1.
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
came = come.
scribes, &c. = the scribes. Note the four parties addressed in this chapter: (1) scribes, &c. from Jerusalem, verses: Matthew 15:1-9 ; (2) the multitudes, verses: Matthew 15:10 , Matthew 15:11 ; (3) the disciples, verses: Matthew 15:12-14 ; (4) Peter, verses: Matthew 15:15-20 .
Pharisees. See App-120 . of = away from. Greek. apo.
Jerusalem. The seat of authority in these matters.
2.
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
transgress. Greek. parabaino. App-128 .
the elders. Greek. presbuteroi. Always used in the Papyri officially, not of age (old men), but of communal officers and heathen priests.
wash not. To wash before eating is still a rigorous custom in Palestine. See App-136 .
bread. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6 , for all kinds of food.
3.
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
ye. Emphatic. Note the Figure of speech Anteisagoge.
also. Connect "also" with "ye", not with "transgress".
by = on account of. Greek. dia.
4.
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
commanded. Quoted from Exodus 20:12 ; Exodus 20:21 .Exodus 20:17 . App-117 .
let him die the death = he shall surely die. Figure of speech Polyptoton. See Exodus 21:17 . Leviticus 20:9 . Deuteronomy 5:16 ; Deuteronomy 27:16 . Proverbs 30:17 .
5.
But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
It is. Supply ("Be that"] instead of "It is".
a gift = dedicated to God.
thou: i.e. the parent.
profited = helped.
by = of. Greek. ek.
me: i.e. the son.
6.
And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
And = And [in consequence of this evasion]. not = you certainly do not. Greek. ou me = by no means, in no wise.
he shall be free. There is no Ellipsis here if it be supplied as in Matthew 15:8 .
7.
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Esaias = Isaiah. See App-79 .
of = concerning. Greek. peri.
8.
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
This people. Quoted from Isaiah 29:13 . See App-107 and App-117 .
is far = keepeth far distant.
from = away from. Greek. apo . App-104 .
9.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
teaching for doctrines. Greek teaching teachings. Figure of speech Polyptoton.
10.
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
called = called to [Him].
the multitude. See note on "scribes", Matthew 15:1 .
11.
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
into. Greek. eis. App-104 .
a = the.
out of. Greek. ek.
12.
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
His disciples. See note on "scribes", Matthew 15:1 .
offended = stumbled.
saying. Greek. logos. See note on Mark 9:32 .
13.
But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Every plant. Implying the scribes, &c, by the Figure of speech Hypocatastaais. See note on "dogs", Matthew 15:26 , and on "leaven" (Matthew 16:6 ).
plant. Greek. phuteia. Occurs only here.
heavenly. Greek. ouranios. See note on Matthew 6:14 .
14.
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
they be, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6 .
if, &c.: i.e. experience will show it. App-118 .
15.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
Peter. See note on "scribes", &c, Matthew 15:1 .
Declare = Expound. See note on Matthew 13:36 .
16.
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
yet = still. Greek. akmen. Occurs only here.
17.
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
in at = into. Greek. eis. App-104 .
draught = sewer, or sink. Greek. aphedron, a Macedonian word.
18.
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
But those, &c. Figure of speech Epimone, verses: 18-20.
from = out of. Greek. ek, as in preceding clause,
19.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
evil. Greek. poneros. App-128 .
thoughts = reasonings.
false witness. Greek. pseudomarturia. Occurs only in Matthew (here, and Matthew 26:59 ).
20.
These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
21.
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
out of = from. Greek. apo.
the same = those.
coasts = borders.
Have mercy = Pity
Son Of David. The fourth of nine occurrences of this title ( App-98 ). The woman (a "dog" of the Gentiles) had no claim on the "Son of David". Hence the silence of the Lord.
grievously = miserably.
vexed with a devil = possessed by a demon; Greek. daimonizomai.
23.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
But, &c. Because a Gentile had no claim on the Son of David. Figure of speech Accismus. App-6 .
24.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
worshipped Him = threw herself at His feet [and remained there]. Imperfect tense. Compare John 9:38 . See App-137 .
Lord, help me. This was a better plea, but there was no definition of the "me", as with the publican: "me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13 ).
26.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
meet = fair.
the children's bread = the bread of the children, with emphasis on children. Figure of speech Enallage. App-6 .
children's. See App-108 .
dogs = puppies, or little household dogs; this is true only of such. Dogs are not cared for (in the East) when grown. The Lord used the Figure of speech Hypocatastasis ( App-6 ), implying that she was only a Gentile, and thus had still no claim even on that ground. Gentiles were known as "dogs" by the Jews, and despised as such (Matthew 7:6 ; 1 Samuel 17:43 . 2Sa 3:8 ; 2 Samuel 9:8 . 2 Kings 8:13 .Philippians 1:3 , Philippians 1:2 ).
27.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Truth = Yea.
yet = for even: assenting to the Lord's words, while using them as an additional ground of her plea.
crumbs = scraps.
28.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
answered and said = exclaimed and said. A Hebraism. See note on Deuteronomy 1:41 .
O woman. Figure of speech Ecphonesis.
great is thy faith. Contrast the disciples (Matthew 16:8 ), where the same Figure of speech Hypocatastasis ( App-6 ), is used, and ought to have been understood.
29.
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.
nigh unto = beside. Greek. para. App-104 .
a = the, as in Matthew 14:23 .
sat down = was sitting down.
30.
And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
others = differently affected. Greek. heteros. App-124 .
at = beside. Greek. para .
31.
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
to speak = speaking.
to be whole = sound.
to walk = walking.
to see = seeing.
the God of Israel. See Isaiah 29:23 .
32.
Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
called = called to [Him].
on = upon. Greek. epi.
now = already.
three days = the third day. Observe, not "and nights". See note on Matthew 12:40 , and App-144 and App-156 .
nothing = not anything.
I will not = I am not willing. See App-102 .
33.
And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
we. Emphatic, as are the words which follow.
the wilderness = a desert place. These are emphatic also, in addition to "we".
fill = satisfy.
34.
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
I am, &c. = I was.
but = except.
unto = to. Greek. eis. App-104 .
lost. Because being without a shepherd. But see note on 1 Kings 12:17 .
the house of Israel. Therefore it was still represented by those in the Land. See note on and compare Acts 2:14 , Acts 2:22 , Acts 2:36 .
35.
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
sit down = recline.
36.
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
brake. See note on Matthew 14:19 .
to = [gave] to. Supplying the Ellipsis from the preceding clause.
37.
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
broken meat = fragments, or crumbs.
baskets = large baskets. Greek. spuris. Compare Matthew 14:20 . Acts 9:25 . Our modern clothes-basket.
38.
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
39.
And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala,
took ship = entered into Greek. eis. the ship (mentioned above, in Matthew 14:22 , &c).
Magdala. See App-169 .