The Gospel According to
Matthew 15
39 verses≈ 6 min3 peopleBSB
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In this chapter
The Tradition of the Elders
Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
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Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he need not honor his father or mother with it.
Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
Reflect
Near lips, far heart
Isaiah’s words still land: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” Where has your faith become words without love? Write down one habit you want to bring your heart back to.
What Defiles a Man
Jesus
Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand. A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”
The disciples
Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.
Matthew 15:11
Peter
Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
Jesus
“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked. “Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”
What defiles?
Whiteboard
Food goes in and passes through. Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, lies and slander come out, and they start in the heart. The Pharisees washed their hands. Jesus says the trouble is deeper: “These are what defile a man.”
Question
Quick question
Peter asked Jesus to explain the saying about what defiles.
Where did Jesus say the things that defile a man come from?
The Faith of the Canaanite Woman
Stylised map · locations approximate
Where it happened
Out to the coast
Jesus left Galilee and “withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon,” the old Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean coast. This was Gentile country, and the woman who met Him there was a Canaanite.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
0:17
Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain
Jesus
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The woman came and knelt before Him.
The Canaanite woman
“Lord, help me!” she said.
But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Jesus
“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.”
And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
your faith is great!
Matthew 15:28
Pray
Lord, help me
Her prayer was three words: “Lord, help me!” Bring Him the person you carry, the need you cannot fix, as plainly as she did. Keep asking. Even crumbs from His table are enough.
The Feeding of the Four Thousand
Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
Jesus
Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”
The disciples
The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
I have compassion for this crowd
Matthew 15:32
After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Stylised map · locations approximate
Where it happened
Across to Magadan
After the meal on the mountain, Jesus sent the crowds home, got into the boat and went to “the region of Magadan,” a place only Matthew names.
You’ve experienced
Matthew 15
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A verse to carry with you
“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.”
Matthew 15:28
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