New Testament · Gospel

Mark 7:6

Beyond the Boundaries

Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Mark 7:6 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Mark 7:6, in plain English

Jesus fires back with a quote from Isaiah: 'These people honor God with their words, but their hearts are far away from him.' He calls them hypocrites — people performing religion without living it.

Why it's here

Jesus doesn't defend himself. Instead, he goes on the offensive with Scripture. The prophet Isaiah called out this exact problem centuries earlier.

Who's speaking

Jesus responds to the Pharisees with a sharp prophetic quotation.

Where it sits in the story

Rather than answering their question, Jesus holds up a mirror. Isaiah already diagnosed their problem: religion that lives on the lips but never reaches the heart.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

Jesus counter-attacks by quoting Isaiah 29:13 (LXX), calling them 'hypocrites' (hypokritai — originally 'stage actors'). The Isaiah quotation distinguishes between lip-service honor and genuine heart devotion, establishing the external-internal contrast that structures the entire discourse.

Language and setting

The Isaiah citation is foundational: it separates 'lips' from 'hearts' and 'human precepts' from divine commandments, providing the theological framework for everything Jesus says in vv.6-23.

Voice

Jesus responds to the Pharisees by quoting Isaiah 29:13.

Significance

Jesus bypasses their question and goes on offense, quoting Isaiah to expose the gap between their external religious performance and their internal spiritual reality. He calls them actors — hypocrites.

In context

Mark 7:4–8

4And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.

5So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

6Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

7They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

8You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.”

Read all of Mark 7 — Jesus declares all foods clean and then crosses into Gentile territory to heal a woman's daughter. The walls are coming down.

Understand every verse, not just this one

This page covers one. BibleKey does all 31,102 — tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and keep reading without leaving the chapter.

Get BibleKey

Understand every verse.

Not just the famous ones. BibleKey is free on iPhone and iPad.

Download on the App Store

Free on iPhone & iPad