Matthew 15

Matthew 15:1

Feeding of the Five Thousand

The evening falls as the people seek relief from the Lord in numbers for the ailments they suffer from. The practical disciples come to Him with the remark that He should send the crowds away, because then they can still go to the shop in time to buy food. But a practical attitude is not always a good one. In this case, their practical proposal means that the Lord must stop doing good. By doing so they show that they do not share in His mercy.

They still don’t know Him well. Because they do not share in His mercy, they are also blind to the power of His grace to provide for daily needs. Then the Lord has a lesson for His disciples, for those who follow Him and must learn from the Master, in order to be like the Master.

He takes up the case for the crowds. People do not have to leave Him Who is the source of all goodness. He turns the request to send the crowds away around and orders His disciples to feed them. He wants to make them instruments through whom He can bless the crowds. He wants to fill their hands with bread that they can distribute to the crowds. Through them He wants His power in grace to benefit the crowds.

This is also true now because the principle of faith is the same at all times. The Lord wants us to learn that faith in His power makes us instruments for the blessing of others. The disciples want to send the crowds away because they don’t know how to use the power of Christ. We often don’t know that either, but the Lord wants to teach us.

Then He tells them to feed them. He wants to teach them to feed others. When the order comes to feed others, first the disciples’ total impotence becomes public. That is because they only count on their own resources and not on those of the Lord. The problem is not that there is nothing, but that the little there is, is totally inadequate according to man’s arithmetic.

According to human standards this is also the case, but we must learn to count on the power of the Lord. One of the problems that makes us bad disciples is that we underestimate what we have in our hands. The reason for this is that we judge it according to our ability to do something with it and not according to the Lord’s ability to do something with it. Our argument is often: ‘We have here only …’ But believers always have something the Lord can use, even if it is so little in their eyes. The Lord commands them to bring the loaves and fishes to Him. We must learn to put everything in His hands. He even invites us to do this. What we place in His hands, He multiplies.

The Lord proceeds to work in an ordered and calming manner. That’s why He commands all to sit down. By doing so, He also draws everyone’s eyes to Himself. All see how He takes the five loaves and the two fish and all hear how He prays to His God as the dependent Man and blesses or praises Him. Then He acts in omnipotence, in dependence and in grace through His disciples. He breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples who in turn give the bread to the crowds.

The food the crowd receives has become food in two ways. Before something becomes bread, a whole process precedes it. This indicates that before we can give anything into the Lord’s hands so that He can use it, we must have been busy with it. There are also two fish. We have done nothing for its preparation. Those are as it were prepared by the Lord Himself. This indicates that what we have received directly from the Lord, we may also give Him to make more of it and then distribute it. What we can’t do, multiplying the food, He does. Then He gives it to us to do with it what we can and that is to pass it on.

By this act Christ testifies in His own Person that He is Yahweh Who will satisfy the poor with bread (Psalms 132:15). In Him is Yahweh, Who has established the throne of David, in their midst. By His goodness, everyone can eat until they are satisfied.

He could have performed His miracle in such a way that all food was gone, that nothing was left over. He knew exactly how much was needed. Precisely because there is so much left over, it demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is a God of abundance. He not only gives what is necessary, but more than is necessary. There is a surplus, not of crumbs, but of the pieces He broke and the disciples distributed.

Abundance is not treated as superfluous. He also has an intention with abundance. He allows it to be collected so that it can be distributed to others who are not present. What we give in the Lord’s hands becomes an abundance through which a crowd is satisfied and much remains for others. This is how it works with God: what we give away is not lost, but is multiplied (Proverbs 11:24).

The number twelve also indicates that the Lord made the surplus with an intention. He deliberately wanted to multiply more than was necessary for those present. He satisfies those who have come to Him from their homes, but in the future He will satisfy all twelve tribes with His blessing. There remains a blessing for the people of God that He must first send away.

The remaining bread is put into twelve “baskets”. When the Lord later provides bread to a crowd of four thousand men, including women and children, also bread will remain. This is put into “large baskets” (Matthew 15:37).

Matthew 15:2

Feeding of the Five Thousand

The evening falls as the people seek relief from the Lord in numbers for the ailments they suffer from. The practical disciples come to Him with the remark that He should send the crowds away, because then they can still go to the shop in time to buy food. But a practical attitude is not always a good one. In this case, their practical proposal means that the Lord must stop doing good. By doing so they show that they do not share in His mercy.

