Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Mark 7:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And when they come from the market, etc..] In Beza's most ancient copy, and in one of Stephens's, it is read as we supply, “when they come”: wherefore this respects not things bought in the market, a sense favoured by all the Oriental versions, for many of them could not be washed; but the persons of the Scribes and Pharisees, who when they came from market, or from any court of judicature, immersed themselves all over in water, according to the true sense of the word baptizw, here used: for, “if the Pharisees touched but the garments of the common people, they were defiled, all one as if they had touched a profluvious person, hlybj kyrw, “and needed immersion”;” ˆ x and were obliged to it f140: hence, when they walked the streets, they walked on the sides of the way, that they might not be defiled by touching the common people f141: wherefore, except they wash, they eat not, or immerse themselves in water, as well as used, ydy tlybj, “immersion of the hands”, or washing of the hands by immersion; and which, if only intended, is sufficient to support the primary sense of the word, “baptizo”: µ and, many other things there be which they have received to hold; by tradition from their elders; as the washing of cups and pots, brazen, vessels, and of tables: and here the word baptismov, “baptism”, is rightly used in its proper and primary signification; for all these things were, according to the traditions of the elders, washed by immersion: “in a laver, (they say f142) which holds forty seahs of water, which are not drawn, every defiled man dips himself, except a profluvious man; and in it yamjh ylkh lk ta ylybjm, “they dip all unclean vessels”;” ˆ µ ˆ “as cups, pots, and brazen vessels”: very particularly brazen vessels are mentioned, because earthen ones that were unclean, were to be broken f143; which were all washed before eaten in, even on a sabbath day, and that by dipping f144: ““dishes”, in which they eat at evening, (i.e. of the sabbath,) they wash them, to eat in in the morning; in the morning they wash them, to eat in at noon; at noon they wash them, to eat in at the “minchah”; and from the “minchah”, and forward, they do not wash again: but “cups”, and “jugs”, and “pots” they wash, and it goes through all the day; for there is no fixed time for drinking.” All such vessels, whether had of a Gentile, or an Israelite, or even a wise man, were to be immersed before used f145. “He that buys a vessel for the use of a feast, of Gentiles, whether molten vessels, or glass vessels — lybjm, “they dip them”, in the waters of the laver; and after that they may eat and drink in them: and such as they use for cold things, as “cups”, and “pots”, and “jugs”, they wash them, lybjmw, “and dip them”, and they are free for use: and such as they use for hot things, as “cauldrons” and “kettles”, (“brazen vessels”,) they heat them with hot water, and scour them, lybjmw, “and immerse them”, and they are fit to be used: and things which they use at the fire, as spits and gridirons, they heat them in the fire till the crust (the covering of rust, or dirt) falls off, lybjmw, “and dip them”, and they may be lawfully made use of. This is the immersion with which they immerse vessels for a feast, bought of Gentiles; and after that they are free for eating and drinking; for the business of uncleanness and purification is only from the words of the Scribes — and none are obliged to this immersion, but molten vessels for a feast, bought of Gentiles; but if h…
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