Catechism Links
CCC 577-582: Christ and the Law
CCC 1961-1974: the Old Law and the Gospel
CCC Cross Reference:
Jas 1:17 212, 2642; Jas 1:27 2208
Mk 7:8-13 2196; Mk 7:8 581; Mk 7:14-23 574; Mk 7:18-21 582; Mk 7:21 1764
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Reading 1
Dt 4:1-2, 6-8
Moses said to the people:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin upon you,
you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
R. (1a)One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reading II
Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Gospel
Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.
“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8
Moses said to the people: ‘Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. You must add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God just as I lay them down for you. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation.” And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?’
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 14(15):2-5
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbor,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honors those who fear the Lord.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Second reading James 1:17-18,21-22,27
It is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created. So do away with all the impurities and bad habits that are still left in you – accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves.
Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.
Gospel Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:
This people honors me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.
You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ He called the people to him again and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
From: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Faithfulness to the Law: God's Closeness to His People
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(Moses said to the people:) [1] "And now, 0 Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. [2] You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
[6] Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' [7] For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? [8] And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?
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Commentary:
4:1-8. Having recalled the main events in Israel's journey from Sinai-Horeb onwards, in which God's special providence was evident, the text now stresses the privileged position of the Hebrew people, chosen as they are by God from among ll the nations of the earth, and enabled to draw near to him in a close relationship quite beyond the experience of the Gentiles.
The passage acts as an advance exhortation to fidelity to the Law, the core of which will be recorded later on (5:1-6; 6; 12:1-28:68); it may have been inserted in the course of a revision of the book. The main argument it makes in favor of keeping the Law is the fact that God is so near his people and so accessible to them (vv. 7-8).
4:6-8. The theme of these verses is typical of Wisdom writing. The very life of Israel, shaped as it is by obedience to the Law, will be an eloquent lesson for all other nations. This message, open and out-reaching, implies a universal mission for the chosen people, a message which looks far ahead and will find its fulfillment in the future spread of the Church throughout the world.
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From: James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
The Source of Temptation
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[17] Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. [18] Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.
Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only (Continuation)
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[21b] Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. [22] But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
[27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
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Commentary:
12. These words, which expand on the idea contained in verses 2-4, echo our Lord's own words: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven" (Matthew 5:11-12). The simile of the crown – a mark of victory and kingship--is used to convey the idea of definitive triumph with Christ: the Lord will appear crowned in glory (Revelation 14:14); the Woman of the Apocalypse, symbolizing the Church and the Blessed Virgin, is also described as crowned (cf. Revelation 12:1); and this reward is promised to those who stay true to God in this life (cf. Revelation 2:10; 3:11). It is also to be found in other New Testament passages to convey the idea of the ultimate reward of Heaven (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4).
This means that Christians should not be depressed or cowed by the difficulties which God permits them to experience; on the contrary, they should see them as a series of tests which with God's help they should surmount in order to receive the reward of Heaven. "The Lord does not allow His followers to experience these trials and temptations unless it be for their greater good," St. John of Avila comments. "He disposed things in this way: endurance in adversity and struggle against temptation prove who His friends are. For the mark of a true friend is not that he keeps you company when times are good, but that he stands by you in times of trial [...]. Companions in adversity and later in the Kingdom, you should strive to fight manfully when you meet opposition that would separate you from God, for He is your help here on earth and your reward in Heaven" ("Audi, Filia", 29).
13-18. These verses identify the source of the temptations man experiences: they cannot come from God but are, rather, the effect of human concupiscence (verses 16-18).
Sometimes temptation means putting a person's faithfulness to the test; in this sense it can be said that God "tempts" certain people, as happened in the case of Abraham (cf. Genesis 22:1 ff). However, here the reference is to temptation in the strict sense of incitement to sin: God never tempts anyone in this way, He never encourages a person to do evil (cf. Sirach 15:11-20). Therefore, we cannot attribute to God our inclination to sin, nor can it be argued that by endowing us with freedom He is the cause of our sin. On the contrary, the natural and supernatural gifts we have received are resources which help us act in a morally good way.