They still don’t know Him well. Because they do not share in His mercy, they are also blind to the power of His grace to provide for daily needs. Then the Lord has a lesson for His disciples, for those who follow Him and must learn from the Master, in order to be like the Master.

He takes up the case for the crowds. People do not have to leave Him Who is the source of all goodness. He turns the request to send the crowds away around and orders His disciples to feed them. He wants to make them instruments through whom He can bless the crowds. He wants to fill their hands with bread that they can distribute to the crowds. Through them He wants His power in grace to benefit the crowds.

This is also true now because the principle of faith is the same at all times. The Lord wants us to learn that faith in His power makes us instruments for the blessing of others. The disciples want to send the crowds away because they don’t know how to use the power of Christ. We often don’t know that either, but the Lord wants to teach us.

Then He tells them to feed them. He wants to teach them to feed others. When the order comes to feed others, first the disciples’ total impotence becomes public. That is because they only count on their own resources and not on those of the Lord. The problem is not that there is nothing, but that the little there is, is totally inadequate according to man’s arithmetic.

According to human standards this is also the case, but we must learn to count on the power of the Lord. One of the problems that makes us bad disciples is that we underestimate what we have in our hands. The reason for this is that we judge it according to our ability to do something with it and not according to the Lord’s ability to do something with it. Our argument is often: ‘We have here only …’ But believers always have something the Lord can use, even if it is so little in their eyes. The Lord commands them to bring the loaves and fishes to Him. We must learn to put everything in His hands. He even invites us to do this. What we place in His hands, He multiplies.

The Lord proceeds to work in an ordered and calming manner. That’s why He commands all to sit down. By doing so, He also draws everyone’s eyes to Himself. All see how He takes the five loaves and the two fish and all hear how He prays to His God as the dependent Man and blesses or praises Him. Then He acts in omnipotence, in dependence and in grace through His disciples. He breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples who in turn give the bread to the crowds.

The food the crowd receives has become food in two ways. Before something becomes bread, a whole process precedes it. This indicates that before we can give anything into the Lord’s hands so that He can use it, we must have been busy with it. There are also two fish. We have done nothing for its preparation. Those are as it were prepared by the Lord Himself. This indicates that what we have received directly from the Lord, we may also give Him to make more of it and then distribute it. What we can’t do, multiplying the food, He does. Then He gives it to us to do with it what we can and that is to pass it on.

By this act Christ testifies in His own Person that He is Yahweh Who will satisfy the poor with bread (Psalms 132:15). In Him is Yahweh, Who has established the throne of David, in their midst. By His goodness, everyone can eat until they are satisfied.

He could have performed His miracle in such a way that all food was gone, that nothing was left over. He knew exactly how much was needed. Precisely because there is so much left over, it demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is a God of abundance. He not only gives what is necessary, but more than is necessary. There is a surplus, not of crumbs, but of the pieces He broke and the disciples distributed.

Abundance is not treated as superfluous. He also has an intention with abundance. He allows it to be collected so that it can be distributed to others who are not present. What we give in the Lord’s hands becomes an abundance through which a crowd is satisfied and much remains for others. This is how it works with God: what we give away is not lost, but is multiplied (Proverbs 11:24).

The number twelve also indicates that the Lord made the surplus with an intention. He deliberately wanted to multiply more than was necessary for those present. He satisfies those who have come to Him from their homes, but in the future He will satisfy all twelve tribes with His blessing. There remains a blessing for the people of God that He must first send away.

The remaining bread is put into twelve “baskets”. When the Lord later provides bread to a crowd of four thousand men, including women and children, also bread will remain. This is put into “large baskets” (Matthew 15:37).

Matthew 15:3

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:4

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:5

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:6

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:7

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:8

In the Storm

The Lord must force His disciples to go on board and go ahead of Him to the other side without Him. He Himself says goodbye to the crowds. After having given proof of His blessed presence in the miraculous feeding, now inevitably comes the moment that He must send the people away. It is a prophetic picture of what God had to do with His people because they rejected His Son.

When the Lord has sent the mass of people away, He climbs the mountain to pray. His disciples are at sea. They do not see the Lord, but He sees them. He prays for them. He seeks fellowship with His Father in solitude and in the heights. While He prays, the disciples are in distress. There is a headwind. This is a picture of everyday life. He allows storms to test our faith. The disciples are worried. In them we can see a picture of the believing remnant of Israel among the hostile nations, of which the sea is a picture, in the time of the great tribulation.

