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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
TRADITION AND THE HEART, GIVING CRUMBS TO PUPPIES,
FEEDING 4000

[“The Mouth and the Heart”]
(Key Word: Traditions)

Matthew 15:1-20 – Tradition and the Heart

|| Mark 7:1-23

MT15:1 Now scribes 901 and Pharisees from Jerusalem 902 approached Jesus, saying, “Why do your disciples 903 transgress the traditions of the Ancients? 904

901	Scribes: BECK: Bible scholars.

902	From Jerusalem: Over 100 miles.

903	Your disciples: They do not accuse Jesus. Had these Jews witnessed some habit of the disciples not to ceremonial wash their hands before eating? Or, is this a rumor?

904	Transgress the traditions of the Ancients: Or, GDSP: break the rules handed down by our ancestors; KJV: elders.

MT15:2 For they do not wash their hands 905 when eating bread.”

905

Wash their hands: Or, AMP: for they do not practice [ceremonially] washing. Compare 2 Kings 3:11. “The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands up to the elbow.” (Mark 7:2-5) The Babylonian Talmud (Sotah 4b) places eating with unwashed hands equal to intercourse with a prostitute.

MT15:3 Jesus responded to them, asking, MT15:4 “For The God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ 906 [Exodus 20:12] And also, ‘Let the person who says a bad word against 907 father or mother be put to death.’ [Leviticus 20:9]

906	Honor your father and mother: From the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12; 21:17). Paul also quotes the “first commandment with a promise.” (Ephesians 6:2) The English word “honor” is from the Greek TIMA from which the name Timothy comes.

907	Says a bad word against: Or, KJV: curseth; ASV: speaketh evil of; NWT: reviles. Jesus quotes Leviticus 20:9. Compare Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 27:16.

MT15:5 But you teach, ‘Whatever I have to help 908 my father or mother is a Temple-offering consecrated to God’ 909 –

908	Whatever I have to help: ASV: that wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me; RIEU: all the support you might have; RSV: what you would have gained from me; GDSP: anything of mine that might have been of use to you.

909

Is a Temple-offering consecrated to God: ASV: is given to God; RIEU: temple-offering. The New Jerusalem Bible footnote explains: “Property thus made over by vow assumes a sacred character.… Such a vow in fact was only a legal fiction.… Though the rabbis acknowledged its impiety they sustained its validity.”

MT15:6 such a person does not honor 910 father at all. You have invalidated the Word 911 of The God by your own tradition.

910

Does not honor: Jesus infers this “honor” is of a material kind not a mere matter of respect. The children who do not care for elderly parents dishonor them and violate the commandment. Compare 1 Timothy 5:4, 8. The Greek word TIME means honor, esteem, value, or preciousness. The verb TIMAO also means “set a price on” (Matthew 27:9); the noun TIME caries the sense of price or value (Matthew 27:6; Acts 4:34); and the adjective TIMIOS means esteemed, dear, or valuable (Acts 5:34; 20:24; 1 Corinthians 3:12).

911	You have invalidated the Word: Or, MOF: you have repealed the law of God; GDSP: you have nullified what God has said; PME: empties the commandment.

MT15:7 Hypocrites, Isaiah gave a good prophecy 912 about you when he said,

912

Isaiah gave a good prophecy: The quote is of Isaiah 29:13. The context in Isaiah is also referenced by Romans 11:9; Colossians 2:22; 1 Corinthians 1:19. Or, KJV: well did Esaias prophesy; MOF: it was indeed of you that Isaiah prophesied; PME: Isaiah described you beautifully; RIEU: how right Isaiah was.

MT15:8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips but their heart is distant. MT15:9 Their worship is worthless 913 because they teach human commandments as doctrine.’” [Isaiah 29:13]

913	Their worship is worthless: Or, WMS: their worship of me is an empty show.

MT15:10 Now Jesus called the crowd to gather close, telling them, “Listen carefully and understand: 914

914	Listen carefully and understand: Or, KNX: listen to this, and grasp what it means.

MT15:11 Not what enters the mouth defiles a person, 915 but what pours out of the mouth defiles a person.”

915	Defiles a person: Or, PME: makes him common or unclean.

MT15:12 Now the disciples approached Jesus, telling him, “Do you know you offended the Pharisees 916 by what they heard you say?”

