The Complete Sayings of Jesus, by Arthur Hinds, [1927], at sacred-texts.com
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,
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,
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,
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,
52:* The two accounts of this episode (Matthew's and Mark's) abound in interesting likenesses and contrasts.