Matthew 15

The disciple of Christ being accused by the Scribes and Pharisees, because they eat with unwashen hhands, are defendedby Christ, who reproves their hypocrisie, and rejects humane institutions,1. Teacheth that their offencce taken is not to be regarded, and what it is that truly defiles the man,10. Casteth the Devil out of the daughter of a Canaanitish woman, 22 and healeth all kind of deseased persons, 30. Satisfies four thousand men seven loaves and few little fishes,32.

1. Then came to Jesus (certain) Scribes and Pharisees, which (were) of Jerusalem, saying;

2. Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the institution [Gr. tradition, or deleivering over] of thhe Ancients? [or Eldersw, namely, of the Pharisaical Doctors, Matth 5.21.] for they wish not their hands when they are to eat bread.

3. But he answering, said unto them; Wherefore do ye also transgress the Commandment of God, by your instituion? [That is to say, which ye have taken up and follow]

4. For God commanded, saying; Honour thy Father and thy Mother; [Honour signifies not only outward reverence, but alo all manner of help and assistance 1 Tim 5 verse 3,17.] and he that curseth Father or Mother, he shall die the death. [that is, shall without favour be punished with death, Exodus 21. ver. 17. Leviticus 20:9.]

5. But ye say, Whosoevr shall say to Father or Mother (it is) a gift, [Or, be it a gift; that is, an offering, Matthew 5:24. Hr]br. Corbon; see Matth 7.11. Or whatsoever gift is offering, Matthew 5:24. Her Corban; see Matth 7.11. Or whatsoever gift is offered by me, shall be profiatble unto thee, he satifies. Or he is discharged from giving any father maintanance to hhis parents. See hereof also in thhe Annotations on Mark 7:11. The sense is that they taught, that under pretext of offering, men might withhold from thheir parents the hhelp due unto them] whatsoever from me mighht he profitable to thee, and shhall in no wise honour his Father and his Mother, (he satisfieth).

6. And (so) ye have made Gods command of no force by your institution.

7. Ye hypocrites, Well hath Esaias propheeyed of you, saying [That us to say, that well agrees to you which Esaias also said heretofore to the Jewes of his time.]

8. This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honour me with lips, but their heart keep it (self) far from me.

9. But in vain do they honour me, teaching doctrines (which are) commandments of men. [Namley, to observe them as part of God worship, Deuter.4.2. and 12.32.]

10. And when he had called the multitude unto him, he said unto the, Hear and understand.

11. That which goes into mouth, defileth not the man, [Gr. makes not common, thhat is, unhalloweth seeActs 10. verse 14 Christ speaks here according to the opinion of the Pjarisees, of that defilement, which should arise from the taking of meat with unwashen hands] but that which goeth out of the mouth [namely, proceeding from empure hearts, as Christ afterwards declares, verse 18,19] thst defileth the man.

12. Thhen came his disciples unto him, and said unto him, Knowest (well) that the Pharisees hearing this speech, were offended.

13. But he answering, said, or Every plant [Or, planting; that is, every doctrine, or worship of God] which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted out [Gr. plucked out by the root.]

14. Let them go, they are blind leaders of th blind. Now if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch.

15. And Peter answering, said unto him, Declare unto us his similitude [The word similitude is sometimes (as it is here) taken for all manner of doctrine, which is sometime (asnit here) taken for all manner of doctrine, whcih is somewhat obscurely propounded.]

16. But Jesus said, Are ye also ignorant or yet? [Or, not understanding, without understanding.]

17. Do ye not yet understand, that all that goeth into the mouth, cometh, cometh into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?

18. But those things which go out of the mouth, come forth of the heart, and they desire the man.

19. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, [or, communication] murders, adulteries, whoredomes, thefts false witnessings, blasphemies.

20. These things are they which desire the man; but eating with unwashen hands, desireth not the man. [Christ doth not here reprove the civil custome in washing the hands before meat, but the superstition of the Pharisees, which placed holiness and religion therein]

21. And Jesus going from thence, departed towards the parts of Tyre and Sidon.

22. And behold a Cannaanitish woman [See concerning hher the Annotation on Mark 7:26. where she is called a Grecian woman of Syrophenicia; here she is called a Canaanittsh woman, because the inhabitants of Tyre Sidon, from whom the City Sidon hsd its Origanal and name, was the first – born son of Cham, Genesis 10:15] coming out of those coast, cryed to him, saying; O Lord, (thuo) son of David, have mercy on me, my daughter is pittifully possessed of the Devil.

23. But he answered her not ward. And his disciples coming to him, prayed him, saying, dismisshher from thee, for she cryeth after us. [Gr. behind us]

24. But he answering, said; i am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [Namely, for thid time: for tha the time of the calling of the Gentiles was not yet come.]

25. And she came and worshipprd him, saying; Lord, help me.

26. But hhe answered, and said; It is not sent seemly [Gr. stood honourable, or good] to take the children bread, and to cast it (before) the little dogs. [The Heathen are compared to dogs, because as then they were yet strangers to Gods Covenant.]

27. And she said; Yea Lord, yet [Gr. for] the whelps eat also of their Master Table.

28. Then answered Jesus, and said unto hher, O woman, great is thy faith: Be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made from that same hour.

29. And Jesus departing from thence, came by the sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain, and sate down there.

30. And many multitude came, having with them cripples, blind, dumb, lame, [That is, mained, or weakned in their limbs] and many other, and cast thembefore the feet of Jesus, and he healed them.

31. So that the multitude wondred, seeing the dumb speaking, the cripples walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

32. And Jesus having called his disciples unto him, said; i am inwardly moved with compassion towards the multitude; because they have now continues with me three days, and have nothing for to eat: and i will not let them go from me fasting, left they saint on the way.

33. And his disciples said unto him; From whence (shall) we (get) so many loaves in the wilderness to satisfie so great a multitude?

34. And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves have ye? 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 fished, and when he had given thanks, [Namley, for this blessing, which he accounted as already obtaned. For he knew that he had received power from the Father to do it , and that the Fathher heard him always. See John 11:41,42.] he brake them, and gave them to his Disciples, and his Disciples (gave them) to the multitude.

37. And they did all eat, and were satisfied,and they took up the remainder of the broken peices seven baskets full.

38. And they that had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39. And having dismissed the multitude from him, he went into the ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. [Mark chapter 8 verse 10. faith of Dalmanutha; which seems to be the name of the land in which Magdala lay.]