The disciples think that the Lord has forgotten them. The remnant during the great tribulation will think so too. In several psalms they state this (Psalms 10:11; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 77:9). But He does not forget them. He does not come to them until the night is darkest, in the fourth watch. That is also against the dawn of the day. It is also the time for the morning star to rise. Prophetically, we live in the end of the dispensation of the night, which is almost gone (Romans 13:12). We also have arrived in the darkest period of the night. Especially at that point we can experience His closeness the most and we can see Him coming to us.

However, we are often like the disciples who regard the Lord as a ghost. This happens when, in all adversity, we see only the devil, as if he makes life difficult for us, while we ignore the fact that our circumstances are in the hand of our loving Lord. Job saw it differently. He took everything from the Lord’s hand. He did not say, ‘The LORD gave and satan has taken away’, but, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). In our circumstances we must learn to discover the Lord, that He is close to us and has power over all circumstances.

The Lord walks on the water as if on solid ground. He Who, as God, created the elements as they are, can, as the Son of Man, according to His pleasure, dispose of their properties and walk over them. He does not do His walking on the water for the crowds, for their appetite for sensation, but He does it for fearful disciples to convince them of His power. He is not yet calming the water. That comes at the end.

When the disciples cry out in fear, He speaks to them reassuringly. First He says to them to take courage. He has already spoken this wonderful word of encouragement in this Gospel to people who need it so much (Matthew 9:2; 22). Then, He refers to Himself “it is I”, for only through Him can there be taken courage. Finally, He says they should not be afraid. He wants to dispel their fear because it prevents them from taking courage.

Matthew 15:9

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:10

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:11

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:12

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:13

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:14

Peter Walks on the Water

Peter is the first to answer to the words of the Lord. He wants assurance that it is the Lord. The event of Peter leaving the ship is only written in this Gospel. The disciples are afraid, but they are still in the boat. As long as it holds, it is well. This makes Peter’s act of faith so great. He also distances himself from this last safety and entrusts himself entirely to the Lord.

Also with us it is often the case that we trust the Lord, but we are also happy with the security of the boat. An application is that it is difficult for us to leave the security of Judaism or the security of a traditional Christian system. This applies to any form of being a church where the custom has become norm and the Spirit cannot work freely. Human forms and traditions give a sense of security, although we confess that the Holy Spirit must guide us. The Lord is outside both the Jewish and man-managed Christian systems and it is necessary to go out to be with Him (Hebrews 13:13).

The initiative comes from Peter. He sees the Lord and asks for His command. Peter doesn’t want to be the hero. He is the obedient believer who in faith gives up the safety of the boat to come to the Lord. Then he is not afraid of the waters. He really wants to be as the Master is. The Lord must have rejoiced greatly at this spontaneous wish.

The Lord speaks one word and Peter obeys. He comes to the act of faith by climbing out of the ship and to a walk of faith by walking over the water. Walking on the water is a risky venture. But if it is based on the Lord’s word “Come!”, it is also a certain venture. Its foundation lies in the words “Lord, if it is you”, that is to say the Lord Jesus Himself.

As long as Peter sees the Lord, things go well. Then comes the moment when his eyes wander away from Him and he sees the wind. At that moment fear strikes. It does not say that he sees the water he is walking on, but the wind that whips up the water. It doesn’t matter much either, because it’s just as impossible to walk on calm water as it is on rough waves. Faith is only strong when it sees only the Lord Jesus. When we look at the circumstances, faith becomes weak.

There is no support, no opportunity to walk if we lose sight of Christ. Everything depends on Him. The ship is a tried and tested aid to go over the sea, but only the faith that looks to the Lord Jesus can walk on water. Whoever walks on water once, as Peter does together with the Lord, is much better off than those who sit in a shaky boat that is about to collapse. For those who walk with the Lord on the water, it does not matter whether it is stormy or still.

When Peter begins to sink, he calls upon the Lord for help. The Lord responds directly to his cry of distress and saves him. He Who walks on water by His own power is there to support the faith and the wavering footsteps of the poor disciple. Faith has brought Peter so close to the Lord that His outstretched hand can lift him up. His cry for help sets the hand of the Lord in motion for his salvation, while his faith has previously set the hand of the Lord in motion for his support. Peter may have started to sink, but he has gained an experience that none of the others know.

