Matthew 15

Pharisees question habits of disciples verse 1- 2

Then came to Jesus – scribes and Pharisees – which were of Jerusalem

saying

Why do YOUR disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?

FOR they wash not their hands when they eat bread

Jesus confronts them on their false traditions verse 3- 9

BUT HE answered and said unto them

Why do you also transgress the commandment of God

by your tradition?

FOR God commanded

saying

Honor your father and mother – and he that curses father or mother

let him die the death

BUT you say – Whosoever shall say to his father or mother

It is a gift – by whatsoever you might be profited by me

AND honor not his father or his mother – he shall be free

THUS have you made the commandment of God of none effect

by your tradition

YOU hypocrites – well did Isaiah prophecy of you

saying

This people draw nigh unto ME with their mouth

and honor ME with their lips

BUT their heart is far from ME

BUT in vain they do worship ME

teaching for doctrines the commandments of men

Jesus instructs crowd regarding what defiles verse 10- 11

AND HE called the multitude – and said unto them

Hear – and understand

not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man

BUT that which comes out of the mouth

this defiles a man

Disciples say the Pharisees are offended verse 12

Then came HIS disciples – and said unto HIM

Know YOU that the Pharisees were offended

after that they heard this saying?

Jesus calls Pharisees blind religious leaders verse 13- 14

BUT HE answered and said – Every plant

which MY heavenly Father has not planted

shall be rooted up – Let them alone

they be blind leaders of the blind

AND if the blind lead the blind – both shall fall into the ditch

Peter asks for interpretation of parable verse 15

THEN answered Peter and said unto HIM

Declare unto us this parable

Jesus explains the parable verse 16- 20

AND Jesus said

Are you also yet without understanding?

Do not you yet understand

that whatsoever enters in at the mouth

goes into the belly

and is cast out into the draught?

BUT those things which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart

and they defile the man

FOR out of the heart proceed evil thoughts

murders – adulteries – fornications

thefts – false witness – blasphemies

these are the things which defile a man

but to eat with unwashen hands

defiles not a man

Woman of Canaan wants Jesus to heal her daughter verse 21- 22

THEN Jesus went thence

and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon

AND – BEHOLD – a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts

and cried unto HIM

saying

Have mercy on me – O Lord – YOU Son of David

my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil

Jesus won’t speak to her verse 23

BUT HE answered her not a word

AND HIS disciples came and besought HIM

saying

Send her away – for she cries after us

Jesus tells of HIS mission verse 24

BUT HE answered and said

I am not sent

BUT unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel

Woman pleads again verse 25

THEN she came and WORSHIPPED HIM

saying – Lord – help me

Jesus calls Gentiles dogs verse 26

BUT HE answered and said

It is not meet to take the children’s bread

and to cast it to dogs

Woman says she will take crumbs from table verse 27

AND she said – Truth – Lord

yet the dogs eat the crumbs

which fall from their masters’ table

Jesus commends her faith verse 28

THEN Jesus answered and said unto her

O woman – great is your faith

BE it to you even as you will

AND her daughter was made whole from that very hour

Jesus heals a crowd near sea of Galilee verse 29- 31

And Jesus departed from thence

and came nigh to the sea of Galilee

and went up into a mountain

and sat down there

And great multitudes came unto HIM

having with them those that were

lame – blind – dumb – maimed – and many others

and cast them down at Jesus feet – and HE healed them

insomuch that the multitude wondered

when they saw the dumb to speak

maimed to be whole

lame to walk – blind to see

and they glorified the God of Israel

Jesus feeds 4,000 verse 32- 39

THEN Jesus called HIS disciples unto HIM

and said

I have compassion on the multitude

BECAUSE they continue with ME now three days

and have nothing to eat

and I will not send them away fasting

lest they faint in the way

AND HIS disciples say unto HIM

Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness

as to fill so great a multitude?

AND Jesus said unto them

How many loaves have you?

