Mark 7:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →With piercing irony Jesus tells them how skillfully they set aside the commandment of God so that their own tradition can stand.
What Does Mark 7:9 Mean?
Full well — the phrase carries a grave irony: how expertly you annul what God commanded! The verb Jesus uses means to set aside as void, the way one cancels what was legally binding. What they had practiced as devotion, he names as repeal.
Religion of our own making always flatters its makers: it lets us keep what we prefer while feeling obedient. The sharpness here is surgical — Jesus cuts where the disease is so that healing can follow. He honors the commandment of his Father above every human amendment, and he calls his hearers back to it.
Mark 7:9 in the Original Language
atheteo (ἀθετέω), 'reject' -- to set aside as void; to annul.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 7:9
What does Mark 7:9 mean?
With piercing irony Jesus tells them how skillfully they set aside the commandment of God so that their own tradition can stand.