The Lord’s question regarding Peter’s doubt is justified, for Peter’s sense of purpose began when he no longer looked upon Him. Peter did not reach the ship in the same power of faith that led him to leave the ship. He climbs aboard the ship together with the Lord. His falling short makes it clear that he reaches the goal only through the power of the Lord.

The outworking is, what it must always be, that the disciples honor the Lord. He is honored for His work of power over the elements and for His work of grace toward His beloved disciples.

Matthew 15:15

Healings in Gennesaret

The Lord has told His disciples in Matthew 14:22 to go ahead of Him to the other side. If He says this, then they will reach the other side. That happens here. When they arrive in Gennesaret, He exercises again the power that in the future will drive out all the evil from the earth that satan has brought in. When He returns, the world will acknowledge Him.

At His arrival in Gennesaret, the Lord is recognized. The great Physician visits their area. Therefore, those who have already met Him before and seen Him at work let the whole area know that He is there. All those who are sick are brought to Him. Everyone who touches Him, even if only the fringe of His cloak, is completely healed.

Touching the fringe of His cloak has been the means of healing for a woman with an issue of blood before (Matthew 9:20). The fringe of His cloak is the part of His cloak that is closest to the ground. It speaks of His humility. Whoever recognizes in this humble Man the goodness of God Who, in grace, receives the man who is aware of his need, finds complete salvation.

Matthew 15:16

Healings in Gennesaret

The Lord has told His disciples in Matthew 14:22 to go ahead of Him to the other side. If He says this, then they will reach the other side. That happens here. When they arrive in Gennesaret, He exercises again the power that in the future will drive out all the evil from the earth that satan has brought in. When He returns, the world will acknowledge Him.

At His arrival in Gennesaret, the Lord is recognized. The great Physician visits their area. Therefore, those who have already met Him before and seen Him at work let the whole area know that He is there. All those who are sick are brought to Him. Everyone who touches Him, even if only the fringe of His cloak, is completely healed.

Touching the fringe of His cloak has been the means of healing for a woman with an issue of blood before (Matthew 9:20). The fringe of His cloak is the part of His cloak that is closest to the ground. It speaks of His humility. Whoever recognizes in this humble Man the goodness of God Who, in grace, receives the man who is aware of his need, finds complete salvation.

Matthew 15:17

Healings in Gennesaret

The Lord has told His disciples in Matthew 14:22 to go ahead of Him to the other side. If He says this, then they will reach the other side. That happens here. When they arrive in Gennesaret, He exercises again the power that in the future will drive out all the evil from the earth that satan has brought in. When He returns, the world will acknowledge Him.

At His arrival in Gennesaret, the Lord is recognized. The great Physician visits their area. Therefore, those who have already met Him before and seen Him at work let the whole area know that He is there. All those who are sick are brought to Him. Everyone who touches Him, even if only the fringe of His cloak, is completely healed.

Touching the fringe of His cloak has been the means of healing for a woman with an issue of blood before (Matthew 9:20). The fringe of His cloak is the part of His cloak that is closest to the ground. It speaks of His humility. Whoever recognizes in this humble Man the goodness of God Who, in grace, receives the man who is aware of his need, finds complete salvation.

Matthew 15:19

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:20

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:21

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:22

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:23

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:24

Tradition and the Commandment of God

While the Lord shows mercy to many, the leaders break into this lovely scene to complain about outward appearances they have devised for their religion. They are totally blinded by legal forms to everything the Lord does. This Pharisaic attitude is observed in controversies that arise from traditions and general practices, but that are not based on the clear Word of God. They address the Lord because they regard what the disciples do as a transgression of tradition. They do not wonder what God’s Word says, but judge the disciples’ actions according to their own standards, which they find so particularly important.

The Pharisees and scribes have observed a transgression by the disciples of the Lord. That offense is that the disciples eat bread with unwashed hands. This is the hallmark of legalism. Legalism assesses a person solely on the basis of his outward actions. The Lord rejects their criticism by pointing out what they themselves do. What they do is incomparably worse than violating a human tradition. For they violate the commandment of God, and this for the sake of their tradition.

The traditions of the elders were originally intended as an interpretation of the Scriptures. But gradually they are equated with Scripture and have even become traditions that go against Scripture. These ‘tradition of the elders’ have degenerated into an addition to the Scriptures and into obligations that must be observed. In its spirit, tradition goes against the spirit of Scripture. The Lord denounces this principle. He accuses the Pharisees and scribes of breaking the commandment of God themselves.

