Matthew 15
BBCMatthew 15:1
E. Defilement Is From Within (15:1-20) It is often pointed out that Matthew does not follow a chronological order during the early chapters. But from the beginning of chapter 14 to the end, events are largely given in the sequence in which they occurred. In chapter 15 a dispensational order also emerges. First, the continued haggling and bickering of the Pharisees and scribes (vv. 1-20) anticipates Israel’s rejection of the Messiah. Second, the faith of the Canaanite woman (vv. 21-28) pictures the gospel going out to the Gentiles in this present age. And finally the healing of great crowds (vv. 29-31) and the feeding of 4,000 (vv. 32-39) point to the future millennial age with its world-wide health and prosperity. 15:1, 2 The scribes and Pharisees were unrelenting in their efforts to trap the Savior. A delegation of them came from Jerusalem, charging His disciples with uncleanness for eating with their hands unwashed, therefore violating the tradition of the elders. In order to appreciate this incident, we must understand the references to clean and unclean, and must know what the Pharisees meant by washing. The whole conception of clean and unclean goes back to the OT. The uncleanness with which the disciples were charged was entirely a ceremonial matter. If a person touched a dead body, for instance, or if he ate certain things, he contracted ceremonial defilementhe was not ritually fit to worship God. Before he could approach God, the law of God required him to go through a cleansing ritual. But the elders had added tradition to the cleansing rituals. They insisted, for instance, that before a Jew ate, he should put his hands through an elaborate cleansing process, washing not just the hands, but also the arms up to the elbows. If he had been in the marketplace, he was supposed to take a ceremonial bath. Thus, the Pharisees criticized the disciples for failing to observe the intricacies of the washings prescribed by Jewish tradition. 15:3-6 The Lord Jesus reminded His critics that they transgressed the commandment of God, not simply the tradition of the elders. The law commanded men to honor their parents, including supporting them financially if necessary. But the scribes and Pharisees (and many others) did not want to spend money for the support of their aged parents. So they devised a tradition by which to avoid their responsibility. When asked for help by father or mother, all they had to do was recite such words as these: Any money which I have and which could be used to support you has been dedicated to God, and therefore I cannot give it to you, and having recited this formula, they were free from financial responsibility to their parents. Following this devious tradition they had thus nullified the Word of God which commanded them to care for their parents. 15:7-9 By their crafty twisting of words they fulfilled the prophecy of Isa_29:13. They professed to honor God with their lips, but their heart was far from Him. Their worship was worthless because they were giving higher priority to the traditions of men than to the Word of God. 15:10, 11 Turning to the multitude, Jesus made a pronouncement of tremendous significance. He declared that not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but rather what comes out. We can scarcely appreciate the revolutionary character of this statement. Under the Levitical code, what went into the mouth did defile a man. The Jews were forbidden to eat the meat of any animal which did not chew the cud and have cloven hooves. They were not allowed to eat a fish unless it had scales and fins. Minute instructions were given by God as to foods that were clean or unclean. Now the Law-giver paved the way for the abrogation of the whole system of ceremonial defilement. He said that the food which His disciples ate with unwashed hands did not defile them. But the hypocrisy of the scribes and Phariseesthat was truly defiling. 15:12-14 When His disciples brought word that the Pharisees were offended by this denunciation, Jesus answered by comparing them to plants which had not been divinely planted. They were tares rather than wheat. They and their teachings would eventually be rooted up; that is, destroyed. Then He added, Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. Though professing to be authorities in spiritual matters, they were blind to spiritual realities as were the people they were leading. It was inevitable that both leaders and followers would fall into a ditch. 15:15 The disciples were undoubtedly shaken by this complete reversal of all they had been taught about clean and unclean foods. It was like a parable to them, i.e., an obscure, veiled narrative. Peter verbalized their unsettlement when he asked for an explanation. 15:16, 17 The Lord first expressed wonder that they were so slow to understand, then explained that true defilement is moral, not physical. Edible foods are not intrinsically clean or unclean. In fact, no material thing is evil in itself; it is the abuse of a thing that is wrong. The food man eats enters the mouth, goes into the stomach for digestion, then the unassimilated residue is eliminated. His moral being is not affectedonly his body. Today we know that every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1Ti_4:4-5).
The passage is not speaking of poisonous plants, of course, but of foods designed by God for human consumption. All are good and should be eaten thankfully. If a person is allergic to some, or cannot tolerate others, he shouldn’t eat them, but in general we can eat with the assurance that God uses food to nourish us physically. 15:18 If food doesn’t defile, then what does? Jesus answered, … those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. Here the heart is not the organ that pumps blood, but the corrupt source of human motives and desires. This part of man’s moral nature manifests itself by impure thoughts, then by depraved words, then by evil acts. 15:19, 20 Some of the things that defile a man are evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies, (this Greek word includes slander of others). The Pharisees and scribes were extremely careful concerning the ostentatious, punctilious observance of hand-washing ceremonies. But their inner lives were polluted. They majored in minors and overlooked the matters of real importance. They could criticize the disciples’ failure to keep uninspired traditions, yet plot to kill the Son of God and be guilty of the whole catalog of sin listed in verse 19.
Matthew 15:21
F. A Gentile Is Blessed For Her Faith (15:21-28) 15:21, 22 Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon, on the Mediterranean coast. As far as we know, this was the only time during His public ministry that He was outside Jewish territory. Here in Phoenicia, a Canaanite woman asked Him to heal her daughter who was demon-possessed. It is important to realize that this woman was not a Jewess, but a Gentile. She was descended from the Canaanites, an immoral race which God had marked for extinction. Through Israel’s disobedience, some had survived the invasion of Canaan under Joshua, and this woman was a descendant of the survivors. As a Gentile, she did not enjoy the privileges of God’s chosen earthly people. She was an alien, having no hope. Positionally she had no claim on God or the Messiah. Speaking to Jesus, she addressed Him as the Lord, the Son of David, a title which the Jews used in speaking of the Messiah. Although Jesus was the Son of David, a Gentile had no right to approach Him on that basis. That is why He did not answer her at first. 15:23 His disciples came and urged Him to send her away; to them she was a nuisance. To Him she was a welcome example of faith and a vessel in whom His grace would shine. But first He must prove and educate her faith! 15:24, 25 He reminded her that His mission was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not to Gentiles, and certainly not to Canaanites. She was undismayed by this apparent refusal. Dropping the title, Son of David, she worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me! If she couldn’t come to Him as a Jew to her Messiah, she would come as a creature to her Creator. 15:26 To further probe the reality of her faith, Jesus told her that it was not good for Him to turn aside from feeding the Jewish children in order to give bread to Gentile dogs. If this sounds harsh to us, we should remember that, like the surgeon’s scalpel, it was not intended to hurt but to heal. She was a Gentile. The Jews looked upon the Gentiles as scavenging dogs, prowling the streets for scraps of food. However, Jesus here used the word for little pet dogs. The question was, Would she acknowledge her unworthiness to receive the least of His mercies?15:27 Her reply was magnificent.
She agreed with His description completely. Taking the place of an unworthy Gentile, she cast herself on His mercy, love, and grace. She said, in effect, You are right! I am only one of the little dogs under the table. But I notice that crumbs sometimes fall from the table to the floor. Won’t You let me have some crumbs?
I am not worthy that You should heal my daughter, but I beseech You to do it for one of Your undeserving creatures.15:28 Jesus commended her for her great faith. While the unbelieving children had no hunger for the bread, here was a self-confessed doggie crying out for it. Faith was rewarded; her daughter was healed instantly. The fact that our Lord healed this Gentile daughter at a distance suggests His present ministry at God’s right hand, bestowing spiritual healing on Gentiles during this age when His ancient people are set aside nationally.
Matthew 15:29
G. Jesus Heals Great Multitudes (15:29-31) In Mar_7:31 we learn that the Lord left Tyre, traveled north to Sidon, then eastward across the Jordan, south through the region of the Decapolis. There, near the Sea of Galilee, He healed the lame, the blind, the mute, the maimed, and many others. The astonished crowd glorified the God of Israel. The presumption is strong that this was a Gentile neighborhood. The people, associating Jesus and His disciples with Israel, correctly deduced that the God of Israel was working in their midst.
Matthew 15:32
H. Feeding of the Four Thousand (15:32-39) 15:32 Careless (or critical) readers, confusing this incident with the feeding of the 5,000, have accused the Bible of duplication, contradiction, and miscalculation. The fact is that the two incidents are quite distinct, and supplement rather than contradict each other. After three days with the Lord, the multitude had run out of food. He would not let them go away hungry; they might collapse on the way. 15:33, 34 Again His disciples became frustrated at the impossible task of feeding such a mob; this time they had only seven loaves and a few little fish. 15:35, 36 As in the case of the 5,000, Jesus seated the people, gave thanks, broke the loaves and fish and gave them to His disciples for distribution. He expects His disciples to do what they can; then He steps in and does what they can’t. 15:37-39 After the people were filled, there were seven large baskets of surplus food. The number fed was four thousand men, besides women and children. In the next chapter, we shall see that the statistics relating to the two feeding miracles are significant (16:8-12). Every detail of the Bible narrative is charged with meaning. After dismissing the crowd, our Lord went by boat to Magdala, on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee.