Spit - Mark 7 and 8

Mar_7:33  And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

Mar_8:23  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

Spit - Used 11 times in Scripture - 4 times in the OT.

From the verses above:

G4429 - A primary verb (compare G4428); to spit.

• G4428 - Probably akin to πετάννυμι petannumi (to spread; and thus apparently allied to G4072 through the idea of expansion, and to G4429 through that of flattening; compare G3961); to fold, that is, furl a scroll.

It has a sort of gross factor to it...Jesus spat and then touched the man's tongue.  Then he spits on someone's eyes.  In the OT if someone was spitting, it was a sign of disgrace.  Even the other uses of spit in the NT, was in reviling the Lord.

Mat 26:67  Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

This is G1716 (as are the others in the NT) which means:

From G1722 and G4429; to spit at or on.

• G1722 - A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.

A few of the OT:

Num 12:14  And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's commentary on the above verse:

her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? — The Jews, in common with all people in the East, seem to have had an intense abhorrence of spitting, and for a parent to express his displeasure by doing so on the person of one of his children, or even on the ground in his presence, separated that child as unclean from society for seven days.

Deu 25:9  Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.

Spitting would normally be seen as a sign of disrespect, and in some cases could legally be prosecuted as battery.  So why was Jesus spitting NOT insulting?  In 7:33 he didn't actually spit on the person, whereas in 8:23 it's in/on the eyes.

As a blind person can you imagine someone spitting on your eyes...no idea it's coming, nothing to clue you in on the pucker up and preparation to the projectile of saliva.  Just wham.

A deaf mute receives holy spit and he could speak plainly - a blind man has spit in/on his eyes and then sees clearly.  And both were told NOT to tell.  How do you keep something like that hidden?

Why would Jesus want them NOT to talk about it?

Tradition of Men - Mark 7

Mar_7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mar_7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

tradition - G3862 - From G3860; transmission, that is, (concretely) a precept; specifically the Jewish traditionary law.

• G3860 - From G3844 and G1325; to surrender, that is, yield up, intrust, transmit.
• G3844 - A primary preposition; properly near, that is, (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case) to the proximity with (local [especially beyond or opposed to] or causal [on account of]). In compounds it retains the same variety of application.
• G1325 - A prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternate in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection).

The question we all need to ask ourselves, are we, like those whom Jesus was rebuking, keeping traditions which are not grounded, founded or authorized by God?

Do we take time to truly examine ourselves or our habits, routines, etc. to see if they honor Him?  To ask Him?  To seek His knowledge via His word?

How much of what we do (or say or think) falls into the 'traditions' of men?  How different from the world do we look?  Have we lost our distinction and 'saltiness'?

What are we holding onto which we think is 'holy' or 'allowable' but in reality doesn't truly honor Him because we're not being set apart and holy?

A few articles for further review:

Traditions that ARE found in the Bible

Scripture and Tradition of God VS Tradition of Men Over Scripture

Traditions of Men
"Just because people have believed something and handed it down through the years does not make it true. Tradition usually serves merely to perpetuate error."

So beloved saints, what are we holding on to that we think glorifies God, or is holy, or prescribed in the Word, but is not?

Tell/Don't Tell - Mark 5

Mar_5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell (G312) them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Mar_7:36  And he charged them that they should tell (G2036) no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

Mar_8:26  And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell (G2036) it to any in the town.

Mar_8:30  And he charged them that they should tell (G3004) no man of him.

Mar_9:9  And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell (G1334) no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

I was intrigued by Jesus' telling one man to publish what had happened to him, versus the other instances of 'shhh' keep it quiet.

tell - G312 - From G303 and the base of G32; to announce (in detail).

• G303 - A primary preposition and adverb; properly up; but (by extension) used (distributively) severally, or (locally) at (etc.).
• G32 - From ἀγγέλλω aggellō (probably derived from G71; compare G34; to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication a pastor.

Well, I hadn't looked at the other verses to see if 'tell' was the same, and they aren't.  Interesting.

G2036 - A primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from G2046, G4483 and G5346); to speak or say (by word or writting).

G3004 - A primary verb; properly to “lay” forth, that is, (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue]).

G1334 - From G1223 and G2233; to relate fully.

• G1223 - A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional). In composition it retains the same general import.
• G2233 - Middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of G71; to lead, that is, command (with official authority); figuratively to deem, that is, consider.

I still don't 'get' why, especially in Mark 5:9 - go tell what great things the Lord has done, while in 7:36 and 8:26 don't.  I can somewhat understand with the transfiguration, because it's more of a wait, versus an all out DON'T.

It does make me ponder on what the Lord does and does not want me to 'tell'.  Am I even seeking Him before I let loose with what's on my mind?  Is what I'm telling glorify Him?  Thinking before speaking...how much conflict and hurt could be avoided?