Mark 7:22

Mar 7:22. Πλεονεξίαι) Πλεονεξία, πλεονέκτης, πλεονεκτέω, as involving the comparative by implication, denote a kind of mean between theft and rapine, viz., when you aim by various artifices to effect, that your neighbour of himself, but with injury to himself, may unwittingly or unwillingly offer, concede, and assign to you some possession which it is not right you should receive. Yet it approaches nearer to theft, and is more opposed to rapine or open violence; and it is a sin chiefly characteristic of the rich, as the two former are sins of the poor; 1Co 6:10; 1Co 5:10.—ἀσέλγεια) a diffuse wantonness [lasciviousness] of mind. Comp. the Syr[50] Version. This and an evil eye are contrary to the ninth and tenth commandments.—ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρὸς, an evil eye) envy and joy at the misfortunes of others.—ἀφροσύνη, foolishness) under which they were labouring, who are refuted in this passage: with this comp. Ye fools, Luk 11:40. This is the reason why foolishness is placed last of all, inasmuch as being that which renders even all the rest incurable. Human corruption has its seat not merely in the will [but in the understanding also. Comp. Mar 7:18.]

[50] yr. the Peschito Syriac Version: second cent.: publ. and corrected by Cureton, from MS. of fifth cent.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All kind of craftiness whereby men profit themselves by other men’s losses.

Cankered malice.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(22) Covetousness, wickedness.—The Greek words for these are, like the preceding, in the plural, as pointing to the manifold forms in which the sins show themselves.

An evil eye.—As explained by Mat_20:15 (where see Note), the “evil eye” is that which looks askance on the good of others—i.e., envy in its most malignant form.

Pride.—Better, perhaps, haughtiness. This is the only passage in the New Testament where the word so translated occurs. The cognate adjective meets us in Rom_1:30; 2Ti_3:2.

Foolishness.—This, again, is a rare word in the New Testament, meeting us only in 2Co_11:1; 2Co_11:17; 2Co_11:21. As interpreted by Pro_14:18; Pro_15:21, it is the folly which consists in the absence of the fear of God, the infatuation of impiety.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. covetousness] “avarices,” Wyclif. The original word denotes more than the mere love of money, it is “the drawing and snatching to himself, on the sinner’s part, of the creature in every form and kind, as it lies out of and beyond himself.” Hence we find it joined not only with “thefts” here and with “extortion” in 1Co_5:10, but also with sins of the flesh as in 1Co_5:11; Eph_5:3; Eph_5:5; Col_3:5. “Impurity and covetousness may be said to divide between them nearly the whole domain of human selfishness and vice.” “Homo extra Deum quaerit pabulum in creatura materiali vel per voluptatem vel per avaritiam.” See Canon Lightfoot on Col_3:5

wickedness] or wickednesses The word thus translated occurs in the singular in Mat_22:18, “but Jesus perceived their wickedness,” and again in Luk_11:39; Rom_1:29; 1Co_5:8; Eph_6:12. In the plural it only occurs twice, here and in Act_3:26, where we have translated it “iniquities.” It denotes the active working of evil, “the cupiditas nocendi,” or as Jeremy Taylor explains it, an “aptness to do shrewd turns, to delight in mischief and trajedies; a love to trouble our neighbour and to do him ill offices; crossness, perverseness, and peevishness of action in our intercourse.” Trench’s N. T. Synonyms, p. 36.

lasciviousness] The word thus rendered is of uncertain etymology, and in our Version is translated generally “lasciviousness,” as here and 2Co_12:21; Gal_5:19; Eph_4:19; 1Pe_4:3; sometimes (2) “wantonness,” as in Rom_13:13; 2Pe_2:18. The Vulgate renders it now “impudicitia,” now “lascivia.” “Wantonness” is the better rendering. In Classical Greek it signifies “lawless insolence” or “boisterous violence” towards another; in later Greek “sensuality.”

an evil eye, blasphemy] Of these the first denotes concealed, the second open enmity. The evil eye is notorious in the East; here it is the description of an envious look; “invidia et de malis alienis gaudium.” Bengel.

