Mark 7:1-13 “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto 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. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 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. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
There are several Greek words in this passage which are translated “wash” or “washing.” The Greek word from which we get the word baptism is found in verses 4 and 8. “Baptizo” and “baptismos” have to do with dipping (immersing, plunging, dunking, burying). We are told that the Pharisees washed (dipped) their hands, their cups, their pots, their vessels, and their tables. Of course, tables here is not the kind with four legs such as we might have in our dinning rooms today. Rather, “tables” here refers to the cloths, spreads, or rugs by which the people reclined to eat their meals.
The “washing” referred to here was a ceremonial washing to show that they were clean after coming in contact with Gentiles or with the things of the world. It was a washing based upon tradition. It was all a matter of legalism (making up rules for others to follow). There is nothing wrong with being clean, but the purpose of this dipping of the hands was to comply with man-made rules. And the Pharisees “found fault” with Jesus because He did not comply with their rules. As for Jesus, He upbraided the Pharisees in a very scathing manner. Not only is it wrong to make up rules for others, rules not in the Bible, it is also wrong to be hypocritical, as the Pharisees were, and as all legalists are today. There is nothing wrong with following some traditions, but the traditions of men are not to be valued like the commandments of God, nor confused with them.