And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.
και ιδοντες τινας των μαθητων αυτου κοιναις χερσιν τουτ εστιν ανιπτοις εσθιοντας αρτους εμεμψαντο
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The followers of the Lord, instructed to focus on a single principle and not be distracted by other matters, partook of food without having washed their hands, doing so out of innocence and simplicity. In contrast, the Pharisees, seeking a reason to condemn, seized upon this event and charged the apostles with wrongdoing.
This occurred prior to the Passover. During the time of the Passover and Pentecost, the Savior was absent from Jerusalem, only arriving for the Feast of Tabernacles, which was the final significant celebration He shared with His people. Yet, the Pharisees from Jerusalem remained vigilant in observing Him. Not finding Him in Jerusalem, they journeyed to Galilee. Upon encountering Him and His disciples, they reiterated their earlier condemnation of the disciples for failing to adhere to the traditions of the elders, specifically because they had eaten without first washing their hands.
Pharisaic customs mandated that hands be washed before and after meals, and the Talmud provided detailed instructions on the proper amount of water to use, the manner and timing of washing, and the order of such actions, particularly in gatherings of varying sizes. Members of the Essene sect practiced full immersion prior to meals. The adherence to these rituals was deemed so critical that the Sanhedrin would impose excommunication for any breaches. By highlighting the actions of the disciples, the Pharisees likely aimed to challenge the Savior regarding the importance of handwashing in relation to other traditions. They may have intended to prompt Him to express His view on the significance of these customs, which is suggested by His response.
The Talmud posits that the traditions of the elders hold greater weight than the teachings of the prophets, and even surpass those of the law, as the law includes both significant and trivial aspects, whereas the words of the elders are deemed universally authoritative and must be followed without exception. An illustrative parable in the Talmud describes a king who sent two friends to a region with specific instructions. About one, he wrote, "If he does not show you my ring, do not believe him," and about the other, "Even if he does not show you my ring, believe him." This distinction reflects the roles of the prophets and the elders. With regard to the prophets, it is stated, “If a prophet rises up in you... and gives you a sign or a miracle” (Deuteronomy 13:1), while concerning the elders, it says, “And you shall do according to the word which they declare to you from the place which the Lord God shall choose” (Deuteronomy 17:10).
The extraordinary event of feeding the multitude occurred shortly before the Passover. 'After this Jesus walked through Galilee, for He would not go through Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him' (John 7:1). During this time, following the third Passover, a group of scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem approached Jesus. Their visit to Jesus in Galilee could only happen after the days of unleavened bread had concluded. It is likely they were looking for Him at the festival in Jerusalem; upon not finding Him there, they journeyed to Galilee, where they sought and eventually located Him.
In His dialogue with the Pharisees regarding the traditions of the elders, the Evangelists provide an accurate account. Mark, who addressed his Gospel to Roman believers unfamiliar with Jewish customs, includes some explanations. He clarifies what it means to eat with unclean hands and elaborates on the Pharisaic rules concerning washing (2-4). Matthew, prior to asking his disciples for clarification on the parable (Mk. 17ff.), offers a unique account of Jesus’ response to the news that the Pharisees were offended by His remarks about the elders’ betrayal (12-14). This particular response and the disciples’ explanation of the parable, as noted by Mark (17), occurred privately among the disciples. Other variations among the Evangelists pertain to the arrangement of Jesus’ statements during his interaction with the Pharisees.
Specifically, when the Pharisees criticized Christ’s disciples for violating the traditions of the elders by eating without properly washing their hands, Jesus responded in several ways: a) He pointed out that the elders’ traditions are often human-made rules designed to sidestep God’s commandments. For instance, God’s law instructs to honor one’s father and mother, issuing a severe penalty for disrespecting parents (Ex. 20:12, Ex. 21:17); yet the Pharisees teach that one could declare their possessions as 'korvan' (an Aramaic term meaning a gift dedicated to God, hence liberating them from the obligation to assist their parents) (Matt. 3-6); b) He highlighted that prioritizing God’s commandments over human traditions reveals the fulfillment of the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah regarding the people of His time (Isaiah 29:13 in the LXX) (Mt. 7-8). In Mark’s account, these two points are presented in reverse order (9-13; 6-8).
