|  Home  |  New Testament Studies  |  Matthew Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

÷÷MATTHEW 15

MATTHEW 15

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

÷MATTHEW 15:1-11

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:1-11
 ¹Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ²"Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." ³And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,'and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.'⁵But you say, "Whoever says to his father or mother, 'Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,'⁶he is not to honor his father or mother." And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
 ⁸This people honors Me with their lips,
  But their heart is far away from Me.
  ⁹But in vain do they worship Me,
  Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'
 ¹⁰After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. ¹¹It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

15:1 "Pharisees" They were the most outwardly religious sect within first century Judaism. They had developed during the Maccabean period. The name may have meant "separated ones." Jesus did not condemn all Pharisees but only those who were outwardly legalistic without inner righteousness (Isa. 29:13). They emphasized absolute conformity to the Oral Tradition which was later codified into the Talmud.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

▣ "scribes" This was a professional group of religious lawyers, trained in the written law and oral tradition, who were contacted to make rulings on points of Jewish regulations related to daily life.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES

▣ "from Jerusalem" Jesus was in Galilee at this time so these men traveled a long way to hear Him. They were, if you please, a delegation from headquarters!

15:2 "your disciples" The disciples were from Galilee, where Judaism was not as strict as in the Jerusalem area.

SPECIAL TOPIC: DISCIPLES

▣ "the tradition of the elders" This was a reference to the large body of oral traditions called the Mishnah, which interpreted the Law of Moses and helped apply it to everyday life. The Mishnah was codified most completely by Rabbi Judah in A.D. 200 and later became part of the Talmud. It was believed by the rabbis to be as authoritative as the Torah (Genesis ‒ Deuteronomy), for it, too, was believed to have been given orally to Moses by God (cf. Deut. 4:14).

▣ "they do not wash their hands when they eat" Handwashing was not for hygienic purposes but for ceremonial cleanliness. The OT did not require washing before every meal, but tradition grew

1. from Exod. 30:19 where the priests were to wash
2. Leviticus 15, where those who touched something unclean were to wash

By Jesus' time washing before meals had become a major part of Jewish religious life. One early rabbi was excommunicated for not washing properly! Not only was washing before meals commanded, but washing after and even between the individual courses was also considered a religious ceremonial duty.

15:4 "God said" Mark 7:11 has "Moses said." This shows Jesus' view of the authority and inspiration of the OT (cf. Matt. 5:17-19).

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

▣ "Honor your father and mother" Jesus quoted one of the Ten Commandments (cf. Exod. 20:12; Deut. 5:16). "Honor" was a commercial term which meant "to give due weight to."

SPECIAL TOPIC: HONOR FATHER AND MOTHER

▣ "He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death." The second OT quote in Matt. 15:4 is from Exod. 21:17 or Lev. 20:9. The stability of the society demanded swift and strong action against those who violated covenant requirements. The family was/is basic to Hebrew society.

The concept of vowing or dedicating unneeded resources to God was called corban (from Hebrew word for "gift," cf. Lev. 1:2; 22:27; 23:14; Num. 7:25) or "under the ban" (cf. Mark 7:11). This vow thereby made these resources legally unavailable to be used to help aging parents (though they might be used for other personal reasons).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE

Although it is not expressed in English this phrase is

1. a strong double negative
2. implies a question
3. a quote from the teachings (or implication of) the Pharisees/Scribes

This is a strong Greek word used only here and the parallel in Mark 7:13 and in Gal. 3:17. By their motives and actions the intent of the Scriptures was compromised to human greed! These people looked religious, but the evidence of the Fall remained (i.e., more for me at any cost).

▣ "for the sake of your tradition" This term (pardosis) is used in several senses.

1. in 1 Cor. 11:2,23; 2 Thess. 3:6 for gospel truths
2. in Matt. 15:6; 23:1ff; Mark 7:8; Gal. 1:14 of Jewish traditions
3. in Col. 2:6-8 of Gnostic speculations
4. Roman Catholics use this verse as a biblical proof-text for Scripture and tradition being equal in authority

However, in this context it refers to #2.

15:7 "you hypocrites" This was a theatrical term literally "to judge under" but in the sense of "to play a part behind a mask."

SPECIAL TOPIC: HYPOCRITES

15:8-9 "This people honor me with their lips" This is a quote from the Septuagint of Isa. 29:13. This powerful verse shows that a person's personal faith is clearly revealed, not by what is said, but by motives, outward acts, and words (cf. Rom. 4:3-6; James 2:14-26).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEPTUAGINT

SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH

15:8 "far away" This phrase conveys the idea of holding something or someone at arm's length.

15:10 "Jesus called the crowd to Him," Jesus publicly denounced these religious leaders from Jerusalem.

15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man" This related primarily to the question of hand washing (cf. Matt. 15:18,20), but Mark 7:19 adds a phrase that related the statement to all foods (cf. Acts 10). The purity is from within and it guides/directs outward activities. Jesus changes the OT laws to show He is Lord of Scripture (cf. Matt. 5:21-48).

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT FOOD LAWS

÷MATTHEW 15:12-14

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:12-14
 ¹²Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" ¹³But He answered and said, "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

15:12 "the Pharisees were offended" The disciples were shocked

1. at Jesus' treatment of these religious leaders
2. at His statement about the oral traditions
3. by implication, His negation of the food laws of Leviticus 11

15:13 "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted" This referred either to the Pharisees' teachings or to the Pharisees themselves. It showed that they were not of God (cf. Matt. 5:20; 16:6,11). Religiosity can be a dangerous thing (cf. Rom. 2:17-29; Col. 2:16-22). Peace at any price was not Jesus' way!

It is possible that Jesus is drawing this plant imagery from Isa. 60:21; 61:3. Israel was described in agricultural terms (cf. Isaiah 5; John 15). Israel was YHWH's chosen vine, chosen to reveal Himself to the nations! As Israel failed, so too, Pharisaic theology. The greatest sin besides unbelief is self-righteousness!

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

▣ "heavenly Father"
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD

15:14 This is a THIRD CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE, which refers to probable or potential action.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK GRAMMATICAL TERMS, VII

▣ "blind" This is used as imagery to describe the spiritual understanding of the Pharisees and their disciples (cf. Matthew 23, especially Matt. 15:16,24). This was self-willed, self-imposed blindness.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

÷MATTHEW 15:15-20

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:15-20
 ¹⁵Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us." ¹⁶Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also? ¹⁷Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? ¹⁸But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, slanders. ²⁰These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

15:15-20 This speaks of the need for spiritual balance between freedom in Christ and self-limiting responsibility out of love for Christ and others (cf. Rom. 14:1-15:13; 1 Cor. 8; 10:23-33; 1 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:15).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRISTIAN FREEDOM vs. CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY

15:16 "Are you still lacking in understanding also" This is a rare, emphatic Greek idiom. Even the disciples did not understand until after the resurrection (cf. Luke 24:45, see also Luke 24:16,31; Acts 16:14; 1 Cor. 13:9-12; 1 John 5:20).

15:18 What food one may or may not eat is not the crucial issue but the person's heart (cf. Matt. 12:34; Mark 7:20). By these statements Jesus negated the food laws of Leviticus 11! Jesus is usually said to have rejected the oral tradition of the rabbis, but affirmed the OT. However, in this instance and His treatment of divorce (cf. Matt. 5:31-32; 19:8-9) He changes OT Law. Jesus is Lord of Scripture. He is the final and ultimate revelation of God. It is best to affirm Jesus' right and inspiration to reinterpret both the OT and rabbinical tradition without turning this into a hermeneutical principle. Modern interpreters are not inspired but illumined. We affirm Jesus' teachings, but dare not follow His hermeneutic technique!

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS IS GREATER THAN

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: ILLUMINATION

▣ "heart" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART.

15:19 "fornications" The English word "pornography" shares the same root word as this Greek term. It meant any inappropriate sexual activity: premarital sex, extramarital sex, homosexuality, bestiality, and even a refusal of levirate responsibilities (a brother failing to sexually relate to the widow of a deceased brother in order to provide heirs).

In the OT there was a distinction between marital infidelity (adultery) and pre-marital promiscuity (fornication).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVIRATE MARRIAGE

SPECIAL TOPIC: ADULTERY

▣ "thefts" The English word "kleptomania" is derived from the same Greek root.

▣ "slanders" This whole list referred to the Ten Commandments. Blasphemy was to speak against God.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH

÷MATTHEW 15:21-28

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:21-28
 ²¹Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." ²³But He did not answer a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us." ²⁴But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." ²⁵But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" ²⁶And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." ²⁷But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters'table." ²⁸Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.

15:21 "Tyre and Sidon" These were Phoenician coastal cities. In most of the OT they are associated with Ba'al worship and wickedness, however

1. Solomon did procure artisans and material for the temple from Hiram, King of Tyre (cf. 1 Kings 7)
2. Elijah helped a widow from this area (cf. Luke 4:25-26)

15:22 "a Canaanite woman" This is the only use of this term in the NT, although a similar form is found in a name (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18). In Mark 7:26 she was called a Syro-Phoenician woman, who in the modern world would be a woman from southern Lebanon. She was obviously non-Jewish. This account, like Matt. 8:5-13, showed Jesus' care for Gentiles. The healings summarized in Matt. 15:29-31 took place in a predominately Gentile area (cf. Mark 7:31).

▣ "began to cry out, saying" Obviously this was done loudly and repeatedly. This IMPERFECT TENSE can mean

1. repeated action in past time
2. the beginning of an act in past time

▣ "Have mercy on me" The mercy and compassion of Jesus towards the poor, sick, and possessed had been told far and wide. Even a non-Jewish woman felt He would act on her behalf (cf. Matt. 9:27; 17:15).

This AORIST ACTIVE IMPERATIVE is used in the sense of a prayer request, not a command.

▣ "Lord" This was either

1. a common use of "Sir"
2. the theological use of "Master" and "Messiah"

Only context can tell. Because it is combined with a Messianic title here, the second option is best.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord (adon and kurios)

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRIST JESUS AS LORD

▣ "Son of David" This was a Messianic title from 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17. She knew something about the Jewish faith and hope. See note at Matt. 9:27.

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

▣ "my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed" Demon possession was and is a reality that can even affect children (cf. Matt. 17:14-18). There is so much we don't know about this area!

I have struggled in this area of demon possession. I believe and affirm the biblical worldview. However, it bothers me that

1. exorcism is not listed as one of the spiritual gifts
2. it is never discussed in any of the NT letters
3. I am not informed by an inspired author about how to
   1. recognize demonic possession
   2. perform this spiritual rite

I am left to affirm the reality, but not able to identify it or know how to address it or remove it! Please look carefully at the following two Special Topics.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EXORCISM

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIC (unclean spirits) IN THE NT

15:23 "disciples came and implored Him" The VERB is also IMPERFECT TENSE. The disciples show their level of compassion in contrast to Jesus (cf. Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32). Jesus' answer in Matt. 15:24 was addressed to them, not the woman. This phrase is left out in Mark because he was writing to Gentiles who would not have understood the disciples' reluctance in helping a Gentile.

15:24 "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" Remember Jesus helped other Gentiles, but within the geographical boundaries of the Promised Land. If Jesus had begun a healing ministry in a Gentile land, He would have been rejected by the Jewish populous in general because of their prejudices. The phrase "lost sheep of the house of Israel" shows the spiritual condition of the Jewish people (cf. Matt. 10:6; 9:36).

The "shepherding" imagery began in Num. 27:17 (cf. Zech. 10:2). Psalm 23; 78:52; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10 depict YHWH as the Shepherd of Israel. This imagery becomes Messianic in Micah 5:2; Zech. 11:4-17; and John 10:1-10. The bad shepherds are contrasted with the good shepherd in Ezekiel 34.

Sheep needed constant care and protection. They were helpless, defenseless, and easily influenced animals! Calling God's people sheep is not a compliment, but a spiritual reality!

Could I make one more comment on the word "only"! Jesus helped this needy Gentile, as He did several other Gentiles. These are foreshadowings of His worldwide goal (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8).

1. The Messiah came for all humans made in God's image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27).
2. Genesis 3:15 is not a promise to Israel, but to humans.
3. The call of Abraham included a concern for Gentiles (cf. Gen. 12:3).
4. The giving of the law on Mt. Sinai included God's concern for the world (cf. Exod. 19:5)!

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

15:26 "dogs" This is the only use of this term in the NT. Its harshness is diminished by the fact that it is DIMINUTIVE in form, "puppies" (JB, "house-dogs"). The Jews called the Gentiles "dogs." This dialogue was intended to help the disciples overcome their prejudice against Gentiles. Jesus recognized and publicly affirmed that her faith was great (cf. Matt. 15:28)!

15:27 "crumbs" People often used bread to wipe their hands after eating.

15:28 "O woman, your faith is great" Jesus complimented Gentiles several times (cf. Matt. 8:10). This was to:

1. show His love for Gentiles
2. stimulate the disciples' global worldview

SPECIAL TOPIC: FAITH, BELIEVE, OR TRUST

▣ "her daughter was healed at once" Notice that this lady did not require ritual magic or Jesus' physical presence (cf. Matt. 8:8-9). When He told her that her daughter was healed, she believed.

÷MATTHEW 15:29-31

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:29-31
 ²⁹Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. ³⁰And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. ³¹So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

15:30 "large crowds" These large crowds were made up of the curious, the committed, the religious leaders, and the sick.

▣ "He healed them" This was a Messianic sign (cf. Matt. 11:5) which showed the heart of God (cf. Isa. 32:3-4; 35:3-6; 43:7,16; 61:1)..

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEALING

÷MATTHEW 15:32-38

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:32-38
 ³²And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." ³³The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?" ³⁴And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish." ³⁵And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; ³⁶and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ³⁷And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. ³⁸And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

15:33 "the disciples said" How could the disciples have forgotten the feeding of the 5,000 so quickly (cf. Matt. 14:13-21)? The difference in the number, setting, and type of baskets used show that there were two separate feedings of multitudes, not just one recorded twice.

Although Jesus' statements seemed to restrict His ministry to Jews, this feeding, like the healing of the Centurion's family in Matthew 8, healing of the Gentile woman's child in Matt. 15:21-28 and the summary statement of Matt. 15:29-30, all refer to Gentiles.

÷MATTHEW 15:39

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 15:39
 ³⁹And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.

15:39 "the region of Magadan" This location is unknown. In the Markan parallel the text has "Dalmanatha" (Mark 8:10), but this site is also unknown. Some Greek manuscripts changed Magadan to Magdala which was a Semitic term for "tower."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the Pharisees and scribes travel to Galilee to see Jesus?
2. How can tradition be a dangerous thing?
3. Is it possible to be religious and not know God?
4. How do we balance our freedom as Christians with our responsibilities?
5. Why are Matthew's and Mark's lists in Matt. 15:19 different?
6. Why did Jesus not readily want to help this lady? Why was He reluctant or, was He reluctant?
7. How can children have demons?

|  Home  |  New Testament Studies  |  Matthew Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International