Matthew Bible Study Chapter 15
Excerpts from the Navarre Commentary
Testimony of the Church Fathers
Exegetical Outline: Matthew 15
Unless otherwise noted all scripture references are
from New
American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011).
I.
Mt. 15:1-20 The Traditions of the Elders
The
Tradition of the Elders. 1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from
Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the
elders? They do not wash [their] hands when they eat a meal.” 3 He said to
them in reply, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of
your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and
‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says
to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to
God,” 6 need not honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God for
the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about
you when he said:
8 ‘This
people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts
are far from me;
9 in vain
do they worship me,
teaching as
doctrines human precepts.’”
10 He summoned
the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand. 11 It is not what enters
one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what
defiles one.” 12 Then his disciples approached and said to him, “Do you
know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He
said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be
uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides (of the blind). If a
blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Then
Peter said to him in reply, “Explain [this] parable to us.” 16 He said to
them, “Are even you still without understanding? 17 Do you not realize
that everything that enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled
into the latrine? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from
the heart, and they defile. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts,
murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy. 20 These
are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”
b. Literary Context
Jesus
has been teaching the people, who respond in various ways. Now a group of
Pharisees from Jerusalem approach Jesus and challenge him on the activities of
his disciples. They have been eating without washing their hands, which
is a violation of Jewish Tradition.
Unlike
Catholic Sacred Tradition, the Jewish Tradition in question is an
interpretation of the written Law (Torah), prescribing precisely how a Jew can
remain within the Law. This results in rules that state for example how much
water one must use for one hand and two to be considered clean. This type of
tradition is akin to what the CCC calls "ecclesial tradition." (CCC
83) Catholic Sacred Tradition is revelation handed on from the Apostles to the
Church without being written down as scripture. An example of this is Paul's
exhortation in 2 Thes. 2:15.
As to
the Jewish Tradition here in question (and by extension similar laws), one may
assume they were created in good faith and with good intention, but Jesus
accuses the Pharisees and teachers of the law of displacing the true religion
of the heart, of the entire personality and will, with a religion of form.
Therefore their worship is vain and their teachings their own with nothing of
God’s authority behind them.[1]
"Hypocrites,
well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said: ‘This people honors me with
their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.’” (Mt. 15:7-9)
"Canon law
includes both divine law and ecclesiastical law. Divine law is unchangeable and
is applicable to every human being — for example, the law against murder.
Ecclesiastical law is rooted in Church law and is not infallible, although it
is authoritative — for example, the laws regarding fast and abstinence. Our
system of law is human and not perfect."[2]
c. The Big Idea.
Jesus declares that
God's intention for the Law can only be understood by knowing him. Any teaching
that violates Jesus’ commandments is not to be considered law.
d. Key Question(s) for today.
i.
How
can we know what is God's law and what is human tradition?
ii.
When
does following human tradition violate God's law?
iii.
Are
Catholics bound by ecclesial traditions such as fasting and abstinence on Good
Friday even though they are not considered Sacred Traditions? When would it be
permissible to violate an ecclesial tradition?
iv.Can you be a "good" Catholic if you routinely ignore and/or deliberately violate the Church's Ecclesiastical law?
II. Mt. 15:21-28 The Canaanite Woman's Faith
a.
The Text
The Canaanite Woman’s
Faith. 21 Then
Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And
behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on
me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But
he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send
her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” 24 He said in
reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But
the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He
said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it
to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat
the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” 28 Then
Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for
you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
b. Literary Context
Jesus has been in
conflict with Pharisees from Jerusalem and now withdraws to a region outside
the Jewish homeland. There he is confronted by a Canaanite woman who asks him
to heal her daughter. The Canaanite woman and her daughter were not only
Gentiles but the Canaanites were ancient enemies of Israel. Matthew's audience:
first century Jews, would have been keenly sensitive to the distinction. First
century Jews were a picture in race privilege. From their point of view God had
chosen the children of Abraham and excluded everyone else.