pride] The substantive thus translated only occurs here in the N. T., its adjective occurs in Luk_1:51, “He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts;” Rom_1:30, “proud, boasters;” 2Ti_3:2, “proud, blasphemers;” Jas_4:6, 1Pe_5:5, “God resisteth the proud,” The true seat of this sin, the German “Hochmuch,” is within, and consists in comparing oneself secretly with others, and lifting oneself above others, in being proud in thought. foolishness] only occurs here in the Gospels, and three times in the Epistles of St Paul, 2Co_11:1; 2Co_11:17; 2Co_11:21. “Causa cur insipientia extremo loco ponatur: quae etiam reliqua omnia facit incurabiliora. Non in sola voluntate est corruptio humana.” Bengel.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All these evil things come from within,.... All evil thoughts, words, and actions, take their rise from the inward parts of man; from his heart; which is sadly corrupted, and is the fountain from whence all these impure streams flow. And if these come from within, then not from without; they are not by imitation or are the mere effects of example in others: example may indeed, and often does, draw out the evil that is within; but it does not produce it there; if it was not there before, it could not draw it out from thence: and if all these evils come from within, then the inward part of man must be sinful and polluted, previous to the commission of these evil things; and from whence springs then that inward pollution? It is the fruit of original sin, of Adam's transgression; the consequence of which is, a corrupt nature, which is derived to all his posterity: for his nature being corrupted by sinning, and he having all human nature in him, the individuals of it could not be propagated by ordinary generation, without the pollution of sin cleaving to them; "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one", Job 14:4. Nor has there ever been any instance to the contrary, but the man Christ Jesus; whose human nature was holy, it not descending from Adam by ordinary generation; otherwise, all men, as David was, are "shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin", Psa 51:5, and this is the source and spring of all sinful action, internal and external.

And defile the man; both soul and body; all the powers and faculties of the soul, and all the members of the body; or "make a man common": these show him to be one of the common people, a very sinful man; as such were reckoned, and therefore are called emphatically, "sinners": and are joined with "publicans", who were esteemed the worst of sinners: from all which it appears, that sin in thought, word, and deed, is the defiling thing, and is what ought to be carefully avoided; and not meats, and the manner of eating them, provided moderation is used.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Ver. 22. An evil eye] Envious, and rejoicing at the miseries of others, which is the property of Edomites, abjects, witches, and devils. Those that are bewitched are said to be overlooked, sc. with an evil and malicious eye. Nescio quis teneros, &c. βασκαινω, fascino, i. q. φαεσι, καινω.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. An evil eye — An envious eye.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wickedness - The word means ill natured, cruelty, inhumanity, and all malevolent affections. Foolishness - Directly contrary to sobriety of thought and discourse: all kind of wild imaginations and extravagant passions.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

22. πλεονεξίαι. Efforts to get more than one’s due, forms of selfishness; see on 2Co 9:5 and cf. Luk 12:15; Col 3:5. In Rom 1:29 we have πλεον. coupled with πονηρία.

δόλος. Conspicuous in Christ’s enemies (Mar 3:6; Mar 3:22, Mar 14:1); the true Israelite has none of it (Joh 1:48).

ἀσέλγεια. Unblushing licentiousness defying public opinion, such as was seen at the court of Antipas (Mar 6:22 f.). Like ὕβρις, it cares nothing for the feelings of others. Vulg. has impudicitia here.

ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός. A belief in the “evil eye,” which brings ill to the person or thing on which it rests, seems to be almost universal in savage and half-civilized nations. But belief in a person whose look blighted without his willing it, the Italian jettatore, is not found in Scripture. There the ἀνὴρ βάσκανος (Pro 23:6; Pro 28:22) is envious, jealous, and grudging, and his “evil eye” is φθόνος and πλεονεξία combined; ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρὸς φθονερὸς ἐπʼ ἄρτῳ, “an evil eye is envious over bread” (Sir 14:8; Sir 14:10; cf. Sir 31:12-14; Tob 4:7; Deu 15:9; Deu 28:54; Deu 28:56). see on 2Co 9:6-7, and on the whole subject F. T. Elworthy, Evil Eye (1895); Lightfoot on Gal 3:1.

βλασφημία. Not “blasphemy” (A.V.), but railing (R.V.), or “backbiting,” καταλαλία. see on 2Co 12:20. In 1Pe 2:1 we have φθόνους καὶ πάσας καταλαλίας, which is much the same as ὀφθ., πον. and βλασφημία.

ὑπερηφανία. Here only in N.T., but freq. in LXX. See esp. Sir 10:7; Sir 10:12; Sir 10:18. It is the sin of the “superior” person, who loves to make himself conspicuous and “sets all others at nought” (Luk 18:9). The ὑπερήφανοι are condemned Luk 1:51; Rom 1:30; 2Ti 3:2; 1Pe 5:5; Jas 4:6, the last two being quotations from Pro 3:32. In the Psalms of Solomon, ὑπερηφανία is often used of the insolent pride of the heathen as opponents of Jehovah.

