It's a phrase we still use today: he has dirty hands. We could be referring to hands that are soiled from doing good honest labor. The mechanic who works on our car may have dirty hands but it is no discredit to him. It comes with the territory. The farmer may have dirt all over his body from working all day in the fields. And we honor him because he or she helps feed our world. There is no disgrace in having dirty hands. Unless, of course, we mean it in a metaphorical sense: his hands are soiled with dishonesty, infidelity, greed. If we say the banker, or the politician, or even the preacher has dirty hands, it is usually a serious matter indeed.

The disciples were eating with dirty hands. At least, that is what the Pharisees believed. Some of the disciples did not perform the ritual cle…