CHAPTER XV. _The Pharisees accuse the disciples of eating with unwashed_ _hands_, 1, 2. _Our Lord answers, and convicts them of gross hypocrisy_, 3-9. _Teaches the people and the disciples what it is that renders_ _men unclean_, 10-20. _Heals the daughter of a Canaanitish woman_, 21-28. _Heal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:2. _ELDERS_] Rulers and magistrates among the Jews. _FOR THEY WASH NOT THEIR HANDS_] What frivolous nonsense! These Pharisees had nothing which their malice could fasten on in the conduct or doctrine of our blessed Lord and his disciples, and therefore they must dispute about washi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:3. _WHY DO YE - TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENT_] Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the _traditions_ of the _elders _- I accuse you of transgressing the _commands_ of God, and that too in favour of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:4. _HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER_] This word was taken in great latitude of meaning among the Jews: it not only meant _respect_ and _submission_, but also _to take care of a person, to_ _nourish and support him, to enrich_. See Numbers 22:17; Judges 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17. And that t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:5. _IT IS A GIFT_] קרבן _korban_, Mark 7:11, an _offering of approach_; something consecrated to the service of God in the temple, by which a man had the privilege of _approaching_ his Maker. This conduct was similar to the custom of certain persons who bequeath the inheritance of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:7. _HYPOCRITES, WELL DID ISAIAH PROPHESY OF YOU_] In every place where the proper names of the Old Testament occur, in the New, the same mode of orthography should be followed: I therefore write _Isaiah_ with the Hebrew, not _Esaias_, with the Greek. This prophecy is found Isaiah 29... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:8. _THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME._] The true worship of God consists in the _union_ of the heart to him - where this exists not, a particle of the spirit of devotion cannot be found. _THIS PEOPLE DRAWETH NIGH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH_] This clause, which is taken from Isaiah 29:13, i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:9. _IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, C._] By the traditions of the elders, not only the word of God was perverted, but his worship also was greatly corrupted. But the Jews were not the only people who have acted thus: whole Christian Churches, as well as sects and parties, have acted in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:10. _HEAR AND UNDERSTAND_] A most important command. _Hear _- make it a point of conscience to attend to the ministry of the word. _Understand _- be not satisfied with attending places of public worship merely; see that the _teaching_ be of God, and that you _lay it to heart_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:11. _NOT THAT WHICH GOETH INTO THE MOUTH DEFILETH_] This is an answer to the carping question of the Pharisees, mentioned Matthew 15:2, _Why do thy disciples eat with unwashed hands_? To which our Lord here replies, _That what goes into the mouth defiles not the man_; i.e. that if,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:12. _THE PHARISEES WERE OFFENDED_] None so liable to take offence as _formalists_ and _hypocrites_, when you attempt to take away the false props from the one, and question the sincerity of the other. Besides, a Pharisee must never be suspected of _ignorance_, for they are the men,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:13. _EVERY PLANT_] _Every plantation_. So I render φυτεια, and so it is translated in the _Itala_ version which accompanies the Greek text in the _Codex Bezae, omnis plantatio_, and so the word is rendered by Suidas. This gives a different turn to the text. The Pharisees, as a _rel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:14. _LET THEM ALONE_] αφετε αυτους, _give them up_, or _leave them_. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:15. _DECLARE UNTO US THIS PARABLE._] Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this! The true knowledge of the _spirit_ of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:16. _ARE YE ALSO YET WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING?_] The word ακμη, which we translate _yet_, should be here rendered _still_: Are ye still void of understanding? and the word is used in this sense by several Greek writers. The authorities which have induced me to prefer this translation m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:17. _CAST OUT INTO THE DRAUGHT_] εις αφεδωνα, [Anglo-Saxon]. _And beeth into the forthgoing a sent _- what is not fit for nourishment is evacuated; is thrown into the sink. This I believe to be the _meaning_ of this difficult and variously translated word, αφεδρων. Diodati translate... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:19. _OUT OF THE HEART_] In the heart of an unregenerate man, the _principles_ and _seeds_ of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be _spoken_ or _acted_. Is there any hope that a man _can_ abstain from _outward_ sin till his _heart_, that abomin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:20. _THESE - DEFILE A MAN_] Our Lord's argument is very plain. What goes into the mouth descends into the stomach and other intestines; - part is retained for the nourishment of the body, and part is ejected, as being improper to afford nourishment. Nothing of this kind defiles the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:21. _DEPARTED INTO THE COASTS OF TYRE AND SIDON._] εις τα μερη, _towards_ the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Romans 15:8, _the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God_. Tyre and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:22. _A WOMAN OF CANAAN_] Matthew gives her this name because of the _people_ from whom she sprung-the descendants of Canaan, Judges 1:31-7; but Mark calls her a _Syrophenician_, because of the _country_ where she dwelt. The _Canaanites_ and _Phoenicians_ have been often confounded.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:23. _HE ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD._] Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of _exercising_ her _faith_, and _manifesting_ her _fervour_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:24. _I AM NOT SENT BUT UNTO THE LOST SHEEP_] By the Divine appointment, I am come to preach the Gospel to the Jews only. There are certain preachers who should learn a lesson of important instruction from this part of our Lord's conduct. As soon as they hear of a lost sheep being fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:25. _LORD, HELP ME._] Let me also share in the deliverance afforded to Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:26. _THE CHILDREN'S BREAD_] The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed _the children of the kingdom_. And cast it to the κυναριοις, _little dogs - to the curs_; such the _Gentiles_ were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common am... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:27. _TRUTH, LORD_] ναικυριε, _Yes, Lord_. This appears to be not so much an assent, as a bold reply to our Lord's reason for apparently rejecting her suit. The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. I do not desire what is... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:28. _O WOMAN, GREAT IS THY FAITH_] The hinderances thrown in this woman's way only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dykes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it, _HER DAUGHTER WAS MADE WHOLE_] Persev... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _WENT UP INTO A MOUNTAIN_] το ορος, THE _mountain_. "Meaning," says Wakefield, "some _particular_ mountain which he was accustomed to frequent; for, whenever it is spoken of at a time when Jesus is in _Galilee_, it is always discriminated by the _article_. Compare Matthew 4:18, with Matthe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. THOSE THAT WERE - _MAIMED_] κυλλους. Wetstein has fully proved that those who had lost a hand, foot, c., were termed κυλλοι by the Greeks. Kypke has shown, from _Hippocrates_, that the word was also used to signify those who had distorted or dislocated legs, knees, hands, c. Mr. Wakefield... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _THE MULTITUDE WONDERED_] And well they might, when they had such proofs of the miraculous power and love of God before their eyes. Blessed be God! the same miracles are continued in their _spiritual_ reference. All the disorders of the soul are still cured by the power of Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _I HAVE COMPASSION_, c.] See a similar transaction explained, Matthew 14:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _WHENCE SHOULD WE HAVE SO MUCH BREAD IN THE_ _WILDERNESS_, C.] Human _foresight_, even in the followers of Christ, is very short. In a thousand instances, if we supply not its deficiency by _faith_, we shall be always embarrassed, and often miserable. This world is a _desert_, where nothin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:37. _THEY DID ALL EAT, AND WERE FILLED_] εχορτασθησαν - _they_ _were satisfied_. The husks of worldly pleasures may _fill_ the man, but cannot _satisfy_ the soul. A man may eat, and not be satisfied: it is the interest therefore of every follower of Christ to follow him till he be _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:38. _FOUR THOUSAND_] Let the poor learn from these miracles to trust in God for support. Whatever his ordinary providence denies, his miraculous power will supply.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 15:39. _HE SENT AWAY THE MULTITUDE_] But not before he had instructed their souls, and fed and healed their bodies. _THE COASTS OF MAGDALA._] In the parallel place, Mark 8:10, this place is called _Dalmanutha_. Either _Magdala_ was formed by a transposition of letters from _Dalman_,... [ Continue Reading ]