Mark 7:3

“For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, etc..] The far greater part of them; all, excepting the Sadducees; and especially the Pharisees, were very tenacious of this tradition of washing hands before eating: hence Pharisees are described as such, hrhjb hylw ylkwa, “that eat their common food with cleanness” f133, i.e. of hands: these, ˆ j except they wash their hands oft, eat not; or except they wash very cautiously, with great care, diligence, and exactness, as the Syriac version suggests; and about which there are various rules given, to be observed with great strictness f134. Some render the words, “they wash their hands to the elbow”; and this is a rule with the Jews, which is closely to be…”

“See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 15:1-20. Mark 7:1 Came from Jerusalem - Probably to observe his conduct, and to find matter of accusation against him. Mark 7:2 Defiled hands - The hands were considered defiled or polluted unless they were washed previous to every meal. Mark 7:3 Except they wash their hands oft - Our word “oft” means frequently, often. The Greek wore translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means “up to the wrist” - unless they wash their hands up to the wrist. Others have said up to the elbow.” There is evidence that the Pharisees had some such foolish rule as this about washing, and it is likely that they practiced it…”

“oft: or, diligently, Gr. With the fist, Up to the elbow, Theophylact. Πυγμη \[Strong's G4435\], the fist; which Dr. Lightfoot illustrates by a tradition from the Talmudical tracts, that when they washed their hands, they washed the fist up to the joint of the arm, עד פרק. The Jews laid great stress on these washings, or baptisms, βαπτισμους \[Strong's G909\], considering eating with unwashen hands no ordinary crime, and feigning that an evil spirit, called Shibta, has a right to sit on the food of him who thus eats, and render it hurtful. the tradition: Mar 7:7-10, Mar 7:13; Mat 15:2-6; Gal 1:14; Col 2:8, Col 2:21-23; Pe1 1:18 Mark 7:4”