Matthew 15:1-39, Isaiah 29:13, Mark 7:24-30, Mark 8:1-9
Summary: In this chapter, we read about the Lord Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees yet again, and of His mercy to a Gentile woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon.
Coming from Jerusalem, the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples did not perform the traditional ritual of washing one’s hands before eating. This ceremony had been set up by the “elders” and had nothing to do with hygiene alone but was instead an elaborate ritual that involved not only washing hands, but the arms, face, utensils, and items associated with eating a meal.
An entire volume had been devoted to the topic in the book of tradition known as the Mishnah. The Pharisees had made the ritual a show of “devotion” and “piety,” much like they had with praying in public and appearing to be gaunt to show they had fasted as a sign of religious faith. It was an outward appearance of “holiness,” but was nothing more than cold, impersonal, empty motions that proved to be for show, not as a sign of faith or salvation in God.
Jesus did not take kindly to their accusations. He replied with righteous indignation over their fake religious practices by using the Scriptures to accuse them of violating the Law of Moses to appear pious. He accused them of breaking the commandment to honor their father and mother and that anyone who cursed their parents was to be put to death (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). The issue centered on the tradition of “Corban.” This was any money set aside for the service of God. By setting this money aside, a Pharisee could bypass any expected care for parents by invoking this tradition. It could be used as a convenient excuse not to provide care for anyone, not just family members.
Jesus called them out for their wicked abuse of tradition that overrode the truth of Scripture, using Isaiah 29:13 as evidence:
“Therefore the Lord said: ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Jesus then turned to the crowd and warned them that it is not what goes into the body that brings about defilement, but what is within the heart and soul of an individual that makes him or her truly unclean.
The disciples told Jesus that the Pharisees had been greatly offended by what He had told them. His response was that they were blind men leading other blind men, and to leave them alone (v.14). This is a terrifying thing concerning their spiritual condition. This severe judgment is a form of the wrath of God. It signifies abandonment by God and ‘giving them over to a reprobate mind’ as written in Romans 1:18-32. True defilement is seen when the unregenerate heart produces “waste” such as evil thoughts, murder, false witness, blasphemy, and fornications.
As then, so does the unregenerate heart produce the same rancid harvest today. The call for a Savior still rings true more than ever as the days draw near to Jesus’ return.
After this encounter, Jesus retreated into the Gentile (non-Jewish) territory of Tyre and Sidon, the coastal area of what had once been the nation of Phoenicia. It was also the ancient territory of the Canaanites, a people who were so wicked and perverse that God had ordered the Israelites to wipe them out. Canaanite worship had devolved into gross idolatry that included barbaric child sacrifice and other crimes against humanity. God did not want these people to be intermingled with the Israelites and had given them over a hundred years to repent, but to no avail (Exodus 23:23-33; Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Joshua 23:1-16; Judges 1:21, 27-36).
Not all the Canaanites were killed off because a descendant, a woman of Syrian-Phoenician origin, approached Jesus with a desperate request that He would deliver her daughter from demonic possession (vv. 21-28)
In reading this passage, we could assume that Jesus was being indifferent, if not cruel, toward the woman’s plea. This is not the case if one chooses to do a bit of research and read deeper into the text. Jesus’ response was right. His priority was to the lost sheep of Israel. Verse 25 tells us that she worshipped Him. She did not see Jesus as a mere healer but as Someone sent from God. Her desperation showed her faith in Him. She would, as a Gentile, take whatever He would give, even if it was just a crumb of compassion. This demonstration of her faith was rewarded in that her child was now freed from the grasp of evil.
Oftentimes, we may find ourselves in a situation where our faith needs to be hewn out of despair and not mere words or gestures. Faith in God is forged by fire as well as simple trust.
Continuing in verse 29, Jesus ministers to the populace of the Decapolis, located on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was in this region that He delivered a man from severe demonic possession (Mark 5:1-20). He spent time here healing the sick, the lame, the blind, and the mute, with the result being that the people gave glory to “the God of Israel” (v. 31).
Chapter 15 concludes with Jesus feeding 4,000 people in the Decapolis (Mark 8:1-9) in the same manner as He did with the 5,000 near Bethsaida (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14).
The ministry and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ extended not only to His lost sheep of Israel, but to all flocks regardless of their nationality or condition. He calls to all who are in search of true rest and redemption (Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-30, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10). You, my friend, are no exception. Come to Jesus today.
The post Disregarding Tradition & Taboo (Matthew 15:1-39) :: By Donald Whitchard appeared first on Rapture Ready.
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