Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
And when they come - This clause is added by our translators, to fill up the sense; but it was probably a part of the original: for is the reading of the Codex Bezae, Vulgate, Armenian, and most of the Itala. The clause in my old MS. Bible is read thus: And thei turninge agein fro chepinge . The words seem essentially necessary to a proper understanding of the text; and, if not admitted on the above authority, they must be supplied in italics, as in our common translation.
Except they wash - Or dip; for may mean either. But instead of the word in the text, the famous Codex Vaticanus; (B), eight others, and Euthymius, have ̔ , sprinkle. However, the Jews sometimes washed their hands previously to their eating: at other times, they simply dipped or plunged them into the water.
Of cups - ; any kind of earthen vessels.
Pots - Of measures - Ϛ , from the singular Ϛ , a measure for liquids, formed from the Latin sextarius , equal to a pint and a half English. See this proved by Wetstein on this place. My old MS. renders it cruetis .
Of brazen vessels - . These, if polluted, were only to be washed, or passed through the fire; whereas the earthen vessels were to be broken.
And of tables - Beds, couches - . This is wanting in BL, two others, and the Coptic. It is likely it means no more than the forms, or seats, on which they sat to eat. A bed or a couch was defiled, if any unclean person sat or leaned on it - a man with an issue - a leper - a woman with child, etc. As the word , baptisms, is applied to all these, and as it is contended that this word, and the verb whence it is derived, signify dipping or immersion alone, its use in the above cases refutes that opinion and shows that it was used, not only to express dipping or immersion, but also sprinkling and washing. The cups and pots were washed; the beds and forms perhaps sprinkled; and the hands dipped up to the wrist.
Other Adam Clarke entries containing Mark 7:4:
Luke 11:38
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