AND they said

Seven and a few little fishes

AND HE commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground

and HE took the seven loaves and the fishes

and gave thanks – and brake them

and gave to HIS disciples

and the disciples to the multitude

AND they did all eat – and were filled

and they took up of the broken meat that was left

seven baskets full

AND they that did eat were four thousand men

besides women and children

and HE sent away the multitude

and took ship – and came to the coasts of Magdala

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread (3862 “tradition” [paradosis] means what is transmitted, giving up, giving over, hand downs, a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing, or the substance of a teaching)

DEVOTION: The Pharisees were noted for making up many rules for the people to follow. It is said that they had three hundred and six-five negative traditions to follow. They had some positive ones as well but they still took people away from the Scriptures and made them follow manmade rules. Sometimes even the Pharisees followed the rules.

One such rule as that before anyone is to eat they had to do a ceremonial washing of the hands. Before people were allowed to eat they had to wash everything that was going to be used. The disciples were with Jesus and were eating bread. The disciples didn’t practice this washing of the hands and the Pharisees wanted to know why.

Jesus answered a question with a question. One of the ways HE always taught. HE wanted the Pharisees to see that they were replacing the commandments of God for their rules. HE wanted them to realize that God’s commands are more important than their manmade rules. HE pointed out that they made a rule so that children didn’t have to support their parents when they were old. They were able to say that they had donated their property and goods to the church. So they couldn’t use any of it to help their parents. They were disobeying the command to “Honor their mother and father.” This made the commandment null and void because the children were not honoring their parents. They were using the rules of the Pharisees to get out of that responsibility. Children are to help and honor their parents even today.

The church today has many manmade rules and sometimes leaves the Bible behind when they are making the rules. I was involved in a church where the board and the pastor were not getting along. Three of us went to meet with the board to try to correct the situation. However, when we said what the Bible said about the situation, one of the leaders stated “I don’t care what the Bible says, our constitution says.” The constitutions of some churches are not in agreement with the Word of God. That should not be. One other hand me down in one of the churches was that the doxology had to be sung after the offering was taken. I changed it and boy what a problem. We can get into habits in churches that turn into tradition that can hinder the work of the LORD. We need to emphasize the Word of God over manmade rules. The church needs to get back to the basics regarding their actions toward one another and God.

CHALLENGE: Look at your church and see what is Biblical and what tradition is. Don’t fall for we have always done it that way.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (3595 “leaders”[hodegos] means guide, teacher of the ignorant and inexperienced, to show the way, to instruct, or conductor.)

DEVOTION: There are people that we have to leave alone. It is hard to be in ministry and leave anyone alone. If there are people who leave the church we should try to have them come back if that is possible. If there are people who are dissatisfied with what is happening at church you want to meet with them to see if any misconceptions can be corrected. If there are complaints you want to get them settled.

However, we find that in some instances this is not possible. No matter how much you try some people will never be satisfied with your answers. Sometimes people will believe that you are not the right person to guide the church in the right direction. There are a few that want to be a devil’s advocate in the church and just want to cause problems no matter how hard a pastor or the elders try to settle a matter.

Here Jesus is telling HIS disciples to not worry about the Pharisees being offended with HIS actions. HE was perfect and doing what the LORD wanted HIM to do and yet there were people who were religious guides who didn’t agree with HIM and spoke out against HIM.

Jesus didn’t put HIS punches regarding those who were Pharisees. HE called them blind. Remember that those who are outside of Christ are called blind and ignorant and foolish on many occasions. Those outside of Christ are also called dead men walking. They are blind. They can’t lead in the right direction.

In fact, Jesus says that they are leading the people over a cliff where they will fall to their death not only spiritually but physically. We have people today that we would call Pharisees. They think they know it all but yet they know nothing. They are trying to guide people spiritually but they don’t have a relationship with the LORD.

We have to remind ourselves that if someone has a genuine relationship with the LORD HE will chasten them to bring them back or if they don’t respond to the chastening HE will end their life prematurely in our eyes to save their souls. Those who suffer no chastening are not true followers of the LORD.

Look at the guide you are following to see if the LORD has worked in HIS life through blessings and chastening. Christ died on the cross. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. Each of those who were true followers suffered for their faith.

CHALLENGE: We are warned of false teachers. Listen to the Holy Spirit regarding who is to be your guide in your spiritual walk with the LORD.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 16 And Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding? (801 “without understanding” [asunetos] means foolish, unintelligent, stupid, lacking the ability to understand the meaning or importance of something, dull, or senseless.)

DEVOTION: Do you ever get tired of teaching some people the same things over and over again? This is the problem that Jesus was facing while HE taught HIS disciples to understand the parables HE was teaching.

