Bible Strands
Mark 7:9
He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to religious leaders in Mark 7, directly confronting their defense of ritual washings by contrasting their practices with divine law. The words — The Greek term καλῶς (kalōs) literally means "neatly," while ἀθετεῖτε (atheteite) means "you set aside." Combined with ἐντολὴν (entolēn), "commandment," they describe the precise mechanism of their rejection. The thread — This pattern of human tradition overriding divine command appears in Mark 7:10 regarding the command to honor parents, while the contrast between external compliance and internal rejection is noted in Isaiah 29:13. Why it lands — The text states that maintaining tradition can actively nullify a divine commandment, requiring readers to verify which authority governs their practices before adopting any custom. It demands a direct evaluation of priority between human rules and explicit instruction.
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The Greek words
King James Version
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
- Jeremiah 44:16 “As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!
- Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
- Isaiah 24:5 The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant.
- Psalms 119:126 It is time for the LORD to act, for they have broken Your law.
- Matthew 15:3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
- Mark 7:3 Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.
- Mark 7:13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
- Romans 3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
- 2 Kings 16:10 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction.