His Word Today

³² Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” ³³ And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” ³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” ³⁵ And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, ³⁶ he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ³⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. ³⁸ Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. ³⁹ And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.” (Matthew 15:32–39 (ESV)

Biblical scholars have debated whether Matthew’s recounting of Jesus’ feeding of the four thousand is the same miracle as the feeding of the five thousand that Matthew previously recorded (Matt. 14:19-21). The consensus is that these two chronicles are separate and distinct miracles.

First, Jesus feeding the five thousand occurred in Galilee (Matt. 13:53; 14:22). Mark recorded that Jesus’ feeding the four thousand occurred in the Decapolis (Mark 7:31-37). This was a Gentile populated area. Therefore, the first supernatural feeding was to the Jews. The second was to Gentiles. The amount of people, five and four thousand respectively, did not include women and children. Jesus fed proportionately more people than the initial number indicates.  

Second, the first miraculous feeding involved two fish and five loaves of bread (Matt. 14:17). Today’s text indicates that the disciples had in their possession seven loaves and a few small fish (Matt. 15:34).

Third, the remnants for loaves for the first miraculous feeding were twelve full baskets (Matt. 14:20; John 6:13). The remnants for the second miraculous feeding were seven full baskets (Matt. 15:37).

In both instances, the people had their fill and were satisfied (Matt. 14:20; 15:37). Both illustrated that Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6).

“The evidence compels us to take these stories at face value -— descriptions of two different, miraculous feedings. The five thousand were clearly Jews because the group followed Jesus from Nazareth and other surrounding towns (Matt. 13:53–14:21). On the other hand, the four thousand were probably Gentiles. Just prior to feeding them, Jesus healed many of the four thousand who then “glorified the God of Israel” (15:29–31). Jews could speak of the Lord this way, but it is more likely that Gentiles would say such things as the Jewish crowds in Matthew do not use this title elsewhere. More importantly, Mark locates the events of today’s passage in the Decapolis (7:31–8:10), a region of ten predominantly Gentile cities east of the Sea of Galilee,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

The purpose of Jesus’ miracles were not just to suspend the laws of nature; laws He Himself created (John 1:1-3). Rather, Jesus’ miracles purposely displayed His person, power and presence; not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. This miraculous power continues today in the preaching, and conversion of souls, of and by the Gospel.

¹⁶ “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17 ESV)

By grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone, every believer in Christ is a result of God’s miraculous work.

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁹ “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. ³⁰ And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, ³¹ so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:29–31 (ESV)

It is important to observe the geographical context of Matthew 15:19. Matthew records that, ““Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee.” The sentence indicates that where Jesus went on from was the area of Tyre and Sidon (Matt. 15:21). Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee. The distance between the two Phoenician cities and the Galilean area is 177 miles.

How long would it have taken Jesus and His disciples to make this journey? The average foot speed for most adults is three miles per hour, or twenty minutes per mile. Dividing 177 by 3 equals 59. At an average foot speed of three miles per hour, it would have taken Jesus and His followers approximately 59 hours to make the 177-mile trip to Galilee from Tyre. This is roughly a 2.5-day journey. As John Wayne would say, “A good stretch of the legs.”

Upon arriving at Galilee, Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down there. Mark 7:31 says that Jesus was in the region of the Decapolis. The Decapolis was a term meaning “ten cities” that designates a group of Hellenistic (Greek) towns predominately located on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. The area was probably the area known in the Old Testament as Gilead, and includes what is today northwest Jordan and southern Syria. Matthew recorded Jesus’ earlier visit to the Decapolis in Matthew 8:28-9:1. These inhabitants were Gentiles.

As before, the crowds brought the sick and infirm to Jesus. These included the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others with various maladies. All these conditions evidenced the consequences of the fall of man into sin (Gen. 3:1-7). The people place these sick at the feet of Jesus and He healed them all.

What was the response of the crowd?  They wondered (θαυμάζω; thaumazo). They were astonished and marveled at what Jesus had done. They then glorified the God of Israel. It would be these same people, who were 4,000 men plus women and children (Matt. 15:38), that Jesus would feed with seven loaves of bread and a few, small fish (Matt. 15:34).

“Jesus’ ministry in this area reveals that the kingdom is for Jew and Gentile alike. His miracles here figure predominantly in the prediction of the Messiah’s reign in Isaiah 35. Christ’s work here shows that His blessing is for the nations, which may explain why His Jewish disciples had trouble conceiving that Jesus would feed unclean Gentiles (Matt. 15:33). Even Peter struggled to believe that the nations could become full citizens of God’s kingdom (Gal. 2:1–10).” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Jesus, as the Bread of Life (John 6), is so not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles (Romans 1:16-17). Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁵ “But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” (Matthew 15:25–28 (ESV)

Jesus and His disciples initially refused the Canaanite woman’s request for her daughter’s healing (Matt. 15:21-24). However, she persisted. She came and knelt before Jesus. Knelt (προσκυνέω; proskuneo) means to prostrate oneself in worship. She continually said, “Lord, help me.” The woman not only acknowledged Jesus as Lord by her words (Matt. 15:22), but also by her behavior.

Jesus responded by saying,” “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” The reference to dogs (κυνάριον; kunarion) refers to a family pet and not a stray on the street or alley. Jesus invoked the image of children being Israel and the family dog being Gentiles. Ministering to Israel came first before Jesus would minister to the Gentile nations.

However, the woman responded by saying, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” The woman understood the metaphor Jesus used. She did not deny its significant meaning. She knew she was a Gentile but she pleaded for God’s gracious provision for her daughter.

Jesus said, ““O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” The word great (μέγας; megas) means surprising. Faith (πίστις; pistis) is trust, commitment, dependence and worship of Christ. Jesus acknowledged that the woman’s faith in Him was astonishing. Jesus granted her request and her daughter was immediately healed. Like the healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54), Jesus did not have to be with the woman’s daughter to heal her daughter.

Jesus took the opportunity to test her faith, which explains His delay in granting her request. This behavior is not unusual with God. Abraham and Sarah had to wait a long time for the LORD to grant their heart’s desire (Gen. 21:1-5; Rom. 4:18-21).

“Jesus delayed to heed her requests in order to test her faith, that is, to refine it as silver is refined and purified. He wanted to give her faith an opportunity for more glorious expression. He aimed to strengthen it by means of the answer He had given her is vs. 24 and 26. She would now begin to realize, far better that if He had immediately healed her daughter, what an extraordinary blessing she was receiving,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

The woman was reverential, earnest, loving, humble and hopeful. She was also persevering in her God-given faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Divine love is so infinite and marvelous that it even praises a human being for exercising a gift – in this case faith—with which this very divine love has endowed her, and which apart from that divine activity could not have gone into action at all,” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.

Soli deo Gloria!

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²¹ And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:21–24 (ESV)

Following the Jewish leaders refusal to hear Him (Matthew 15:1-20), Jesus went to the pagan territories of Tyre and Sidon. It was there that He met a Canaanite woman. She confessed Christ as the “Lord” and the “Son of David.” Both were titles for God and the Messianic expectations of God’s people. Ironically, it was a Gentile who recognized Jesus as Lord even though Israel’s leaders did not.

The Gospel of Mark reveals further information concerning the woman. Mark 7:24-26 says, “²⁴ And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. ²⁵ But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.”

The title Syrophoenician means that the woman was a native of either Tyre, Sidon or Syria. While Jesus immediately answered the religious leaders (Matt. 15:3), Matthew records that Jesus did not answer the Canaanite woman. He did not even speak to her. Neither did the disciples.

However, while the disciples did not speak to the woman (see John 4:1-9), they did speak to Jesus about her. They said, ““Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” The disciples were commanding Jesus to dismiss and reject the woman. The reason they gave was that she was screaming after them. In reality, she was crying out only to Jesus for mercy and help for her daughter. The disciples showed a callous lack of sympathy and compassion to someone in desperate need.

Initially, Jesus appeared to be just as unsympathetic. He said to her, ““I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

“Jesus rejects her pleas to heal her daughter at first, telling her, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vv. 23–24). These words are not to be taken as a rejection. True, Jesus was sent to preach the Gospel of the kingdom first to the Jews, but He did not ignore Gentiles. In fact, He healed some men outside of the covenant community before meeting this woman (Matt. 8:28–34). Jesus is testing her to determine whether she will cling to Him steadfastly,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Have you ever been interrupted by someone who needs something from you immediately? How do you react in that circumstance and situation? Do you feel pressured to comply with their request when you haven’t had time to consider their request?

What principles can we glean from this portion of Scripture? We’ll soon see when we resume out study in Matthew’s Gospel when next we meet.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁵ But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶ And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:15–20 (ESV)

Following Jesus’ discussion concerning tradition vs. the teachings of Scripture (Matt. 15:1-14), the Apostle Peter said to Jesus, “Explain the parable to us.” A parable (παραβολή; parabole) is a saying or proverb often containing symbolism. Parables are often compared to allegories. Peter demanded that Jesus explain or interpret His previous statements to the Pharisees and the scribes.

Jesus replied, ““Are you also still without understanding?” The personal pronoun you that is in the text is plural. This reveals that Jesus spoke to not only Peter but also to the rest of the disciples. He challenged them with His question. The phrase without understanding (ἀσύνετος; asynetos) refers to being senseless or foolish. It can also mean stupid. Jesus was being pretty direct with the men. His tone appears to be harsh.

“The “parable” is not at all hard to understand, but it was hard for even the disciples to accept. Years later, Peter still found it hard to accept that all foods are clean (Acts 10:14),” states Dr. John MacArthur.

Jesus then said, “¹⁷ Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” The Lord’s point was that true defilement was not because of what goes into one’s stomach. Rather, it was what comes out of one’s mouth, because one’s speech reflects the true condition of one’s soul.

The Lord provided further illustration by saying, “. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person.” Rather than appealing to tradition, as the religious leaders had, Jesus appealed to Scripture in describing true defilement (Exodus 20:12-17).

“Wicked schemes reveal themselves in wicked words and deeds. Matthew mentions several of these, arranging them more or less according to their sequence in the second table of the Ten Commandments,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen. “By no means are all of the items mentioned necessarily associated with spoken words, but all of them come from within; from the heart.  The action is from within, outward.”

Mark’s list is twice as long (Mark 7:21-22). The important point, or moral, is the same in both gospels; “To eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Believers in Christ must focus upon the things that really matter and not on trivial, ritualistic externals. Have an undefiled day.

Soli deo Gloria! 

¹² Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³ He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴ Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:12–14 (ESV)

Another familiar aphorism people frequently use is “the blind leading the blind.” This phrase describes “a situation where a person who knows nothing is getting advice and help from another person who knows almost nothing,” explains the Cambridge Dictionary. It makes for a potentially embarrassing if not devastating situation. An example would be an economic advisor to an elected government official providing economic advice to the official when the advisor knows next to nothing about economics.

Jesus compared the Pharisees and the scribes within the context of today’s text of being religiously blind leaders who are leading religiously blind people. Both people groups are heading for a fall. What the people need are biblical guides who possess spiritual eyesight (John 9).

However, the disciples had a different perspective. They were concerned that the Jewish religious leaders may have been offended by Jesus’ previous remarks ((see Matt. 15:1-11).

“It is implied that in the hearing of the disciples the Pharisees had given vent to their hot displeasure. Had the disciples become somewhat afraid? Were they shaken with a measure of awe for these men who by many were regarded as venerable leaders? Were they perhaps fearful of the possible consequences of the sharp rebuke their Master had administered,” asks Dr. William Hendriksen.

“The disciples, having taken into cognizance this bitter resentment on the part of the leaders, want Jesus to know about it so that in His future words and actions He may figure with it. As if the Lord needed their advice!”

Jesus responded by saying that the reason the Pharisees and scribes took offense to His words was that they were not God’s elect. Jesus, using another metaphor, said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.” The religious leaders revealed their true heart of not being a part of God’s vineyard by their antagonism towards Jesus because He condemned them and their legalistic lifestyle. In other words, they were weeds and chaff that bore no spiritual fruit (Psalm 1; Isaiah 5; John 15).

“The concern with outward acts and not the intent of God’s law manifested these particular Pharisees’ blindness to the ultimate source of impurity. Jesus therefore reminded them that the heart is the true source of corruption, not the hands, a truth to which the Torah points (Matt. 15:10–20). We manifest a legalistic heart every time we are critical of others for not observing that which we love even though they are indifferent matters as far as the Bible is concerned,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Wise words to consider. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁰ “And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:10–11 (ESV)

Mark 7:14-23 parallels today’s text from Matthew’s Gospel. Both accounts address the subject of spiritual defilement. What does defilement mean? How does an individual become defiled in the sight of God?

To be defiled (κοινόω; Koinoo) refers to a present, active condition of spiritual uncleanliness. It means to be unclean and out of fellowship with God. The root word for defilement is the word koinonia from which we derive the word fellowship. Defilement involves being out of communion and fellowship with the Lord.

How does this happen? How can a believer in Christ become defiled? Many in the church would say defilement occurs when a Christian does something they should not do. Or, defilement may occur when the same believer does not do something they ought to do. Like the Pharisees and the scribes within the biblical context (Matt. 7:1-9), defilement happens when a person behaves inappropriately according to some biblical, or manmade standard that may not be biblical.

Traditional views of defilement include, but are not limited to, the following: men having a lengthy hair style; going to movies; missing a church activity; women wearing makeup; women wearing slacks; reading and having a biblical translation other than the King James or Authorized Version; listening to contemporary Christian music; shopping on a Sunday; playing sports on a Sunday; working on a Sunday; voting a certain way; not agreeing with someone on any of these previous examples; and the list goes on and on. There are always people who pride themselves as being the self-appointed enforcers of these rules and regulations regardless of age or gender.  

As we have seen, the Pharisees and the scribes from Jerusalem believed Jesus’ disciples defiled themselves by eating with unwashed hands. They cared more about the outward appearance rather the inner condition of the soul.

This is what Jesus focused upon regarding true biblical defilement. He commanded the people in attendance to hear and understand what He was going to say. He did want not anyone, especially His disciples, to miss this lesson. Jesus taught that what truly defiled a person was what proceeded out of their soul rather than what went into their stomach. He said, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Mark’s Gospel account provides further information.

¹⁴ “And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” ¹⁷ And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) ²⁰ And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:14-23 ESV).

“People might defile themselves ceremonially (under the Old Covenant) by eating something unclean, but they would defile themselves morally by saying something sinful (cf. James 3:6). Here Jesus clearly distinguished between the law’s ceremonial requirements and its inviolable moral standard. Ceremonial defilement could be dealt with through ceremonial means. But moral defilement corrupts a person’s soul,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

There will always be individuals who will accuse us of being ceremonially unclean by some manmade or traditional standard. What truly matters is the condition of the individual’s soul in relationship to the Word of God. Violation of God’s Word is what causes true defilement. The solution is consistent confession and repentance of one’s sins before God (I John 1:8-10). He promises true cleansing from our true defilement. Praise the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁷ You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ⁸ “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁹ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:7–9 (ESV)

An aphorism is a proverb, motto, or a concise word of wisdom. Common aphorisms include the following.

• “Actions speak louder than words.”

• “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
• “Do or do not, there is no try.” (Yoda from Star Wars).
• “Give a man an inch and he’ll take a mile.”
• “You can kill a man but you can’t kill an idea.”
• “Eat to live; don’t live to eat.”

Perhaps another aphorism, or slang expression at least, may include phrase “lip service.” It means to verbally support someone or something but that support is not shown in that individual’s actions. For example, “The governor gave/offered lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.”

Jesus was well aware of people, specifically religious leaders, who simply gave lip service; not only to other people but also before God. The religious leaders said one thing but did just the opposite. They did not walk their talk.

Jesus confronted them by calling them hypocrites (ὑποκριτής; hypokrites). In the ancient world, a hypocrite was as stage actor. In other words, they were individuals who pretended to be someone, or something, they were not in reality. Therefore, Jesus was stating that the Pharisees and scribes pretended to be godly and holy. In reality, they were nothing of the kind.

The Lord quoted Isaiah 29:13 to support His evaluation. The text says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁹ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

“Matthew could not have meant that Isaiah in writing Isaiah 29:13 was thinking of these Pharisees and scribes. He meant that what the prophet wrote concerning the people of his own day was still very relevant, for both then and now those condemned were honoring God with their lips while their hearts were far removed from Him,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“As has been well said, the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. Not the blood pumping vessel that is the concern of your cardiologist, but the seat of your personality that is the concern of the Gospel,” states Pastor Tom Ascol

“Jesus teaches us that there is something far more fundamental to our sinfulness than the actual sins we commit. Our sins do not make us sinful. Rather, we commit sins because, at the very center of our lives, we are sinful. Sin has invaded the inner recesses of our personalities.” 

May each of us take Jesus’ words to heart and be what we say we are. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!