Matthew 15 begins with the Pharisees and scribes criticizing Jesus’ disciples for not following the traditional ritual of handwashing before eating. Jesus responds by exposing the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, who prioritize human traditions over God’s actual commandments. He specifically addresses the practice of “Corban,” where individuals dedicated resources to God as a technicality to avoid caring for their parents, directly violating God’s command to honor one’s father and mother. Jesus quotes Isaiah, condemning those who honor God with their lips while their hearts remain distant, emphasizing that genuine worship must originate from a sincere heart rather than empty religious performance.
Jesus then teaches the crowd that true defilement comes not from external factors, such as failing to wash hands before eating, but from the sinful condition of the heart, which produces evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, and slander. This teaching redefines spiritual purity, emphasizing internal transformation over external ritual compliance.
Jesus withdraws to the region of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile territory, where a Canaanite woman pleads for Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Initially, Jesus tests her faith through a challenging exchange regarding Israel’s priority in His earthly ministry, comparing Gentiles to “dogs” receiving crumbs from the table. Demonstrating humility and persistent faith, she cleverly responds that even dogs eat crumbs that fall from their master’s table. Impressed by her faith, Jesus grants her request, healing her daughter instantly, foreshadowing the eventual inclusion of Gentiles into God’s kingdom.
Returning to the region near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus continues His healing ministry, curing many who are lame, blind, crippled, and mute, causing the crowds to glorify the God of Israel. Moved again by compassion for the multitude who have been with Him for three days without food, Jesus performs the miracle of feeding four thousand people using seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, with seven baskets of leftovers remaining, again demonstrating His compassionate provision and divine power.
Chapter 15
1 Then there came to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying,
2 Why do your disciples go against the teaching of the fathers? for they take food with unwashed hands.
3 And in answer he said to them, Why do you, yourselves, go against the word of God on account of the teaching which has been handed down to you?
4 For God said, Give honour to your father and mother: and, He who says evil of father or mother will be put to death.
5 But you say, If a man says to his father or his mother, That by which you might have had profit from me is given to God;
6 There is no need for him to give honour to his father. And you have made the word of God without effect because of your teaching.
8 These people give me honour with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
9 But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men.
10 And he got the people together and said to them, Give ear, and let my words be clear to you:
11 Not that which goes into the mouth makes a man unclean, but that which comes out of the mouth.
12 Then the disciples came and said to him, Did you see that the Pharisees were troubled when these words came to their ears?
13 But he said in answer, Every plant which my Father in heaven has not put in the earth, will be taken up by the roots.
14 Let them be: they are blind guides. And if a blind man is guiding a blind man, the two will go falling into a hole together.
15 Then Peter said to him, Make the story clear to us.
16 And he said, Are you, like them, still without wisdom?
17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth goes on into the stomach, and is sent out as waste?
18 But the things which come out of the mouth come from the heart; and they make a man unclean.
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:
20 These are the things which make a man unclean; but to take food with unwashed hands does not make a man unclean.
21 And Jesus went away from there into the country of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And a woman of Canaan came out from those parts, crying and saying, Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is greatly troubled with an unclean spirit.
23 But he gave her no answer. And his disciples came and said to him, Send her away, for she is crying after us.
24 But he made answer and said, I was sent only to the wandering sheep of the house of Israel.
25 But she came and gave him worship, saying, Help, Lord.
26 And he made answer and said, It is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs.
27 But she said, Yes, Lord: but even the dogs take the bits from under their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus, answering, said to her, O woman, great is your faith: let your desire be done. And her daughter was made well from that hour.
29 And Jesus went from there and came to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and took his seat there.
30 And there came to him great numbers of people having with them those who were broken in body, or blind, or without voice, or wounded, or ill in any way, and a number of others; they put them down at his feet and he made them well:
31 So that the people were full of wonder when they saw that those who had no voice were talking, the feeble were made strong, those whose bodies were broken had the power of walking, and the blind were able to see: and they gave glory to the God of Israel.
32 And Jesus got his disciples together and said, I have pity for the people, because they have now been with me three days and have no food: and I will not send them away without food, or they will have no strength for the journey.
33 And the disciples say to him, How may we get enough bread in a waste place, to give food to such a number of people?
34 And Jesus says to them, How much bread have you? And they said, Seven cakes, and some small fishes.
35 Then he gave an order to the people to be seated on the earth,
36 And he took the seven cakes of bread and the fishes; and having given praise, he gave the broken bread to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the people.
37 And they all took food, and had enough; and they took up of the broken bits, seven baskets full.
38 And there were four thousand men who took food, together with women and children.
39 And when he had sent the people away, he got into the boat, and came into the country of Magadan.
Important Verses
Matthew 15:8 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” This exposes the danger of outward religious performance without genuine inner devotion.
Matthew 15:11 “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” This redefines spiritual purity, emphasizing the condition of the heart over external ritual.
Matthew 15:28 “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” This affirms the power of persistent, humble faith, regardless of ethnic or social background.
