7 But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men. 8 For, turning away from the law of God, you keep the rules of men. 9 And he said to them, Truly you put on one side the law of God, so that you may keep the rules which have been handed down to you. 10 For Moses said, Give honour to your father and mother, and, He who says evil of father or mother, let him have the punishment of death: 11 But you say, If a man says to his father or his mother, That by which you might have had profit from me is Corban, that is to say, Given to God, 12 You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of no effect by your rule, which you have given: and a number of other such things you do.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 7:7-13
Commentary on Mark 7:1-13
(Read Mark 7:1-13)
One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty.