Matthew 15
15
Jesus Challenges the Pharisees’ Traditions
(Mark 7:1–23)
1Then some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They asked, 2“Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
3He answered them, “Why do you break the commandment of God because of your traditions? 4For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’ 5But you say that whoever tells his father or mother, ‘I have given to God whatever support you might have received from me,’ 6does not have to honor his father. Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God’s word. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9Their worship of me is pointless,
because their teachings are rules made by humans.’ ”
10Then he called the crowd and said to them, “Listen and try to understand! 11What goes into a person’s mouth doesn’t make him unclean.#15:11 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God. It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”
12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you realize that when the Pharisees heard your statement they were offended?”
13He answered, “Any plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
15Peter said to him, “Explain this illustration to us.”
16Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? 17Don’t you know that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and then into a toilet? 18But whatever goes out of the mouth comes from within, and that’s what makes a person unclean. 19Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, ⌞other⌟ sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within. 20These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating without washing one’s hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
(Mark 7:24–30)
21Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22A Canaanite woman from that territory came ⌞to him⌟ and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
23But he did not answer her at all. Then his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away. She keeps shouting behind us.”
24Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
25She came to him, bowed down, and said, “Lord, help me!”
26Jesus replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
27She said, “You’re right, Lord. But even the dogs eat scraps that fall from their masters’ tables.”
28Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have strong faith! What you wanted will be done for you.” At that moment her daughter was cured.
29Jesus moved on from there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain and sat there.
30A large crowd came to him, bringing with them the lame, blind, disabled, those unable to talk, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he cured them. 31The crowd was amazed to see mute people talking, the disabled cured, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.
Jesus Feeds More Than Four Thousand
(Mark 8:1–10)
32Jesus called his disciples and said, “I feel sorry for the people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they may become exhausted on their way home.”
33His disciples asked him, “Where could we get enough bread to feed such a crowd in this place where no one lives?”
34Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, and they gave the bread and fish to the people.
37All of them ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets. 38Four thousand men had eaten. (This number does not include the women and children who had eaten.)
39After he sent the people on their way, Jesus stepped into the boat and came to the territory of Magadan.
Currently Selected:
Matthew 15: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 15
15
Tradition and Commandment
1Then some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus and said, 2“Why do Your disciples violate the #I.e. the oral commentary on the Law, later codified as the Mishnah.tradition (religious laws) handed down by the [Jewish] elders? For Your disciples do not [ceremonially] wash their hands before they eat.” 3He replied to them, “Why also do you violate the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition [handed down by the elders]? 4For God said [through Moses], ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of or insults or treats improperly father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “Whatever [money or resource that] I have that would help you is [already dedicated and] given to God,” 6he is not to honor his father or his mother [by helping them with their need].’ So by this you have invalidated the word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect] for the sake of your tradition [handed down by the elders]. 7You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 But in vain do they worship Me,
For they teach as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ”
10After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said, “Listen and understand this: 11It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.”
12Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard you say this?” 13He answered, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be torn up by the roots. 14Leave them alone; they are blind guides #Later mss add of the blind.[leading blind followers]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
The Heart of Man
15Peter asked Him, “Explain this parable [about what defiles a person] to us.” 16And He said, “Are you still so dull [and unable to put things together]? 17Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonors the man. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming). 20These are the things which defile and dishonor the man; but eating with [ceremonially] unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
The Syrophoenician Woman
21After leaving there, Jesus withdrew to the district of #Tyre and Sidon were located along the Gentile coastal region of Phoenicia. Tyre was 35 miles and Sidon 60 miles north of Galilee.Tyre and Sidon. 22And a #The Canaanites were ancient, pagan enemies of Israel.Canaanite woman from that district came out and began to cry out [urgently], saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David (Messiah); my daughter is cruelly possessed by a demon.” 23But He did not say a word in answer to her. And His disciples came and asked Him [repeatedly], “Send her away, because she keeps shouting out after us.” 24He answered, “I was commissioned by God and sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and began to kneel down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26And He replied, “It is not good (appropriate, fair) to take the #A reference for the Jewish people.children’s bread and throw it to the #Jews used kuon (dog) as a derogatory term referring to Gentiles. This dog (kuon) was a despised, filthy, homeless street scavenger. When speaking with this woman, Jesus uses a word for “dog” (kunarion) that refers to a household pet. The use of the word kunariois by both Jesus and the woman reflects the tenderness and spiritual depth of this exchange. More importantly, it foreshadows the fact that Gentile believers would not be spiritually homeless, but would also be welcomed into God’s household as His children. The gracious response of the woman recorded in v 27 confirms that on some level she understands this.pet dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord; but even the pet dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith [your personal trust and confidence in My power] is great; it will be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.
Healing Crowds
29Jesus went on from there and passed along by [the eastern shore of] the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on the hillside and was sitting there. 30And great crowds came to Him, bringing with them the lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they put them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31So the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they praised and glorified the God of Israel.
Four Thousand Fed
32Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing [left] to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, because they might faint [from exhaustion] on the way [home].” 33The disciples said to Him, “Where are we to get enough bread in this isolated place to feed so large a crowd?” 34And Jesus asked them, “How many loaves [of bread] do you have?” They replied, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and when He had given 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 gathered up seven full baskets of the broken pieces that were left over. 38[Among] those who ate were 4,000 men, not counting women and children.
39Then Jesus sent the crowds away, got into the boat and went to the district of #A small town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Tiberias and Capernaum.Magadan.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Amplified® Bible
Copyright © 2015 by
The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
All rights reserved. http://www.lockman.org