He cites an example of a commandment that God has given and that they trespass. The commandment He cites is the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also points out that the law says that whoever curses a father or mother must surely die (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). All the earthly blessings of the children of Israel depend on obeying this commandment. It is therefore a special commandment. Whoever honors father and mother will live a long life and therefore enjoy the blessing for a long time (Ephesians 6:2). Whoever does the opposite must be killed and will therefore no longer be able to enjoy the blessing.

After quoting the commandment of God, the Lord shows in a razor-sharp way how they have killed these two commandments of God. The Pharisees had come up with a handy way to put the money, which the members of God’s people should actually use for their needy parents, in their own pockets. They had just added a commandment. The Jews only had to say to their father or mother: ‘I have earmarked this money as a sacrifice for the temple.’ Then, according to the law that the Pharisees had made on top, their obligation to take care of their parents would have lapsed and the money would flow into the treasury of the temple and thus into the pocket of the Pharisees. If a father or mother needed something, they could simply say that it was a gift to God, and so they would be released from the commandment to care for their parents and honor them in that way.

In this way the Pharisees have made the Word of God invalid for the sake of their tradition. Their traditions act as a veil over the true meaning of God’s law. They no longer see what God has said. We must be careful not to fall into the same trap. We can gratefully use what ministers of God have said. If we make proper use of it, they will take us back to the source, which is Scripture itself. But it is not difficult to turn the teaching of the greatest servant into a kind of Talmud – a Jewish book with commentary from rabbis on the Old Testament. Then this teaching becomes a kind of fog, behind which the pure Word of God remains hidden.

Matthew 15:25

Judgment on Hypocrisy

The Lord exposes them as hypocrites and brings them under the destructive judgment of Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13). He points out that they worship God only with their lips. They speak fine words, but with their hearts they pursue their own advantage. They may imagine themselves in the presence of God, but in reality they are far from Him. The lips are the outside, the heart is the inside. The heart is the deepest being of man, from which all his thoughts, words and actions originate (Proverbs 4:23). God looks at the heart, man looks at the outward appearance. Their hearts remain completely cold under their religion.

Their whole religion, by which they believe they worship God, is in vain, empty, meaningless to God. A religion formed by the teachings that are commandments of men has nothing that is acceptable to God. On the contrary, God hates such a religion.

Matthew 15:26

Judgment on Hypocrisy

The Lord exposes them as hypocrites and brings them under the destructive judgment of Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13). He points out that they worship God only with their lips. They speak fine words, but with their hearts they pursue their own advantage. They may imagine themselves in the presence of God, but in reality they are far from Him. The lips are the outside, the heart is the inside. The heart is the deepest being of man, from which all his thoughts, words and actions originate (Proverbs 4:23). God looks at the heart, man looks at the outward appearance. Their hearts remain completely cold under their religion.

Their whole religion, by which they believe they worship God, is in vain, empty, meaningless to God. A religion formed by the teachings that are commandments of men has nothing that is acceptable to God. On the contrary, God hates such a religion.

Matthew 15:27

Judgment on Hypocrisy

The Lord exposes them as hypocrites and brings them under the destructive judgment of Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13). He points out that they worship God only with their lips. They speak fine words, but with their hearts they pursue their own advantage. They may imagine themselves in the presence of God, but in reality they are far from Him. The lips are the outside, the heart is the inside. The heart is the deepest being of man, from which all his thoughts, words and actions originate (Proverbs 4:23). God looks at the heart, man looks at the outward appearance. Their hearts remain completely cold under their religion.

Their whole religion, by which they believe they worship God, is in vain, empty, meaningless to God. A religion formed by the teachings that are commandments of men has nothing that is acceptable to God. On the contrary, God hates such a religion.

Matthew 15:28

What Defiles the Man

What the Lord has said to the Pharisees and scribes is so important that He wants to say it to the crowd. He calls them to Himself and addresses them. He calls on them to hear and understand what serving God is really about. He teaches the crowd that defilement is not of a physical, outer nature. Defilement arises inwardly, in the heart, which is the deepest being of man and is spiritual in nature.

Matthew 15:29

What Defiles the Man

What the Lord has said to the Pharisees and scribes is so important that He wants to say it to the crowd. He calls them to Himself and addresses them. He calls on them to hear and understand what serving God is really about. He teaches the crowd that defilement is not of a physical, outer nature. Defilement arises inwardly, in the heart, which is the deepest being of man and is spiritual in nature.