916	You offended the Pharisees: Or, ME: are deeply offended; GDSP: were shocked to hear you. The disciples seem concerned by Jesus did not come to please everyone. The Greek word here is ESCANDALISTHESAN: they thought what he said scandalous.

MT15:13 Jesus answered them, “Every plant 917 not planted by my Father will be pulled out by the roots.

917	Every plant: He infers the scribes and Pharisees.

MT15:14 Leave them alone. 918 They are blind guides. 919 So, if someone blind guides another blind person, they will both fall into a pit.”

918	Leave them alone: Or, KNX: let them say what they will.

919	Blind guides: Or, KJV: blind leaders. Knowing what he has already said was offensive, the Nazarene comes back with an even more direct inference.

MT15:15 Peter responded to Jesus, “Make the parable clear to us.” MT15:16 Jesus told them, “Are you still without understanding? 920

920

Are you still without understanding: Or, RHM: without discernment; GDSP: have even you no understanding; BAS: are you, like them, still without wisdom; RIEU: You too? Still so dull? Jesus is not caring one twit whose toes he steps on: either the clergy or his own disciples. Raised to respect the clergy, it is possible the disciples do not yet discern the gulf which exists between Jesus and the religious hierarchy.

MT15:17 Are you unaware that everything entering the mouth passes through the belly 921 and is expelled into a sewer? 922

921	Passes through the belly: Or, WEY: stomach; NWT: intestines.

922	Expelled into a sewer: WEY: afterwards ejected from the body; NWT: discharged into the sewer.

MT15:18 But the words pouring out of the mouth originate from the heart. 923 Those are the things which defile a person.

923	Originate from the heart: NEB: has its origins in the heart; PME: comes from his heart and mind. Compare James 1:14, 15.

MT15:19 For it is from the heart these originate: 924 evil dialogue, 925 murders, adulteries, 926 fornications, 927 thieveries, 928 perjuries and slander, 929 abusive speech. 930

924	These originate: Mark 7:20, 21 adds several characteristics: “injurious reasonings issue forth: fornications, thieveries, murders, adulteries, covetings, acts of wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, unreasonableness.” (NWT)

925	Evil dialogue: The Greek is DIALOGISMOI PONEROI. Or, KJV: evil thoughts; KNX: wicked designs.

926	Adulteries: Or, BAS: broken faith between the married.

927	Fornications: The Greek is PORNEIAI and is drawn from “prostitution.” Or, MOF: sexual vice; GDSP: immorality; BAS: unclean desires of the flesh.

928	Thieveries: MOF: stealing.

929	Perjuries and slander: Or, KJV: false witness; NWT: false testimonies.

930	Abusive speech: The Greek is BLASPHEMIAI. Or, KJV: blasphemies; ASV: railings; RHM: profane speaking; WEY: slander.

MT15:20 These are the things defiling a person. Eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

Matthew 15:21-28 – Giving Bread to Puppies

|| Mark 7:24-30

MT15:21 Leaving there Jesus withdrew into the area of 931 Tyre and Sidon.

931	Withdrew into the area of: A fifty-mile walk northeast to the coast of Syro-phoenicia.

MT15:22 And, look! a Canaanite 932 woman from the region came out yelling, “Have mercy on me, Master, Son of David, for my daughter is horribly demonized!” 933

932	Canaanite: The Greek is CANAANAIA is also rendered: NWT: Phoenician. This is modern Palestine the cradle of language which began with Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English.

933	Horribly demonized: Or, KJV: grievously vexed with a devil; WEY: cruelly harassed; LAM: seriously afflicted with insanity.

MT15:23 But Jesus did not answer her with a single word. The disciples of Jesus approached him, requesting, “Get rid of her, 934 because she keeps following us, yelling crazily.” 935

934	Get rid of her: Or, KJV: send her away; KNX: rid us of her. The disciples have little patience for this vexed mother.

935	Yelling crazily: The Greek is CRAZEI. Or, MOF: wailing

MT15:24 Now Jesus answered them, “I was sent only to 936 the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 937

936	I was sent only to: Jesus has a precise commission from his Father and cannot waver from it.

937	Lost sheep of the house of Israel: Jesus was sent from heaven, not to seek the world of mankind, but those willing Jews in Israel. Jesus is later to say that after he ascends to heaven he would draw all kinds of people. These were the Non-Jews whom he calls “other sheep.” (John 10:16)

MT15:25 But, the woman approached and bowed to the earth on her knees, 938 saying, “Master, help me.”

