Mark 7

Mark 7

The big picture

Mark 7 opens in verse 1 with “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 19 with “Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the…”, and closes in verse 37 with “And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both…” Repeated or prominent terms include tradition, daughter, defile, father, mother. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Mark · King James Version · 37

Mark 7:1-8

1–8: Came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which…

Mark 7:1–8 opens with “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from…” and reaches “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus confronting defilement from the heart, the Gentile woman answering with faith, and the deaf man healed, with particular weight carried by hands, Pharisees, tradition.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.” Naming Jerusalem and Pharisees keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

Mark 7:1-8

King James Version

1Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4And 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.

5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6He 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.

7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8For 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.

Mark 7:9-16

9–16: He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye…

Mark 7:9–16 opens with “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own…” and reaches “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus confronting defilement from the heart, the Gentile woman answering with faith, and the deaf man healed, with particular weight carried by father, mother, defile.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Naming Full keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Mark 7:9-16

King James Version

9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

14And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

15There 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.

16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 7:17-24

17–24: When he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked…

Mark 7:17–24 opens with “And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the…” and reaches “And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus confronting defilement from the heart, the Gentile woman answering with faith, and the deaf man healed, with particular weight carried by evil, defile, entered.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.” The line’s distinctive content terms include asked, concerning, disciples. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

Mark 7:17-24

King James Version

17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

19Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

20And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

24And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

Mark 7:25-32

25–32: For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard…

Mark 7:25–32 opens with “For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell…” and reaches “And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus confronting defilement from the heart, the Gentile woman answering with faith, and the deaf man healed, with particular weight carried by daughter, devil, children’s.

Context that brings the passage to life

“For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to…” Naming Jesus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Mark 7:25-32

King James Version

25For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

29And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

Mark 7:33-37

33–37: He took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears…

Mark 7:33–37 opens with “And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and…” and reaches “And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus confronting defilement from the heart, the Gentile woman answering with faith, and the deaf man healed, with particular weight carried by charged, ears, opened.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;” The line’s distinctive content terms include aside, ears, fingers. Its relationship to verses 34 shows what work it does in this passage.

Mark 7:33-37

King James Version

33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Details worth noticing

37verses in this reading
5major movements
9verses with speech
3questions in the KJV text

The opening image

Mark 7:1 begins with “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.”

Where the chapter turns

Mark 7:19 forms a natural hinge: “Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?”

The final note

Mark 7:37 leaves the reader with “And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”

A word trail through the chapter

The words tradition, daughter, defile, father, mother, bread help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

What links this event with creation?

Waters overwhelm the inhabited world, reversing the separations that made life possible.

What details show continuity rather than total abandonment?

The named household and preserved kinds of living creatures survive within the ark.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
thou
you
thy
your
hath
has
spake
spoke

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.