HE thought by this time they could start thinking for themselves and figures out what HE was saying to them. HE had told them that He was teaching in parables so that those who were not believers would not understand but HE thought the disciples should understand.

Does that mean HE didn’t answer any more questions by HIS disciples? NO!! HE wants us to ask questions because that is the only way we learn. HE will sometime through the ministry of the Holy Spirit try to impress us that we need to learn to understand on our own after a while. There is a maturity level that each of us need to reach the longer we are followers of Jesus Christ. HE wants some to be “fathers” according to I John. There seems to be three stages in our growth: baby, young men, and fathers. We need leaders who are “fathers” in their learning and teaching.

Paul warned the people that they should be teachers of great Biblical truth but were still being babies and carnal Christians. The author of Hebrews was repeating the same thoughts. There is supposed to be a growth process in our life after salvation. Some people do learn faster than others but there should be some advancement in our knowledge of the things of God.

CHALLENGE: Never stop asking questions but also learn to understand more of the Word of God each year. We need growing Christians!!!

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: 24 But HE answered and said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (649 “sent” [apostello] means send forth, to be or become sent towards, or a designated goal)

DEVOTION: Jesus had a focus in HIS ministry. HE stated the focus to the woman from Canaan. HE told her that HE was sent exclusively to the house of Israel. HE came to HIS own people but they rejected HIM.

Does this mean that HE wouldn’t help those who were not Jews? NO!! HE gave her a hard time to check out her faith. She kept asking and HE provided healing for her daughter.

The Bible says that we are to be persistent in our asking for those things that we want that are in the will of God. HE many times gives an answer of wait because HE knows when we are ready for what we ask for better than we know.

Too often we tend to give up too soon. Paul asked the LORD for the removal of the thorn in the flesh but the LORD said no because it didn’t serve HIS purpose. HE wanted Paul to learn that HIS grace was sufficient to help deal with this thorn.

The people in the church prayed all night for Peter to be released from prison but it came and Peter was released. He went to the house where the prayer meeting was going on and they were so surprised that he was there. They weren’t sure what the LORD wanted to happen but they kept on praying. So we need to be persistent in our prayer life for what we think the LORD wants to happen.

Also we are to have a designated goal in our ministries. We are to reach those in our world with the message of Jesus Christ. We have to focus on that goal each day. Jesus was focused but HE also took time to reach those who came to HIM with a need.

CHALLENGE: Remember HE can answer yes, no or wait a while. HE knows what we can handle and what we need more experience to handle.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Fasting not wanted by Jesus of multitude verse 32

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Disciples gathered the leftover food verse 37

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Prayer for food verse 36

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Worship God verse 9

Woman of Canaan worshiped Jesus verse 25

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Commandment of God verse 3, 6

Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 12) verse 4

Isaiah prophesied (Is. 29: 13) verse 7- 9

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Heavenly Father verse 13

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Jesus verse 1, 16, 21, 28, 29, 32, 34

Lord verse 22, 25, 27

Son of David verse 22

Healed multitude near sea of Galilee verse 29- 31

Feeding of four thousand verse 32- 38

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

God verse 3, 4, 6, 31

Commandment of God verse 3 , 6

God of Israel verse 31

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Evil angel – devil (demon) verse 22

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Coasts of Tyre and Sidon verse 21

Woman of Canaan verse 22- 28

Wanted help of Jesus verse 25

Jesus healed Canaanite’s daughter verse 28

Coasts of Magdala verse 39

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Pharisee verse 1, 12

Tradition of elders verse 2, 3, 6

Transgress verse 3

Curse father and mother verse 4

Not honor parents verse 6

Commandment of God – none effect verse 6

Hypocrites verse 7

Lip service to God verse 8

Heart far from God verse 8

Vain worship verse 9

False teaching verse 9

Commandments of men verse 9

Mouth defiles a man verse 11, 18, 20

Pharisee’s blind leading blind verse 14

Without understanding verse 16

Heart defiles a man verse 18, 20

Evil thoughts verse 19

Murders verse 19

Adulteries verse 19

Fornications verse 19

Thefts verse 19

False witness verse 19

Blasphemies verse 19

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Honor parents verse 4

Heart close to God verse 8

Worship verse 9, 25

Hear verse 10

Understand verse 10, 16

Learn parables meaning verse 15

Mercy verse 22

Sent verse 24

Faith verse 28

Physical healing verse 28, 30

Glorify God verse 31

Compassion verse 32

Give thanks over food verse 36

Daily food provided verse 37

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Scribes verse 1

Pharisees verse 1

Jerusalem verse 1

Disciples of Jesus verse 2, 12, 33

Isaiah verse 7

Peter verse 15

David verse 22

Lost sheep of the house of Israel verse 24

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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DONATIONS:

