The Complete Sayings of Jesus
Pharisees Querulous — Tradition of the Elders: Unwashen Hands — Washing of Pots not the Whole of Godliness
— Blind Leaders of the Blind.1
A.D. 29. Age 32 Capernaum.
Mark 7, 1-23: Matthew 15, 1-20.
CERTAIN of the scribes saw some of Jesus' disciples eat bread with unwashen hands. They found fault: for
the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition
of the elders. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of
cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, Why walk not thy
disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? Why do thy disciples
transgress? But Jesus answered, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition. For God commanded, saying
(Moses said), Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
But ye say, If a man shall say (Whosoever shall say) to his father or his mother, It is
Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or
his mother: he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother;
making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such like
things do ye. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Well hath Elias
prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people draweth night unto me with their mouth, this
people honoreth 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. Ye hypocrites! For, laying
aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and
many other like things ye do.
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you. Hear,
and understand. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man. 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. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. His disciples, when he was entered into the
house from the people, asked Jesus concerning the parable. Jesus said, Are ye also yet so without
understanding? Do not ye yet perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into a man, entereth in
at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught, purging all meats? It entereth not
into his heart; it cannot defile him. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the
heart; and they defile the man: for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, false witness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemies, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and
these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a
man. Then his disciples said unto Jesus, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they
heard this saying? But he answered, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be
rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall
fall into the ditch.
Footnotes:
1The two accounts of this episode (Matthew's and
Mark's) abound in interesting likenesses and contrasts.