938	Bowed to the earth on her knees: The Greek is PROSEKUNEI. Or, KJV: worshipped; RHM: began bowing down; WEY: threw herself at his feet; MOF: knelt before him. See notes elsewhere on worship or PROSKUNEO.

MT15:26 Jesus told her, “It is not right 939 to take the bread of the children 940 and throw it to little dogs.” 941

939	It is not right: Having said this, Jesus is soon to do what he said it was not right (good, fine) to do.

940	The children: The lost sheep of Israel.

941

Little dogs: The Greek is KYNARIOS. Or, KJV: dogs; RHM: little dogs; BECK: puppies. Some might consider the remark racist or filled with ethnic prejudice. However, he softens his metaphor in “puppies” and we may suspect his manner and facial expression was kindly and sympathetic. He may also have said it more for his disciples’ benefit.

MT15:27 The woman responded, “Yes, Master, but the little dogs do eat from those crumbs spilling from their masters’ table.” MT15:28 Finally, Jesus said to her, “O, woman, your faith is great. Let what you want happen.” And her daughter was healed in that very hour.

Matthew 15:29-31 – Jesus Cures

MT15:29 From there Jesus went overland to the shores 942 of the Sea of Galilee. He climbed a mountain and was sitting there.

942	Overland to the shores: Another fifty mile walk inland.

MT15:30 Now many crowds approached him with their lame, maim, blind, mute, and many others. They cast them before the feet of Jesus and he cured them all. MT15:31 And the crowd was awestruck 943 seeing the mute speaking, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. They glorified the God of Israel. 944

943	Awestruck: Or, KJV: wondered; TCNT: astonished; NEB: amazement.

944	They glorified the God of Israel: Compare Matthew 9:33 and Revelation 11:13. Jesus is not attracting attention to himself but to his God. The crowd does not glorify Jesus, but rather his Father.

Matthew 15:32-39 – 4,000 Fed

|| Mark 8:1-10

MT15:32 But Jesus called his disciples around him and said, “I am feeling compassion 945 over the crowd because it is already three days 946 since they approached me and they have had nothing to eat. I do not want to dismiss them fasting. They may give out on the road.” 947

945	Compassion: Or, PME: my heart goes out. This crowd has just experienced unnumbered miracles and the joyous conversation with tears of happiness must be awesome. We can only imagine their emotions.

946	Three days: Imagine such a crowd, so filled with energy and elation they have lost the count of time and at least one night has passed. The strength and example of the Nazarene is something to admire.

947	They may give out on the road: Or, RHM: lest by any means they faint; PME: collapse on the way; BAS: they will have no strength for the journey.

MT15:33 His disciples asked him, “Where in this isolated place are there enough loaves of bread to satisfy this crowd?” MT15:34 Now Jesus told them, “How many loaves do you have?” 948 The disciples said, “Only seven and a few small fish.” 949

948	How many loaves do you have: The disciples either are aware of the availability of this food or they carry it themselves. They have walked over fifty miles and climbed a mountain. Surely there is at least the passing concern they will not have enough.

949	A few small fish: They may have fished at the lake or carried dried fish with them.

MT15:35 Having ordered the crowd to recline on the ground MT15:36 Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and giving thanks he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, and the disciples to the crowd. MT15:37 And everyone ate and was satisfied. 950 The surplus of leftovers 951 they gathered filled seven provision baskets.

950	Everyone ate and was satisfied: Or, TCNT: everyone had sufficient to eat; NEB: they all ate to their heart’s content.

951	Surplus of leftovers: Or, KJV: broken meat; BER: leftovers filled seven hampers; NEB: the scraps left over.

MT15:38 Those who ate included four-thousand males apart from women and little boys. 952

952	Males apart from women and little boys: See Matthew 14:21.

MT15:39 Having dismissed the crowds Jesus boarded the boat and arrive into the Magadan area. 953

953	Arrive into the Magadan area: About a ten mile row along the coast. This is the only occurrence of this place name. The name means “tower” and was the hometown of Mary Magdalene.