TRV
Mark 7:9
Bible Versions
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
he said to them, "you have made a fine art of departing from God's command in order to keep your tradition!
He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition.
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Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. -
Jeremiah 44:16
[As for] the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. -
Jeremiah 44:17
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. -
Isaiah 24:5
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. -
Isaiah 29:13
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: -
Matthew 15:3
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? -
Matthew 15:6
And honour not his father or his mother, [he shall be free]. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
In Mark 7:9, Jesus delivers a sharp rebuke to the religious leaders of His day, directly confronting their spiritual hypocrisy. This verse encapsulates Jesus' core argument against the Pharisees and scribes who prioritized their man-made rules over the clear commandments of God.
Context
This powerful statement arises from a confrontation where Pharisees and scribes questioned why Jesus' disciples did not observe the traditional ceremonial washing of hands before eating. In the preceding verses (Mark 7:1-8), Jesus exposes their outward show of piety as superficial, quoting Isaiah 29:13 to highlight that their hearts were far from God. He accuses them of nullifying God's law through their own man-made traditions. Verse 9 serves as a direct and sarcastic indictment, summarizing their deliberate choice to reject God's authority in favor of their established customs, particularly their tradition of Corban which allowed them to avoid supporting their parents by dedicating their resources to God (Mark 7:10-12).
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "Full well ye reject" carries significant weight and irony. The Greek word translated "reject" is atheteite (ἀθετεῖτε), which means to set aside, nullify, make void, or disregard. It implies a deliberate act of rendering something ineffective or invalid. The accompanying "Full well" (καλῶς - kalos) is used ironically, emphasizing the blatant and intentional nature of their rejection of God's commands. It's as if Jesus is saying, "You are doing an excellent job of setting aside God's law to uphold your own!" This highlights their conscious choice to prioritize human rules over divine mandate, a stark contrast to true obedience.
Practical Application
Mark 7:9 continues to resonate today, challenging believers to examine their own hearts and practices. We must be vigilant against the subtle temptation to elevate personal preferences, cultural norms, or even church traditions above the clear teachings of Scripture. This verse calls us to:
This verse serves as a timeless reminder that authentic faith is demonstrated by our submission to God's authority and our commitment to His commandments above all else.