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QUOTES regarding passage

Jesus reminded them, I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (cf. 10:6). He had come to offer to His own people the kingdom promised through David centuries before. Thus it was inappropriate for Him to bring blessings on Gentiles before blessings fell on Israel. But the woman was not easily discouraged. She saw in Jesus the only chance for help for her child. On her knees she pleaded, Lord, help me! Jesus’ reply caused her to realize her position, for He said it would not be right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs. He was picturing a family gathered at mealtime around a table, eating food provided by the head of the household. The Gentile woman saw herself in this picture. She was not a child in the family (of Israel) eligible for the choicest morsels of food. But she saw herself as a household dog (a Gentile; the Jews often called Gentiles “dogs”) eligible to receive crumbs that might fall from the master’s table. She was not wanting to deprive Israel of God’s blessings. She was simply asking that some of the blessing be extended to her in her need. In light of such great faith (cf. 8:10), the kind of faith Jesus was looking for in Israel, He granted her request. Her daughter was healed … that very hour. This Gentile woman’s faith contrasted with Israel’s leaders who were rejecting Jesus. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 55–56). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Compassion: He Responded to Gentile Needs (Matt. 15:21–39)

Not only did Jesus teach that no foods were unclean, but He practiced His teaching by going into Gentile territory. He left Israel and withdrew again, this time into the area of Tyre and Sidon. The Gentiles were “unclean” as far as the Jews were concerned. In fact, Jews referred to the Gentiles as “dogs.” That Jesus would minister to Gentiles was no surprise (Matt. 12:17–21), though at that time, the emphasis was on ministering to Israel (Matt. 10:5–6).

The demonized (vv. 21–28). Jesus was trying to remain hidden (Mark 7:24), but somehow this Canaanite woman heard where He was and came to Him with her need. Keep in mind that our Lord responded to this woman as He did, not to destroy her faith, but to develop it. Her own replies showed that she was growing in faith and unwilling to let Him go without getting an answer. Godly Samuel Rutherford stated this principle perfectly: “It is faith’s work to claim and challenge loving-kindness out of all the roughest strokes of God.”

When she approached Him as “Son of David,” she was definitely putting herself on Jewish ground; and this she could not do, because she was a Gentile. Of course, this title did reveal her faith in Him as the Messiah of God, for “Son of David” was a name for the Messiah (Matt. 22:42). Since she came to Him on Jewish terms, He was silent. Of course, He knew her heart, and even His silence encouraged her to continue asking.

Impatient with her persistent following and crying out, the disciples said, “Send her away!” We are not sure whether they meant, “Give her what she wants and get rid of her” or just “Get rid of her!” In either case, they were not showing much compassion for either her or her demonized daughter. Our Lord’s reply in Matthew 15:24 indicates that they probably wanted Him to answer her request.

We cannot but admire the patience and persistence of this Gentile mother. “Lord, help me!” was her next plea; and this time she avoided any messianic titles. She came as a sinner needing help, and she offered no argument. In His reply, Jesus did not call her a “dog” the way the Pharisees would have addressed a Gentile. The Greek word means “a little pet dog” and not the filthy curs that ran the streets and ate the garbage. “The children” referred, of course, to the people of Israel.

Jesus was not playing games with the woman, nor was He trying to make the situation more difficult. He was drawing out of her a growing response of faith. She immediately seized on His illustration about the children’s bread, which was exactly what He wanted her to do. We may paraphrase her reply: “It is true that we Gentiles do not sit at the table as children and eat the bread. But even the pet dogs under the table can eat some of the crumbs!” What a tremendous testimony of faith!

It was this faith that Jesus acknowledged, and immediately He healed her daughter. It is worth noting that both of the persons in the Gospel of Matthew who had “great faith” were Gentiles: this Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion (Matt. 8:5–13). In both cases, Jesus healed the one in need from a distance. Spiritually speaking, the Gentiles were “afar off” until Calvary, when Jesus Christ died for both Jews and Gentiles and made reconciliation possible (Eph. 2:11ff).