14-15. St. James' teaching is that the source of temptation is to be found in our own passions. Elsewhere he says that the world (cf. 1:27; 4:4) and the devil (4:7) are causes of temptations; but to actually commit sin the complicity of one's own evil inclinations is always necessary.
Concupiscence ("desire"), here as elsewhere in the New Testament (cf., e.g., Romans 1:24; 7:7 ff; 1 John 2:16), means all the disordered passions and appetites which, as a result of original sin, have a place in men's hearts. Concupiscence as such is not a sin; but rather, according to the Council of Trent, "since it is left to provide a trial, it has no power to injure those who do not consent and who, by the grace of Jesus Christ, manfully resist"; and if it is sometimes called sin (cf. Romans 6:12 ff) it is "only because it is from sin and inclines to sin" ("De Peccato Originali", 5).
Using the simile of generation St. James describes the course of sin from the stage of temptation to that of the death of the soul. When one gives in to the seduction of concupiscence sin is committed; this in turn leads to spiritual death, to the soul's losing the life of grace. This is the opposite process to the one described earlier (cf. verses 2-12), which begins with trials (temptations in the broad sense: cf. note on 1:2-4) and ends up in Heaven; whereas in this passage, the process also begins with temptation but because of sin ends up with the death of the soul. Bl. John Paul II described the process as follows: "Man also knows, through painful experience, that by a conscious and free act of the will he can change course and go in a direction opposed to God's will, separating himself from God ("aversio a Deo"), rejecting loving communion with Him, detaching himself from the life-principle which God is, and consequently choosing "death" ("Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia", 17).
16-18. "The Father of lights": a reference to God as Creator of the heavenly bodies (cf. Genesis 1:14 ff; Psalm 136:7-9) and, in the symbolism of light, as the source of all good things, material and, especially, spiritual. Unlike heavenly bodies, which change position and cast shadows, there is no variation or shadow in God: no evil can be attributed to Him (cf. verse 13), but only good things.
"First fruits of His creatures": Christians, who have been recreated by God by "the word of truth" (the Gospel) already constitute the beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth (cf. Revelation 21:1) and are a sign of hope for all mankind and for the whole of Creation (cf. Romans 9:19-23).
19-27. In the previous verse the sacred writer referred to the effectiveness of "the word of truth". Now he makes the point that although the Gospel has this effectiveness, it is not enough just to hear it: we need to listen to it with docility (verses 19-21) and put it into practice (verses 22-27). Further on he will emphasize this connection between faith and works (cf. 2:14-26).
21. "First he calls", St. Bede comments, "for the cleansing of mind and body from vice, so that those who receive the word of salvation can live in a worthy manner. A person who does not first turn his back on evil cannot do good" ("Super Iac. Expositio, ad loc".).
To listen docilely to the word of God one needs to try to keep evil inclinations at bay. Otherwise, pride -- deceiving itself with all sorts of false reasons – rebels against the word of God (which it sees as a continuous reproach for a habit of sin it is unwilling to give up).
22-25. Sacred Scripture frequently exhorts us to put the word of God into practice: "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a man who built his house upon the sand" (Matthew 7:26; cf., e.g., Ezekiel 33: 10-11; Matthew 12:50; Romans 2:13; James 2:14-26).
The comparison of the man looking into the mirror is a very good one: the word of God is frustrated unless it leads to examination of conscience and a firm resolution to mend one's ways. Those who are doers of the word will be "blessed"; our Lord says the same thing when He describes as blessed those who "hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28).
St. James' counsels in this passage are a clear call for the consistency a Christian must seek at all times. Bl. John Paul II commented: "These are very serious, very severe statements; a Christian should always be genuine, should never be content with words alone. The mission he has received is a delicate one: he should be leaven in society, light of the world, salt of the earth. As time goes by, the Christian becomes more and more aware of his commitment, and the difficulties it entails: he discovers he has to swim against the tide, he has to bear witness to truths which are absolute, yet invisible; he has to lose his earthly life in order to gain eternity; he needs to feel responsible not just for himself but also for his neighbor -- for whom he should light the way, and edify and save. However, he realizes that he is not alone in all this [...]. The Christian knows that not only did Jesus Christ, the Word of God, become man to reveal saving truth and redeem mankind; He has also chosen to stay with us on earth, mysteriously renewing the sacrifice of the Cross by means of the Eucharist and becoming spiritual food for the soul and accompanying it on its journey through life" ("Homily", 1 September 1979).
