Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to ‘ISA1, having come from Jerusalem. 2Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4They do not eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) 5The Pharisees and the scribes asked ‘ISA, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”
6He answered them, “Well did Shaya2 prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘These people honour me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7In vain do they worship me; Their teachings are just rules made by men.’ 3
8“For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” 9He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10For Musa said,
‘Honour your father and your mother;’ 4 and, ‘Anyone who speaks evil of his father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5
11But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Qurban6, that is to say, given to God;”‘ 12then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, 13making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”
14He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15There is nothing from outside of a man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of a man are those that defile a man. 16If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
17When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, 19because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus making all foods clean?” 20He said, “That which proceeds out of a man, that defiles a man. 21For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.”
24From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27But ‘ISA said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”
30She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.
31Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the region of Decapolis. 32They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside from the multitude, privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue. 34Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly. 36He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it. 37They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!”
- 7:1 ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 7:6 Shaya, is derived from Isaiah (Hebrew) which means “YAHWEH is salvation.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 7:6-7 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 29:13 which says: The Lord said, “These people draw near to me with their mouths, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Their worship of me is just the teaching of rules made by men.” ↩︎
- 7:10 Quoting the Taurat, Exodus 20:12 which says: Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which YAHWEH your God gives you. ↩︎
- 7:10 Quoting the Taurat, Exodus 21:17 which says: Anyone who speaks evil of his father or mother, let him be put to death. ↩︎
- 7:11 Qurban is from a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God. ↩︎