This woman’s faith was great because she persisted in asking and trusting when everything seemed against her. Certainly her race was against her: She was a Gentile. Her sex was against her, for most Jewish rabbis paid little attention to women. It seemed that the disciples were against her, and Christ’s words might have led her to believe that even He was against her. All of these obstacles only made her persist in asking. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 54–55). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Tyre and Sidon were cities upon which God’s judgment had already been poured out because of their wickedness and uncleanness, but they had been rebuilt, in measure, and re-inhabited—not exactly the original cities but on contiguous territory. From this region came a Canaanitish woman who had heard of the fame of Jesus, and felt sure He would relieve her daughter’s terrible condition. She came crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.” Doubtless to her surprise, and perhaps to that of others, Jesus made no reply whatever. It was not rudeness on His part, for He was the Holy One of God, but it was in order to teach her a much-needed lesson. As Son of David He had come to minister to Israel and to reign eventually as King on the throne of David. As such, for the present, a Gentile woman had no claim upon Him; and so He answered her not a word. She continued to plead until the disciples became annoyed and begged Him to send her away. He simply replied, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This must have seemed for the moment a rebuke to the poor, anxious mother; but instead of turning away in despair she bowed down before Him as a worshiper, pleading, “Lord, help me.” He replied, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to the dogs.” It was a hard saying, but it was meant to manifest the true attitude of her soul. She responded in humility and faith, exclaiming, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” “The dogs.” Here she used a diminutive—the little dogs, the puppies. That was all she asked, some few crumbs of blessing which could be well spared since He had dealt so bountifully with Israel.

The heart of Jesus rejoiced to see such an evidence of confidence linked with lowliness of spirit. He granted her request immediately, saying, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” And we are told that her daughter was healed instantly. From that very hour the demon was driven out. (Ironside, H. A. (1948). Expository notes on the Gospel of Matthew. (pp. 193–194). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

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Ver. 24. But he answered, and said, &c.] To his disciples, who knew how limited their commission was, that they were not to go into the way of the Gentiles, not to preach to them, nor perform miracles among them; and therefore could not reasonably expect that either the woman, or they, on her behalf, should succeed in this matter. I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; as a priest, or as a Saviour and Redeemer, he was sent to make satisfaction and atonement for the sins of all God’s elect, and to obtain eternal redemption and salvation for all of them, whether Jews or Gentiles; but as a prophet, in the discharge of his own personal ministry, he was sent by his father only to the Jews; he was the minister of the circumcision, Rom. 15:8 that is, a minister to the circumcised Jews; he was sent only to preach the Gospel to them, and work miracles among them, in proof of his Messiahship; and upon their rejection of him, then his apostles were to be sent among the Gentiles; but he himself was sent only to the Jews, here styled the lost sheep of the house of Israel: by the house of Israel, is meant the whole body of the Jewish nation, so called from Israel, the name of Jacob their father, from whom they sprung; and by the lost sheep of that house, are more especially designed the elect of God among them: for though all the individuals of that house were lost persons, considered in Adam, and in themselves, as the rest of mankind, and Christ, in the external ministry of the word, was sent to preach to them all; yet the elect of God are only sheep; they are the sheep of Christ, of his pasture, and of his hand, whom he has the particular care and charge of; and who, in their nature-state, are lost and straying, and Could never find their way, or recover themselves from their lost state in Adam, and by their own transgressions; but he came to seek, and to save them, and to these his ministry was powerful and efficacious. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 176). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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In this dialogue, Jesus responds three times to the pleas of the Canaanite woman, and once to his disciples. The request of the disciples comes after Jesus’ first response to the woman, when he ignores her (15:22–23). His second response may be to the disciples more than to the woman, and in it he flatly denies that his mission concerns her (15:24). His third response to the woman, whose pleas this time are underlined by her bowing before him, uses blunt, even harsh language to compare the woman to a dog that cannot have the children’s bread (15:25–26). The woman’s final plea exhibits amazing humility and insight, asking Jesus to permit her a scrap from the children’s bread. He responds by commending her great faith and granting her request (15:27–28). The repeated requests and responses induce a dramatic anticipation in the reader, as each time Jesus places an additional obstacle in front of the woman. Seen in this light, the woman’s faith is all the more remarkable.

