Matthew 15

Commandments of God made ineffective by rules of tradition 1
Worship made ineffective 7
Religious leaders not appointed by God 12
Woman would accept the crumbs 21
Jesus healed many 29
Seven loaves and a few fish for 4,000 32
Text
Comments
Conflict about tradition and ceremony. Matt. 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23.
.1 ¶ Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
 2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
.3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
.4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
 5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
.6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
   2 - Tradition of the elders They knew that their rule was not in the Scriptures. It was not a matter of health principles either. The Jewish leaders of the time had a system of complex rules that, in effect, kept the people looking to them for salvation. Of course Jesus did not approve (continue reading).
   3 - Transgress They were breaking the law of God. Jesus didn't argue about the multitude of rules about washing hands but brought conviction about their whole corrupt system.
.7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
.8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
.9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
 10 ¶ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
 11  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
   9 - In vain ... worship From is2913,4. As the Christian church fell into apostasy it took a similar course re1408f.
.12  Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
 13  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
 14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
 15  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
 16  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
 17  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
 18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
 19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
 20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

A woman of Canaan came v21ff.

  13 - Plant ... rooted up The unscriptural traditions were not acceptable to God.
  20 - These ... defile We are affected by the words we express. Pure words come from God mt0404.

Withdrawal to Phoenicia. Matt. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30.
.21 ¶ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
 22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts [or "from that region"], and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
   21 - Departed to area of Tyre and Sidon This was a different ethnic region – like a foreign mission to the disciples.
   22 - Thou Son of David This lady recognized Him as the Messiah. Also see v.25.
.23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
.24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
   23 - He answered not This seems like very strange behavior for Jesus, but you can see that  the disciples didn't think so.
   24 - Not sent but ... Israel Hadn't Jesus told Nicodemus that He was a gift to the world jn0316 — that all would be drawn to Him? jn1232. Jesus was sent to the Jewish nation. Their covenant responsibility was to appeal to the world as spiritual children of Abraham ge1501. It had been God's plan to work through them. His ministry on earth was primarily to give His people a final opportunity to keep their covenant da0927, lu0172 so He would reach the world through them. Thus His primary mission at this time was not to the woman of Canaan.
   Even here, Jesus' ministry was to the disciples as well as to this great woman of faith. They needed to throw out their ethnic prejudice and broaden their sense of mission. Also see mr0724ff. (picture above).
 25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
 26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
 27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
.28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
  25 - Worshipped Or "bowed" but in more than an act of courtesy.
  26 - Not meet ... dogs In a literal sense this was true. Jesus allowed the disciples to show their prejudice so He could teach them. She demonstrated her faith by her response and Jesus gave her the desire of her heart, and His.
.29 ¶ And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.
 30  And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
 31  Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
  29 - See more in Mark mr0731-0809.

Jesus heals the disabled
Feeding the 4,000. Matt. 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10.
.32  Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
 33  And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
.34  And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
 35  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
 36  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
 37  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
.38  And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
.39  And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
   32 - Multitude ... nothing to eat Mark tells the story beginning at mr0801.
   39 - Magdala See map. Illustration DA1898.
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