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Purification by Water?

Data

(1) POxy840 2a
(2a) Mark 7:1-5 = Matt 15:1-2
(2b) Luke 11:37-38
(3a) Mark 11:15-17 = Matt 21:12-13 = Luke 19:45-46
(3b) John 2:14-22

 

Texts

(1) POxy840 2a

/2:1/ And taking along, he led them into the inner sanctuary itself, and began walking about in the temple precinct. /2/ This Pharisee, a leading priest, Levi by name, also entered, ran into them, and said to the Savior, "Who gave you permission to wander around in this inner sanctuary and lay eyes on these sacred vessels, when you have not performed your ritual bath, and your disciples have not even washed their feet? /3/Yet in a defiled state you have invaded this sacred place, which is ritually clean. No one walks about in here, or dares lay eyes on these sacred vessels, unless they have bathed themselves and changed clothes." /4/And the Savior stood up immediately, with his disciples, and replied, "Since you are here in the temple, I take it you are clean." /5/He replies to , "I am clean. I bathed in the pool of David, you know, by descending into it by one set of steps and coming up out of it by another. /6/I also changed to white and ritually clean clothes. Only then did I come here and lay eyes on these sacred vessels." /7/In response the Savior said to him: "Damn the blind who won't see. You bathe in these stagnant waters where dogs and pigs wallow day and night. /8/And you wash and scrub the outer layer of skin, just like prostitutes and dance-hall girls, who wash and scrub and perfume and paint themselves to entice men, while inwardly they are crawling with scorpions and filled with all sorts of corruption. /9/But my disciples and I---you say we are unbathed---have bathed in lively, life-giving water that comes down from [...] But damn those [...]" [Complete Gospels]

see also Dispute over Ritual Purity

(2a) Mark 7:1-5 = Matt 15:1-2

/7:1/ Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, /7:2/ they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. /7:3/ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; /7:4/ and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) /7:5/ So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

/15:1/ Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, /15:2/ "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat."

(2b) Luke 11:37-38

/11:37/ While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. /11:38/ The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. see also Jesus and disciples invading temple area:

(3a) Mark 11:15-17 = Matt 21:12-13 = Luke 19:45-46

/11:15/ Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; /11:16/ and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. /11:17/ He was teaching and saying, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

/21:12/ Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. /21:13/ He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a den of robbers."

/19:45/ Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; /19:46/ and he said, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers."

(3b) John 2:14-22

/2:14/ In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. /2:15/ Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. /2:16/ He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" /2:17/ His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." /2:18/ The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" /2:19/ Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." /2:20/ The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" /2:21/ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. /2:22/ After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

 

Notes

John Dominic Crossan

Item: 277
Stratum: II (60-80 CE)
Attestation: Single
Historicity: -
Common Sayings Tradition: No

 
 
 

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