ἀφροσύνη. The fool in Scripture (ἄφρων, μωρός, ἀνόητος, ἄσοφος) is one who does not know the moral value of things; he thinks that sin is a joke, and mocks at those who treat it seriously. Hence the severity with which he is condemned. In the Shepherd of Hermas there is much about ἀφροσύνη, Man. v. ii. 4, Sim. vi. Mar 7:2-3, ix. xv. 3, xii. 2, 3. It renders other vices incurable.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22.] The καρδία is the laboratory and the fountain-head of all that is good and bad in the inner life of man: see Beck, biblische Seelenlehre, § 21.: Delitzsch, biblische Psychologie, Exo_2, § 12, pp. 248 ff.

Matt.’s catalogue follows the order of the second table of the decalogue. Mark’s more copious one varies the order, and replaces ψευδομαρτυρίαι by πλ., πον., δόλ., ἀσέλ., ὀφθ. πον., and βλασφ. by βλασφ., ὑπερη., ἀφρος. Compare Rom 1:29: Eph 4:19: Wisd. 14:25, 26.

ἀφροσύνη, the opposite to σωφροσύνη, unreasoning folly: not in speaking only, but in thought, leading to words and acts.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. πονηρίαι—In general, this is a generic term for evil. Where it is used specifically, as here, it probably denotes malice as a distinct form of evil. δόλος—deceit does not convey the flavor of this word, which, starting from the idea of bait, comes to denote any trick, and abstractly, trickery, cunning, craft. ἀσέλγεια—Here also, the EV. lasciviousness, fails to convey the meaning. The word denotes in a general way the absence of self-restraint, unbridled passion, or cruelty, and the like. License, or wantonness, may be used to translate it. ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός—an evil eye—a Hebrew expression for envy. βλασφημία—a general word for evil or injurious speech, either of God or man. Toward the former it is blasphemy, toward the latter, slander. In this connection it is probably slander. ὑπερηφανία—a common Greek word, but found only here in the N.T. It includes pride of self and contempt of others, arrogance. ἀφροσύνη—folly translates this better than foolishness, as it denotes the morally foolish.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wickedness [πονηριαι] . Plural. Rev., wickednesses. From ponein, to toil. The adjective ponhrov means, first, oppressed by toils; then in bad case or plight, from which it runs into the sense of morally bad. This conception seems to have been associated by the high - born with the life of the lower, laboring, slavish class; just as our word knave (like the German knabe from which it is derived) originally meant simply a boy or a servant - lad. As ponov means hard, vigorous labor, battle for instance, so the adjective ponhrov, in a moral sense, indicates active wickedness. So Jeremy Taylor : "Aptness to do shrewd turns, to delight in mischiefs and tragedies; a loving to trouble one's neighbor and do him ill offices." Ponhrov, therefore, is dangerous, destructive. Satan is called oJ ponhrov, the wicked one. Kakov, evil (see evil thoughts, verse 21), characterizes evil rather as defect : "That which is not such as, according to its nature, destination, and idea it might be or ought to be" [χρεμερ] . Hence of incapacity in war; of cowardice [κακια] . Kakov doulov, the evil servant, in Mt 24:48, is a servant wanting in proper fidelity and diligence. Thus the thoughts are styled evil, as being that which, in their nature and purpose, they ought not to be. Matthew, however (xv. 19), calls these thoughts ponhroi, the thoughts in action, taking shape in purpose. Both adjectives occur in Rev 16:2.

Lasciviousness [ασελγεια] . Derivation unknown. It includes lasciviousness, and may well mean that here; but is often used without this notion. In classical Greek it is defined as violence, with spiteful treatment and audacity. As in this passage its exact meaning is not implied by its being classed with other kindred terms, it would seem better to take it in as wide a sense as possible - that of lawless insolence and wanton caprice, and to render, with Trench, wantonness, since that word, as he remarks, "stands in remarkable ethical connection with ajselgeia, and has the same duplicity of meaning" (" Synonyms of the New Testament "). At Rom 13:13, where lasciviousness seems to be the probable meaning, from its association with chambering [κοιταις] , it is rendered wantonness in A. V. and Rev., as also at 2Pe 2:18.

Evil eye [οφθαλμος πονηρος] . A malicious, mischief - working eye, with the meaning of positive, injurious activity. See on wickednesses.

Blasphemy [βλασφημια] . The word does not necessarily imply blasphemy against God. It is used of reviling, calumny, evil - speaking in general. See Mt 27:39; Rom 3:8; Rom 14:16; 1Pe 4:4, etc. Hence Rev. renders railing.

Pride [υπερηφανια] . From uJper, above, and fainesqai, to show one's self. The picture in the word is that of a man with his head held high above others. It is the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man. Compare Pro 16:5; Rom 12:16 (mind not high things); 1Ti 3:6.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.