Jesus and the Gentiles. It is already clear in Matthew that Jesus and his disciples ministered only to the lost sheep of Israel (9:35–36; 10:5–6). However, there has already been at least one notable exception to this rule, the healing of the Roman officer’s servant (8:5–13). It is noteworthy that both the previous and the present cases of ministry to Gentiles center around exceptional faith (8:10; 15:28). Both cases involve a request for another person, the Roman officer’s servant and the Canaanite woman’s daughter (8:6, 8; 15:22). Both cases also speak of blessing in terms of table fellowship (8:11; 15:26–27), which is then applied to the primacy of Israel. The Roman official may look forward to sitting down at a table with the Jewish patriarchs, and the woman may have scraps of the children’s bread. The language of the table is clearly eschatological in 8:11 and is implicitly so here in Matthew 15, since the woman received blessings flowing from the presence of the Kingdom (12:28). Jesus’ language at the Last Supper also has an eschatological context (26:29). Thus, every meal among Christians and, even more so, every Christian Eucharist service anticipates the eschatological feast with Jesus (cf. 1 Cor 11:26). Seen in this light, the miracle meals of Jesus are also powerful anticipations of the shalom [7965, 8934] that will one day come to his disciples from Israel and all the nations. “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15).

Davies and Allison (1991:557) are correct when they say that this passage “makes it abundantly plain that the biblical doctrine of Israel’s election must be taken seriously.” As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:22). The world mission of the church that concludes Matthew (28:18–20) is couched in language that echoes Daniel 7:13–14. This world mission does not contradict the earlier mission to Israel but expands it. Matthew would agree with Paul that through Jesus the Gentiles have been brought near to Israel’s covenant promises (Eph 2:11–19; Rom 11:17; 15:7–12). The covenantal language from which both Matthew’s and Paul’s views arise is evidently Genesis 12:3—“All the families on earth will be blessed through you [Abraham].” (For further discussion, see the commentary on Matthew 10:5–6 and Levine 1988.) (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (pp. 212–213). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)

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FROM MY READING:

Romans 12
The Christian life is a life of total dedication and service to others
INSIGHT

To better understand the implications of the first two verses of chapter 12, it is helpful to read them backwards. We all want to be a living demonstration of the fact that the will of God is “good and acceptable and perfect.” In order to do that, we must have our minds transformed and renewed. In order to have our minds transformed and renewed, we must make our bodies “a living sacrifice” to God. We all want the will of God in our lives. We can experience it if we present ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. (Quiet Walk)

