Mark 7:2

2 and saw that some of his talmidim ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n'tilat-yadayim.

Mark 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 7:2

And when they saw some of his disciples
An opportunity soon offered of giving them an handle against him: for observing some of his disciples to sit down to meat, they took notice that they

eat bread with defiled (that is to say, with unwashen) hands,
and they found fault;
with them, and charged them with the breach of the traditions of the elders, and took an occasion from hence of quarrelling with Christ. The Jews use the same phrase the evangelist here does, and interpret it in just the same manner: so, speaking of things eaten, (twbawom Mydyb) , "with defiled hands"; that is, says the commentator ^F9, it is all one as if it was said, (Mydy tlyjn alb) , "without washing of hands"; which was esteemed a very great crime, and especially if done in a contemptuous way: for they say ^F11,

``he that despiseth washing of hands, shall be rooted out of the world; for in it is the secret of the decalogue:''

and particularly to eat with unwashed hands, was unpardonable in a disciple of a wise man; for they looked upon this to be the characteristic of one of the vulgar people, a common and illiterate man: for they ask ^F12,

``who is one of the people of the earth, or a plebeian? he that does not eat his common food with purity.''

By this also they distinguished a Jew from a Gentile; if he washed his hands, and blessed, he was known to be an Israelite, but if not, a Gentile ^F13; (See Gill on Matthew 15:2).

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Bartenora in Misn. Cholin, c. 2. sect. 5.
F11 Zoharin Numb fol. 100. 3.
F12 T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 61. 1.
F13 Bevaidbar Rabba, fol. 228. 4.

Mark 7:2 In-Context

1 The P'rushim and some of the Torah-teachers who had come from Yerushalayim gathered together with Yeshua

2 and saw that some of his talmidim ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n'tilat-yadayim.

3 (For the P'rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing.

4 Also, when they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they have rinsed their hands up to the wrist; and they adhere to many other traditions, such as washing cups, pots and bronze vessels.)

5 The P'rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, "Why don't your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"