26-27. St. James now gives some examples of what doing "the word of truth" (verse 18), that is, the Gospel, means--controlling one's tongue, being charitable and not letting oneself be stained by the world.
The Old Testament often refers to widows and orphans as deserving of special attention (cf. Psalm 68:5; 146:9; Deuteronomy 27:19), and the first Christians made arrangements for the care of widows in the early communities (cf. Acts 6:1ff; 9:39; 1 Timothy 5:3ff). Concern for widows and orphans is included in the works of mercy ("by which the temporal or spiritual wants of our neighbor are relieved" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 943), which our Lord will take into account at the Last Judgment (cf. Matthew 25:31-46).
"World" here has the pejorative meaning of "enemy of God and of Christians" (cf. also 4:4; and other passages of Scripture, e.g., John 1:10; 7:7; 16:8-11; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Peter 2:20); one needs to be constantly on the alert to avoid contamination...
"God and the Father": this is the literal meaning of the Greek. In New Testament Greek the term "God" when preceded by the definite article normally means not the divine nature but the person of the Father. In this case by adding the words "and the Father" St. James does not mean another, distinct Divine Person: he is simply making explicit the meaning of the term "the God". It could also be translated by the paraphrase "before Him who is God and Father".
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From: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
The Tradition of the Elders
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[1] Now when the Pharisees gathered together to Him (Jesus), with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, [2] they saw that some of His disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. [3] (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; [4] and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) [5] And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?" [6] And He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; [7] in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' [8] You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.
What Defiles a Man
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[14] And [Jesus] called the people to meet Him, and said to them, "Hear Me, all of you, and understand: [15] there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things that come out of a man are what defile him."
[21] For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, [22] coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. [23] All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.
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Commentary:
1-2. Hands were washed not for reasons of hygiene or good manners but because the custom had religious significance: it was a rite of purification. In Exodus 30:17ff the Law of God laid down how priests should wash before offering sacrifice. Jewish tradition had extended this to all Jews before every meal, in an effort to give meals a religious significance, which was reflected in the blessings which marked the start of meals. Ritual purification was a symbol of the moral purity a person should have when approaching God (Psalm 24:3ff; 51:4 and 9); but the Pharisees had focused on the mere external rite. Therefore Jesus restores the genuine meaning of these precepts of the Law, whose purpose is to teach the right way to render homage to God (cf. John 4:24).
3-5. We can see clearly from this text that very many of those to whom St. Mark's Gospel was first addressed were Christians who had been pagans and were unfamiliar with Jewish customs. The Evangelist explains these customs in some detail, to help them realize the significance of the events and teachings reported in the Gospel story.
Similarly, Sacred Scripture needs to be preached and taught in a way which puts it within reach of its hearers. This is why Vatican II teaches that "it is for the bishops suitable to instruct the faithful [...] by giving them translations of the sacred texts which are equipped with necessary and really adequate explanations. Thus the children of the Church can familiarize themselves safely and profitably with the Sacred Scriptures, and become steeped in their spirit" ("Dei Verbum", 25).
15. Some important codices add here: "If any man has ears to hear, let him hear," which would form verse 16.
20-23. "In order to help us understand divine things, Scripture uses the expression 'heart' in its full meaning, as the summary and source, expression and ultimate basis, of one's thoughts, words and actions" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 164).
The goodness or malice, the moral quality, of our actions does not depend on their spontaneous, instinctive character. The Lord Himself tells us that sinful actions can come from the human heart.
We can understand how this can happen if we realize that, after original sin, man "was changed for the worse" in both body and soul and was, therefore, prone to evil (cf. Council of Trent, "De Peccato Originali"). Our Lord here restores morality in all its purity and intensity.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