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ANALYZING FELLOWSHIP

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7
In order to make this fellowship active, we have certain things to do, and God must do certain things to us. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another”–that is what we do. “And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”–that is what He does. “If we confess our sins” (verse 9)–that again is our part, then “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So it is quite inevitable in the matter of fellowship like this that though in a logical sense we persist in dividing up the aspect of fellowship into the two sides–Godward and manward, they are constantly intermingled, because it is a sharing together, it is an interaction of the one upon the other.
In other words, fellowship is never mechanical but always something organic and vital. Of course, if we would understand it truly, for the sake of clarity of thought we are allowed to analyze it in the way we are doing, but we must remember that organic nature. To use an illustration, what we are doing is what the musicians do when they analyze a piece of music such as a sonata or a symphony. It is right to say that it is composed of various parts, and you can make an analysis of it; but if you are truly to appreciate it, you must always remember it is a whole, and you must take it as such. You cannot stop at an analysis, nor can you leave it at those various bits and portions; they are there, but they are parts of the whole.
A Thought to Ponder: Fellowship is never mechanical, but always something organic and vital. (From Fellowship with God, p. 124, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Thanks Be Unto God
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)
There are innumerable things for which we could—and should—give thanks to God. But there are three notable gifts mentioned by Paul in his letters to the Corinthians in which he was led to use this particular exclamation: “Thanks be to God.” We shall do well to look at these great blessings, and then—like Paul—pour out our own thanks to God for them!
The first is in our text above, giving thanks for God’s gift of victory. And what victory is that? “Death is swallowed up in victory” (v. 54), and death has lost its terrible sting for the believer, for Christ conquered death forever when He died for our sins and rose again.
The second is similar yet goes beyond even the first gift: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Not only victory over death but victory in life!
By the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Christ, we are enabled to triumph over circumstances and “shew forth the praises of him who hath called [us] out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). But the greatest gift of all is Christ Himself! Therefore, we join with the apostle Paul as he exclaims, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The value of this gift is beyond language to describe, “unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). The Lord Jesus Christ is both our Creator and Savior, giving us triumphant peace and joy in life, and eternal victory over death. Thanks be unto God! (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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ONE-WORLD CHURCH CONGREGATION IN MANHATTAN (Friday Church News Notes, September 27, 2019, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – Rutgers Presbyterian Church in Manhattan is on the radical side of the one-world church. It brings together Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Jews, New Agers, even atheists around the themes of social justice and saving the earth (“What Draws Atheists, Jews and Catholics to a Presbyterian Church,” New York Times, Sept. 6, 2019). The congregation is involved in such things as climate change activism, homosexual rights, and Black Lives Matters. Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags adorn the church, and visitors can choose from a variety of buttons to wear declaring their “gender identity: he/him, she/her, they/them.” One female attendee, Clare Hogenauer, appeared some years ago in Times Square topless to protest the death penalty. She told the New York Times that she does not consider herself a Christian, but she does “believe Jesus was a good guy.” When she shares her health issues with the congregation, she doesn’t ask for prayers. The one-world church is a big house with many rooms, and the walls are permeable. Evangelicals are in a different part of the house, but they share some fundamental things with Rutgers, particularly an emphasis on social justice and kingdom building and a judge not philosophy. A Rutgers’ member said that the church is constantly thinking about “ways to make the world right,” and, “It’s not just through proselytization and pointing fingers, but by working.” They all misinterpret Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (See The Judge Not Heresy, a free eBook available from www.wayoflife.org.)

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The world says knowledge I power, and to a point that is true in the natural sense, but it is even more true in the spiritual sense. (p. 146)

Do not remain as saplings, the author of Hebrews is telling us; grow, develop, mature; develop strength so that whatever happens you will stand. (p. 146)

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Then follows perhaps the most frightening passage in all of Scripture: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify th themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb. 6: 4-6)

This passage just means this: a man ho denies the Lord Jesus Christ and his atoning death and justifying resurrection, a man who does not lean absolutely and entirely upon him, is a man who is lost. He is a man who puts Christ to an open shame by denying him; he crucifies to himself the Son of God afresh. This is a person who denies the whole gospel and rejoices in his denial. He is without hope. (p. 148)

(A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Daily Hope

Today’s Scripture: Ecclesiastes 8:1-17

Wisdom and education can be very different. A knowledgeable person has noted that many people have not completed a high school or college education but are very wise in their approach and conduct of life. An educated person may have many facts and theories but a wise man understands and applies all the tools he has learned to accomplish tasks assigned to him.

Solomon has been speaking about wisdom and he continues this thought here in the eighth chapter. In the first part of the chapter (vv.1-7), he addresses the value of wisdom and then notes the limitation of man’s wisdom (vv.8-17). As Solomon notes wisdom is evident on a person face and if observant, we can mark people of wisdom. Their facial expressions will reveal the wisdom that is within by the warmth and excitement as they discuss topics for which they have passion. The wise person also understands how to behave in the presence of authorities. His action, words and manners are all appropriate for demonstrating the respect toward one in charge.

He then turns to the limitations of wisdom on the part of man and the inability to understand God’s permission for the wicked to live long and have proper burials and the righteous to be forgotten. Solomon’s question of why the sentence of judgment is not executed speedily toward the wicked perplexes him! The slowness of judgment causes many to continue to perform evil acts.

After pondering the matter of wisdom, Solomon concluded the work of God was beyond the understanding of even a wise man (v.17). His works are done with the purpose and design that men cannot comprehend and as a result faith must be matched with wisdom.

Isaiah reveals a little more of God’s mind in chapter fifty-five when he writes, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ saith the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). If you read the entire chapter of Isaiah 55 you will see that God is giving an invitation for the wicked to forsake their way and receive pardon and mercy. He continues to be patient and extend forgiveness to the wicked even today. Pray for those who do evil deeds that they will repent and receive the forgiveness of our loving Heavenly Father!

With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller

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