MARK 7:4 AND BAPTISM

[Mark 7:4]:

"And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables."

"the washing of" = "baptismous" from the Greek word "baptismos" meaning to dip or immerse.

The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be 'dipped' (bapto) into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution.

"Tables" = "klinOn" = Str. # 2825 =

AV-bed 9, table 1; 10

1) a small bed, a couch 2) a couch to recline on at meals 3) a couch on which a sick man is carried (Thayer)

[Mk 7:4 NIV]:

"When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[1] )

[4] Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches

[NASB]: "copper pots"

Note that "tables" is not as precise as reclining couch as "dining couches" which in American terms might be considered rather large. However, the dining couch is often a rather small pillow that people sat against or leaned against, and to wash them properly they were certainly immersed. Since the term used is part of the family of words that signify immersion, this is certainly the best rendering: immersion of dining couches = small pillows.