Mark 7:8 kjv
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.
Mark 7:8 nkjv
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men ?the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."
Mark 7:8 niv
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions."
Mark 7:8 esv
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."
Mark 7:8 nlt
For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition."
Mark 7 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 15:6 | "...thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition." | Direct parallel; nullifying God's word. |
| Isa 29:13 | "These people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men." | Hypocrisy; human rules over God's command. |
| Deut 4:2 | "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it..." | Warning against altering God's commands. |
| Deut 12:32 | "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it." | Do not add or subtract from God's law. |
| Col 2:8 | "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." | Warning against deceptive human traditions. |
| 1 Pet 1:18 | "...you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers..." | Freedom from empty ancestral traditions. |
| Titus 1:14 | "not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth." | Rejecting human commands that turn from truth. |
| Gal 1:14 | "...I was more zealous for the traditions of my fathers than many of my equals..." | Paul's prior adherence to tradition. |
| Rom 10:2-3 | "...they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." | Zeal without knowledge leads to self-righteousness. |
| Matt 23:23-28 | Woe to Pharisees: focused on tithing mint and dill, but neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness; white-washed tombs. | Outward piety vs. inner spiritual decay. |
| Jer 7:4 | "Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'" | False trust in outward religious structures. |
| Hos 6:6 | "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." | God desires genuine devotion, not just rituals. |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" | True requirements for walking with God. |
| Jn 4:23-24 | "...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." | True worship is internal, not just external. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." | Obedience is paramount over ritual. |
| Ps 119:10-11 | "With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!... I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." | Value of God's commands for upright living. |
| Prov 30:5-6 | "Every word of God proves true... Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar." | Affirmation of God's Word's truth and warnings against adding. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." | Scripture as the sole divine authority. |
| Acts 5:29 | "But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'" | Prioritizing God's command over human command. |
| Gal 5:1 | "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." | Christ brings freedom from legalistic burdens. |
Mark 7 verses
Mark 7 8 Meaning
Mark 7:8 highlights Jesus' direct confrontation with the religious leaders of His day, accusing them of nullifying the divine commandments of God by clinging to and prioritizing humanly devised traditions. This verse serves as a foundational statement of Jesus' critique against outward ritualism and hypocrisy that elevated man-made rules above God's express will. It exposes the danger of religious practices that, though seemingly devout, actually betray the spirit and letter of divine truth, thereby hindering true worship and obedience.
Mark 7 8 Context
Mark chapter 7 begins with a delegation of Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem confronting Jesus about His disciples eating with "unwashed hands"—that is, without performing the ritual hand-washing according to the "tradition of the elders." This tradition, though not prescribed in the Mosaic Law, was a deeply entrenched custom that had gained the force of law in Jewish society. Jesus responds by quoting Isa 29:13, indicting their superficial worship. He then directly attacks their hypocrisy and misdirection, demonstrating how their man-made traditions, specifically the "Qorban" vow, directly contradicted and effectively nullified clear divine commands, such as honoring parents (Mark 7:9-13). Mark 7:8 encapsulates Jesus' core accusation that their reverence for human tradition actively displaced and dismissed God's explicit commands, exposing their heart-issue of prioritizing external observance over genuine obedience.
Mark 7 8 Word analysis
- You abandon (ἀφίετε / aphiete): From the verb ἀφίημι (aphiemi), meaning to send away, release, dismiss, forsake, neglect, permit, forgive. Here, it conveys a strong sense of actively letting go of, setting aside, or consciously rejecting. It implies not just a passive failure but a deliberate neglect or dismissal of the commandment. This verb is also used for "forgiving sins," showing its gravity in different contexts.
- the commandment (τὴν ἐντολὴν / tēn entolēn): Refers to a divine injunction or order, specifically God's direct instruction as given in the Torah (Mosaic Law). This is distinct from humanly devised rules, carrying inherent divine authority and immutability. It signifies God's expressed will.
- of God (τοῦ Θεοῦ / tou Theou): Explicitly clarifies the divine origin and supreme authority of the commandment. It underscores that what they are neglecting is not arbitrary rule, but the very decree of the Most High God.
- and hold to (καὶ κρατεῖτε / kai krateite): From the verb κρατέω (krateō), meaning to grasp, hold fast, seize, prevail, adhere to. This verb implies a firm grip, a tenacious adherence, or a strong commitment. The conjunction "and" (καὶ) highlights the sharp contrast and replacement: instead of holding to God's command, they are holding fast to something else.
- human tradition (τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων / tēn paradosin tōn anthrōpōn): Paradosis (tradition) refers to something "handed down," particularly teaching or custom transmitted orally through generations. The modifier "of men" (τῶν ἀνθρώπων) emphasizes its origin in human ingenuity, as opposed to divine revelation. This tradition often consisted of extra-biblical interpretations, applications, and extensions of the Law.
- Words-group:
- You abandon the commandment of God: This phrase lays bare their spiritual apostasy. They are depicted as deliberately releasing their grip on the divine revelation given by God, indicating a profound and active rebellion against His authority. It’s an accusation of rejecting foundational covenant duties.
- and hold to human tradition: This juxtaposed phrase reveals what they embraced instead. It portrays a determined and firm commitment to man-made customs, elevating them to a place of ultimate authority. The very things they were supposed to discard (human tradition when it contradicted God) they embraced, and what they were to uphold (God's command) they dismissed. This establishes a severe theological misalignment.
Mark 7 8 Bonus section
This verse underscores the New Testament principle that outward observances are secondary to inward spiritual truth and heart obedience (Matt 23:23). It challenges the idea that human religious authority can supersede or modify divine revelation. The "tradition of the elders" had become an interpretative and legislative filter that, instead of protecting God's law, effectively obscured and often contradicted its intended spirit. This particular critique by Jesus highlights the inherent danger of religious innovation that does not align with the original divine intention. It’s not just about what is practiced, but the underlying authority for the practice. For Jesus, divine command always trumped human custom.
Mark 7 8 Commentary
Mark 7:8 is a succinct and devastating indictment of religious hypocrisy and legalism. Jesus uncovers the spiritual sickness that infects a system where man-made rules supersede divine directives. The core problem is not external behavior alone, but the orientation of the heart that places human interpretations above God's express will. By abandoning God's command and holding fast to human tradition, the Pharisees transformed a religion of heart obedience and genuine relationship into a sterile, external performance, thus rendering God's word ineffective. This practice, while appearing pious, ultimately demonstrated a deep lack of love and submission to God. For instance, neglecting the care of aging parents (a direct divine command) under the guise of dedicating resources to God (a humanly applied "Qorban" tradition) epitomized this perversion. The verse is a timeless warning against any religious system or individual practice that values man-made doctrines, customs, or even interpretations over the clear and authoritative word of God, leading to the nullification of true piety.