paradosis

What it means

What is handed down. In Mark 7 it is the "tradition of the elders," the oral rules that grew up around the Torah. Jesus does not reject all tradition; he rejects tradition that cancels God's commandment (7:8-13).

Range of meaning

• What is handed onTeaching or custom passed down.
• The tradition of the eldersThe Pharisees' accumulated rulings on living out the law.

In Mark

• Chapter 7

  "The tradition of the elders" and "the tradition of men" versus the word of God (7:3-13).