(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,
One great design of Christ's coming, was, to set aside the ceremonial law which God made, and to put an end to it; to make way for which he begins with the ceremonial law which men had made, and added to the law of God's making, and discharges his disciples from the obligation of that; which here he doth fully, upon occasion of the offence...
Commenting on Mark 7:1-23
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews,.... The far greater part of them; all, excepting the Sadducees; and especially the Pharisees, were very tenacious of this tradition of washing hands before eating: hence Pharisees are described as such, , "that eat their common food with cleanness" (n), i.e.
Verse 3. Except they wash their hands oft. The word oft means frequently, often. The word translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means "up to the wrist;" unless they wash their hands up to the wrist.