A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
1. THen came together unto him the Phariſees, and certain of the ſcribes, who came from Jeruſalem. 2. And when they ſaw ſome of his diſciples eat bread with defiled (that is to ſay, with unwaſhen) hands, they found fault. 3. For the Phariſees, and all the Jews, except they waſh their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4. And when they come from the market, except they waſh, they eat not: many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the waſhing of cups, and pots, and brazen veſſels, and tables.
If theſe hypocrites had not Ceremony and Tradition, and Obedience to their Councils to make Religion of, how could they quiet their Conſciences in their wordly wicked lives? And what pretence could they have had to perſecute Chriſt and his Apoſtles, had not diſobedience to their maſterſhips, and councils, and Traditions in Ceremony, ſerved their malignity for a pretenſe. The Devil will be religious to deſtroy Religion.
5. Then the Phariſees and …cribes asked him, Why walk not thy diſciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwaſhed hands?
5. Why obſerve you not the Cannons.
6. He anſwered and ſaid to them, Well hath Eſaias propheſied of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7. How be it in vain do they worſhip me teaching for doctrines the traditions of men.
6. &c. Well doth I ſay deſcribe you Hypocrites, This people, &c. give me an outſide ceremonious Worſhip, but their hearts are void of true holineſs, Religion, and ſpiritual worſhip But all their Hypocrital worſhip of …e is in vain, while they make doctrines and Laws of Religion of the injunctions of men, and the traditions or cannons of their Councils or elders.
8. For …aying aſide the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the waſhing of pots and cups: and many other ſuch things ye do.
8. God commands one to preach and obey his word, and to live in love and ſhew mercy, &c. Theſe you lay aſide, and hinder the preaching of his word, and perſecute his Servants, and then you are zealous for your ceremoniea, N. It is not waſhing f…r cleanlineſs, but for Ceremony that Chriſt ſpeaketh againſt.
9. And he ſaid to them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
9. You think it very well done, to ſet againſt Godlineſs and Gods own Laws; or make nothing of them, that you may keep your own preſumptious Cannons or traditions. N. By [Full well,] is meant [Full ill.] Chriſt ſheweth us that all uſe of Ironies or deriſions is not unlawful.
10. For Moſes ſaid, Honour thy father and thy mother: and [who ſo ourſeth] father or mother, let him dye the death.
10. Who ſo revileth.
11. But ye ſay, If a man ſhall ſay to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to ſay, a gift, by whatſoever thou mighteſt be profited by me, he ſhall be free.
11. If he ſay, it is devoted to God, N. God accepteth not any thing vowed to him for worſhip, which he before bound us by his command to employ any other way.
12. And ye ſuffer him no more to do ought for his father or mother. 13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many ſuch things ye do.
13. N. They thought that their cannons could looſe men from Gods commands. As if a cannon ſhould forbid men to give to the poor, or to preach the Goſpel, or worſhip God; who is bound to it by Gods Law.
14. And when he had called all the people unto him, He ſaid to them, Hearken to me every one of you, and underſtand. 15. There is nothing from without a man, that entring into him can defile him: but things which come out of him, thoſe are they which defile a man. 16. If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
14, &c. N. He ſpeaketh of defiling by Guilt.
17. And when he was entred into the houſe from the people, his diſciples asked him concerning the parable. 18. And he ſaith to them, Are ye ſo without underſtanding alſo? do ye not perceive, that whatſoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him. 19. Becauſe it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
17. &c. Meat maketh not a ſinful heart or will as ſuch.
20. And he ſaid, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth a man. 21. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22. Thefts, covetouſneſs, wickedneſs, deceit, laſciviouſneſs, an evil eye, blaſphemy, pride, fooliſhneſs. 23. All theſe evil things come from within and defile the man.
23. Theſe make him a ſinner and guilty. And ſo do gluttony and drunkenneſs, but not as Meat and Drink, but as ſinful exceſs.
24. And from thence he aroſe and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entred into a houſe, and would have no man know it, but could not be hid. 25. For a certain woman whoſe young daughter had an unclean Spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. 26. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation, and ſhe beſought him that he would caſt forth the devil out of her daughter. 27. But Jeſus ſaid to her, Let the children firſt be filled: for it is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it unto the dogs.
26. N. Phaenice and Canaan were one place, 27. I am ſent firſt to the Iſraelites, Gods peculiar people, to whom you Canaanitos go for dogs, and muſt not have their part.
28. And ſhe anſwered and ſaid to him, Yes Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the childrens crumbs. 29. And he ſaid to her, For this ſaying, go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30. And when ſhe was come to her houſe, ſhe found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
28. &c. N. Not for the wittineſs of her ſaying, but for the Faith and Importunity. They that will take no denyal of Chriſt, ſhall have no denyal.
31. And again departing from the coaſts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the ſea of Galilee, through the midſt of the coaſts of Decapolis. 32. And they bring unto him, one that Was deaf, and had an impediment in his ſpeech: and they beſeech him to put his hand upon him. 33. And he took him aſide from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he ſpit, and touched his tongue. 34. And looking up to heaven, he ſighed, and ſaith to him, Ephphata, that is, Be opened. 35. And ſtraightway his ears were opened, and the ſtring of his tongue looſed, and he ſpake plain: 36. And he charged them that they ſhould tell no man: but the more he charged them, ſo much the more a great deal they publiſhed i…. 37. And were beyond meaſure aſtoniſhed, ſaying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to ſpeak.
33. Chriſts looking up to heaven and ſighing, implyeth ſome more than ordinary difficulty in the cure. Bodily mercies are magnified by all.