Matthew 15:30

The Disciples’ Lack in Understanding

The disciples also feel a bit uncomfortable with these words. Even they have difficulty with what their Master says. Is it necessary to ruffle the feathers of the Pharisees in this way? They pay more attention to the reaction that the Lord’s words provoke in the Pharisees than to the fact that they themselves take those words to heart. They too are still sensitive to what these religious leaders think of it.

The Lord knows that the Pharisees are of course offended by this teaching, which affects all their ceremonial rules at the root. In His answer to the disciples He makes it clear that He also knows why: they are not a plant that the Father has planted. Their annoyance is proof of that. The implanted word is not in their hearts (cf. James 1:21). They are weeds that must be uprooted. The disciples should not concern themselves with them, God will do that in His governmental dealings. The Pharisees are blind leaders, and they guide blind people. It is clear that both the leaders and those who are led will end up in the pit of destruction.

Matthew 15:31

The Disciples’ Lack in Understanding

The disciples also feel a bit uncomfortable with these words. Even they have difficulty with what their Master says. Is it necessary to ruffle the feathers of the Pharisees in this way? They pay more attention to the reaction that the Lord’s words provoke in the Pharisees than to the fact that they themselves take those words to heart. They too are still sensitive to what these religious leaders think of it.

The Lord knows that the Pharisees are of course offended by this teaching, which affects all their ceremonial rules at the root. In His answer to the disciples He makes it clear that He also knows why: they are not a plant that the Father has planted. Their annoyance is proof of that. The implanted word is not in their hearts (cf. James 1:21). They are weeds that must be uprooted. The disciples should not concern themselves with them, God will do that in His governmental dealings. The Pharisees are blind leaders, and they guide blind people. It is clear that both the leaders and those who are led will end up in the pit of destruction.

Matthew 15:32

The Disciples’ Lack in Understanding

The disciples also feel a bit uncomfortable with these words. Even they have difficulty with what their Master says. Is it necessary to ruffle the feathers of the Pharisees in this way? They pay more attention to the reaction that the Lord’s words provoke in the Pharisees than to the fact that they themselves take those words to heart. They too are still sensitive to what these religious leaders think of it.

The Lord knows that the Pharisees are of course offended by this teaching, which affects all their ceremonial rules at the root. In His answer to the disciples He makes it clear that He also knows why: they are not a plant that the Father has planted. Their annoyance is proof of that. The implanted word is not in their hearts (cf. James 1:21). They are weeds that must be uprooted. The disciples should not concern themselves with them, God will do that in His governmental dealings. The Pharisees are blind leaders, and they guide blind people. It is clear that both the leaders and those who are led will end up in the pit of destruction.

Matthew 15:33

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:34

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:35

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:36

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:37

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:38

Explanation of the Parable

The disciples do not understand the Lord’s teachings and ask Him through Peter to explain the parable. The cause of their incomprehension is that they still have too much respect for the teachings of the Pharisees. That has influence on their hearts. It is also difficult to be freed from Pharisaism in which outer forms are placed above inner purity. This Pharisaism is hidden inside all of us.

The Lord certainly wants to explain the parable to them, but He first reprimanded them, even though He does so mildly. Understanding His thoughts is a process that is slowed down by legalistic thoughts. He has great patience with us when our insight is lacking. But if we still see certain things in a legal way, when we should already have known better, He should reprimand us for it. For the legalistic minded person, insight comes slowly.

In His explanation He points to the natural process of food, that comes into the belly of man through the mouth. In the belly, substances that are not absorbed by the body are secreted and ejected into the toilet. This process has nothing to do with spiritual defilement. What really defiles a person is what comes out of his heart and leaves the body through his mouth. The ‘mouth’ here stands for what a person shows off and makes heard, as the Lord shows by His enumeration of all that comes from the heart. The mouth points to the whole behavior of man.

The Lord knows all that dwells in the heart of man. It is not all expressed by the mouth, but the mouth is the primary means by which sin comes out (cf. James 3:1-12). It all starts with evil, sinful deliberations which then lead to various sinful acts. Christ searches the heart.

He concludes His argument with the clear statement that the things He mentions really defile man. Equally clear is His rejection of the teaching of the Pharisees about eating with unwashed hands by His disciples about which they have addressed Him at the beginning of this chapter.

Matthew 15:39

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.