Mark 7:10-12
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus highlights the severe penalty for disrespecting parents, not just for cursing them, but implying that any failure to honor them also carries serious weight. This emphasizes that "honor" encompasses active support and care, not just reverence, especially when tradition was allowing people to shirk their direct responsibilities.
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders who challenge his disciples for not following their traditions, specifically the ritual washing of hands before eating. In response, Jesus accuses them of prioritizing their man-made rules over God's clear commands, using the commandment to honor parents as a prime example of how their traditions allowed people to circumvent their responsibilities. He then elaborates on this by quoting God's law given through Moses concerning honoring and not reviling parents, setting the stage to expose their specific tradition that caused this violation.
Ever feel like rules change depending on who's in charge? Jesus cuts through the noise by pointing back to the original source.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day had created a complex web of traditions that, in practice, often sidelined God's clear commands. Jesus confronts them in Mark 7 by quoting the Old Testament law given through Moses.
God's Unchanging Word
Jesus highlights two parts of the commandment concerning parents:
By quoting Moses directly, Jesus asserts the supreme authority of God's written law over human traditions. He shows that true worship isn't about following man-made rules, but about obedience to God's enduring word.
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What does it really mean to 'honor' your parents? It's far more than just saying 'please' and 'thank you'.
The command to 'honor' parents, as found in the Old Testament, carries significant weight. It encompasses:
Jesus emphasizes the seriousness of this command by contrasting it with the penalty for cursing parents – death. This shows that honoring parents is a fundamental aspect of living according to God's design, reflecting His own order and care.
Understand the original words
kakologeō · Greek Verb
To insult, curse, or speak evil of someone. In the context of parents, it implies a serious defiance that strikes at the honor due to those God has placed in authority.
qorban · Hebrew (transliterated into Greek) Noun
A Hebrew term referring to a gift or offering dedicated to God. In this context, it was used by religious leaders as a vow to exempt property from being used to support one's parents, effectively creating a loophole against the commandment to honor one's parents.
Jesus anchors his critique of a man-made tradition in the ancient, foundational Law given through Moses, highlighting how human rules can obscure and even contradict God's clear commands regarding family honor.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Commandments Given
God delivers the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, including the commandment to honor parents and the penalty for cursing them.
c. 1446 BC
The Book of the Covenant Compiled
Laws concerning family honor and severe penalties for violating them, such as cursing parents, are recorded in the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21).
c. 450 BC
The Law Codified in Deuteronomy
The commandments and laws from Sinai are reiterated and expanded upon in Deuteronomy, reinforcing the importance of honoring parents.
c. AD 20-30
Rise of Oral Traditions
Various schools of Jewish thought, particularly the Pharisees, begin to develop and emphasize oral traditions and interpretations of the Law, sometimes adding to or altering its intent.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and healing throughout Galilee and Judea, often challenging religious authorities on their interpretations of God's law.
c. AD 30— this verse
Confrontation Over Traditions
Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees and scribes about their traditions that nullify the commandment of God, specifically the 'Corban' tradition that allows bypassing support for parents.
This passage is the direct source of the commandment to 'Honor your father and your mother,' establishing the foundational principle Jesus is upholding.
Exodus 21:17This verse provides the severe consequence for reviling parents, which is the second part of Jesus' quote, underscoring the gravity of the commandment.
Deuteronomy 5:16This passage reiterates the commandment to honor parents, emphasizing the promise 'that your days may be long in the land' as a reward, adding a further dimension to the importance of this command.
Matthew 15:4This parallel account in Matthew provides the fuller context of Jesus' argument, showing how the tradition of 'Corban' allowed people to bypass their God-given responsibility to support their parents, thereby nullifying this commandment.
Proverbs 20:20This proverb states, 'If a man curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness,' echoing the severe penalty for disrespecting parents found in Exodus and highlighted by Jesus.
pooleMark 7:10: "For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:"
See Poole on "Mark 7:1"
calvinMark 7:1-13: "Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem."
- Then scribes and Pharisees, who had come from Jerusalem, approach to Jesus, saying, 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. But he answering said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God on account of [390] your tradition? 4. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; and,…
Jesus highlights the severe penalty for disrespecting parents, not just for cursing them, but implying that any failure to honor them also carries serious weight. This emphasizes that "honor" encompasses active support and care, not just reverence, especially when tradition was allowing people to shirk their direct responsibilities.
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders who challenge his disciples for not following their traditions, specifically the ritual washing of hands before eating. In response, Jesus accuses them of prioritizing their man-made rules over God's clear commands, using the commandment to honor parents as a prime example of how their traditions allowed people to circumvent their responsibilities. He then elaborates on this by quoting God's law given through Moses concerning honoring and not reviling parents, setting the stage to expose their specific tradition that caused this violation.
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders who challenge his disciples for not following their traditions, specifically the ritual washing of hands before eating. In response, Jesus accuses them of prioritizing their man-made rules over God's clear commands, using the commandment to honor parents as a prime example of how their traditions allowed people to circumvent their responsibilities. He then elaborates on this by quoting God's law given through Moses concerning honoring and not reviling parents, setting the stage to expose their specific tradition that caused this violation.
"For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God…" — Jesus highlights the severe penalty for disrespecting parents, not just for cursing them, but implying that any failure to honor them also carries serious weight. This emphasizes that "honor" encom…
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