Yesterday, Michael covered Matthew 15:1-9. If you didn’t get a chance to meditate on that passage, it is highly recommended that you do in order to be able to extract the richness from today’s passage. In verses 1-9 Jesus rebuked the Torah teachers for “honoring [God] with their lips” while their hearts were truly far away from Him.
In verse 10 He calls the crowd over -- presumably with these teachers (from the Jewish capital city of Jerusalem, no less!) still within earshot -- and begins to talk about the power of what comes out of the mouth via the heart. He then moves on to a new location and heals a demonically possessed girl with a word. Yet again, He moves locations and begins healing a multitude over three days.
There are three geographic locations and three seemingly separate sections today to unpack. Worship Him with your heart today by being still and taking in every word. There’s a lot to unpack today.
Matthew 15:10-31
What Defiles a Person
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.” 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.” 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.”
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
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.” 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.
Jesus Heals Many
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.
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ In verse 11, what does Jesus say that stirs up the Pharisees and Torah Teachers?
+ What is notable about 14? Jesus just spoke about what comes out of the mouth but he essentially calls the Pharisees and Scribes blind. Why was this not a contradiction? What should or shouldn't we model here?
+ In Jeremiah 31:33 (and in several other places in the Word), it says: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” With this Scripture front of mind, what is Jesus saying about the law in verses 17-20?
+ How does it strike you to read that Jesus said in verse 26: “it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs?” While Jews routinely used a word meaning “scavenging, mangy dogs”, Jesus uses a phrase closer to “pet dog/puppy”. What do you think He was probing in the heart of the woman? In the heart of the listening Jews?
+ How does the woman’s response in Verse 27 speak to you?
+ In Hebrew translations, verse 31 uses the phrase “b’rakhah”. This word “was usually recited at a specific moment during a ceremony or other activity.” On its face verse 29-31 looks like a mass healing event to our gentile eyes. What might the Jews have seen this as over three days of healing by their Messiah?
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?