What transpired? Upon their arrival, they witnessed what they perceived to be a grave breach of the customs held by the elders, as the disciples of Jesus consumed bread without first washing their hands. The Pharisees, who believed that true holiness resided in the meticulous adherence to the rituals prescribed by law and tradition, were appalled by the transgression they claimed Jesus’ closest followers were perpetrating, which they assumed was done with the knowledge, if not the approval, of their Master. It is likely that the apostles remained silent in response to the Pharisees' accusations. After receiving no reply, the Pharisees and scribes turned to Jesus and questioned Him: Why do Your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders but partake of bread with unwashed hands?
A new incident emerged that prompted the religious leaders, specifically the scribes and Pharisees, to direct their criticism toward Christ. News had spread regarding the widespread readiness of the crowds to embrace Him as the Messiah-King, alongside His steadfast refusal to lead a political movement that aligned with their aspirations. This development likely reached Jerusalem, causing significant concern among the Jewish authorities, especially in light of His innovative and independent approach to religious teaching. Upon arriving in Galilee, these leaders shifted their focus from His disciples to Christ Himself, bringing forth their accusations and arguments.
Previously, the disciples had confused these legal scholars by harvesting and processing barley on the Sabbath, which the Jewish scribes viewed with the same severity as if they had been engaging in reaping and threshing on that sacred day. Not long after, another opportunity arose for these legalists to accuse Christ and His disciples of wrongdoing.
The Lord Jesus Christ, aware that His appointed time had not yet arrived (John 7:6), chose to refrain from traveling to Judea, as the Apostle John noted, due to the fact that the Jews sought to kill Him (v. 1). Nevertheless, His adversaries continued to monitor Him; the Pharisees and scribes journeyed from Jerusalem with the deliberate intention of observing closely all His actions and teachings. Soon, a minor incident provided them grounds to accuse His disciples of neglecting the traditions of the elders.
Among the Jewish community, there was a prevalent belief that along with the written law, God had bestowed upon Moses an unwritten law that was transmitted orally—from Moses to Joshua, and then to the judges and prophets. This oral tradition, consisting of the rabbinical interpretations and teachings from various ages, commanded the unwavering reverence of the populace. Under the guidance of the scribes and Pharisees, the people often traded the spirit of the true law for mere adherence to its letter, yielding to human customs instead. The exceedingly trivial, at times seemingly nonsensical, stipulations of this oral law were known as 'traditions of the elders,' and these were observed with far greater zeal and precision than the moral imperatives of the God-given law articulated in the Pentateuch. Consequently, the daily life of the Jewish people became entangled in these distortions of Divine truth, as false interpreters of revelation imposed heavy burdens upon the shoulders of the people (Matt. 23:4).
On this occasion, the Pharisees and scribes confronted the disciples of Jesus for not adhering to the prescribed washings as dictated by tradition. The law of Moses (Lev. 11) outlined detailed classifications of clean and unclean animals, specifying that even the mere touch of unclean substances rendered an individual unclean until evening. Additionally, if anything unclean fell upon a wooden vessel or garment, it was mandated to wash these items in water, and earthen vessels were to be destroyed (vv. 24-25, 32-33). By establishing stringent boundaries around the law and rigorously expanding its stipulations, the Jewish legalists insisted on the necessity of washing hands before meals as a preventive measure against unintentionally transferring uncleanness to food. They justified this extensive interpretation through the 'tradition of the elders,' supplementing it with numerous trivial regulations that later became codified in the Talmud.
The obligation of these practices at the time of Jesus is evident in the words of the Evangelist Mark: "The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash, and there are many other customs they observe" (Mark 7:3-4). When some of the disciples of Jesus were seen eating bread without washing their hands, the Pharisees and scribes first reproached them and then turned to the Teacher with the inquiry: "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" According to St. John Chrysostom, the actions of the disciples were unintentional; they disregarded what was excessive and focused instead on fulfilling what was truly essential.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS