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The Origin and Meaning of the Handwashing in Mark 7:1-5

Radenko Džuver ; Adventističko teološko visoko učilište, Maruševec, Hrvatsk

Sažetak

This paper explores the origin and meaning of the ritual handwashing mentioned in Mark 7:1–5, where the Pharisees rebuke Jesus and His disciples for eating bread with unwashed hands. Contrary to the common interpretation that Jesus abolishes Old Testament laws regarding clean and unclean food, the author argues that the central issue is actually a conflict over the Jewish “tradition of the elders,” rather than Levitical dietary or even purity regulations. Through a thorough analysis of the Old Testament, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Qumran writings, Josephus, and rabbinic literature, the study demonstrates that the custom of ritual handwashing before meals has no basis in Old Testament law and was not a normative practice in Second Temple Judaism—not even among the Essenes, who strongly emphasized ritual purity but acknowledged the inability of external rites to cleanse inner spiritual impurity. Only rabbinic teachings later developed a strictly defined obligation to wash hands before meals as a safeguard against transgressing purity laws. Jesus’ condemnation of this practice, therefore, does not constitute a rejection of Old Testament dietary laws but rather a critique of elevating human tradition to the level of divine command.

Ključne riječi

Mark 7:1–5, purification rituals; Second Temple Judaism; Pharisees,; rabbinic Judaism

Hrčak ID:

331465

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/331465

Datum izdavanja:

30.5.2025.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 765 *