{Handle not, nor taste, nor touch} (m(8820)haps(8869) m(8864)e geus(8869)
m(8864)e thig(8869)s). Specimens of Gnostic rules. The Essenes took the
Mosaic regulations and carried them much further and the
Pharisees demanded ceremonially clean hands for all food. Later
ascetics (the Latin commentators Ambrose, Hilary, Pelagius)
regard these prohibitions as Paul's own instead of those of the
Gnostics condemned by him. Even today men are finding that the
noble prohibition law needs enlightened instruction to make it
effective. That is true of all law. The Pharisees, Essenes,
Gnostics made piety hinge on outward observances and rules
instead of inward conviction and principle. These three verbs are
all in the aorist subjunctive second person singular with m(885c), a
prohibition against handling or touching these forbidden things.
Two of them do not differ greatly in meaning. Haps(8869) is aorist
middle subjunctive of hapt(935c), to fasten to, middle, to cling to,
to handle. Thig(8869)s is second aorist active subjunctive of
	higgan(935c), old verb, to touch, to handle. In N.T. only here and
 Heb 11:28  12:20 . Geus(8869) is second aorist middle subjunctive
of geu(935c), to give taste of, only middle in N.T. to taste as
here.