into silence by the repressive actions of the Jewish authorities [ … ]
Saint Winifred, also known as Saint Winefride, was born in the 7th century in Wales. She was the daughter of a chieftain named Tyfid ap Eiludd. From a young age, Winifred was devoted to her faith, choosing a life of piety and religious dedication. She was greatly influenced by her uncle, Saint Beuno, a renowned Welsh saint and abbot, who played a significant role in her spiritual education [ … ]