When Jesus initially
resists her entreaties and announces that he was sent only to the "lost
sheep" of Israel (all Jews, but only Jews), did he really intend to turn
her away? The answer is no because the central issue here is closely related to
the previous pericope (Jesus and Tradition). At the heart of it is the Torah.
When the Israelites accepted the stipulations of the Law God's intention was to
create a holy (set apart) people who, living under the grace of God as
manifested in their obedience to the Law, would become a "light to the
nations," (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 60:3; John 8:12;
Acts 13:47; Acts 26:23) drawing all people back to communion with God. In other
words, the separation of the Israelites was never intended to exclude the
Gentiles, but to save them. Since the Jews could never keep the law they
couldn't accomplish this mission, but because Jesus fulfilled the law, he can
(and does).
With that in mind
Jesus demonstrates how to obey the true intent of the law in contrast to the
Jews' misunderstanding of the law by showing mercy to an "outsider."
Even before the crucifixion Jesus was the Messiah for all who surrendered to
his will.
c. The Big Idea.
Matthew
shows his Jewish audience that Jesus' sacrifice fulfilled God's intention of
drawing all people to himself.
d. Key Question(s) for today.
i.
How
do we practice the mercy Jesus shows us to people who may even be our enemies?
ii. Who can be included in God's people and how can we recognize them?
III. Mt. 15:29-31 The Healing of Many People
a.
The Text
The Healing of Many
People. 29 Moving
on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and
sat down there. 30 Great crowds came to him, having with them
the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them
at his feet, and he cured them. 31 The crowds were amazed when
they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the
blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.
b.
Literary
Context
Jesus has shown that his mercy and the gospel extends to at
least one of the Gentiles (the Canaanite woman). In these verses he shows that
the grace she received was not "crumbs" but the fullness of
salvation. (See Isaiah 29:18–19;
35:5–6)
c.
The Big Idea
(Above)
d. Key Question(s) for today.
i.
Why
was it so important for Matthew to show his Jewish audience the grace and mercy
Jesus lavished on the Gentiles?
ii. Who can be included in God's Holy People and how can we recognize them?
IV. Mt. 15:32-39 The Feeding of the Four Thousand
a.
The Text
The Feeding of the Four Thousand. 32 Jesus summoned his
disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have
been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send
them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” 33 The
disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted
place to satisfy such a crowd?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How
many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” 35 He
ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took
the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to
the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 37 They all
ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets
full. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting
women and children. 39 And when he had dismissed the crowds, he
got into the boat and came to the district of Magadan.
b.
Literary
Context
This
is really the climax and end of the narrative sequence beginning with the
Canaanite woman's faith. The woman's daughter was healed (received
"crumbs" from the masters' table). Then Jesus healed many Gentiles,
an event that apparently lasted three days, then there is the feeding.
Commentaries go to great lengths to show that this feeding was not the
same as the feeding of the 5000 (Mt. 14:13-21), but rather a miracle performed
for Gentiles.
Aside
from differences in numbers (seven loaves instead of five, 4000 fed instead of
5000, seven baskets leftover rather than twelve) the narrative is essentially
the same as the earlier episode. There is essentially no difference between the
"dogs" and the "children" at this point.
First-century
Jews would likely have seen the feeding of the 5000 as a foreshadowing of the
messianic banquet (Is. 25:6-9), which they imagined was for them. Now it is
beginning to come clear that the banquet is not just for Jews but for all of
God's people ("On this mountain [Zion] the LORD of hosts will provide for
all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure,
choice wines." Is. 25:6).
The
entire narrative sequence radically alters the sense of who God's Holy People
are.
c.
The
Big Idea.
Jesus
shows the same compassion for Gentiles as he has already shown to Jews (Mt.
14:13-21) thus expanding the expectation of who can be included in God's
people.
d. Key question(s) for today
i.
Who
can be included in God's Holy People and how can we recognize them?
ii.
How
can one become a member of God's Holy People?
iii.
At
the time of this incident the people Jesus ministered to were considered
outsiders and even enemies. What lesson(s) do we contemporary Christians learn
from this?
[1] D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The
Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein,
vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 349.
[2] Father
James Goodwin, “Introduction To Canon Law,” accessed November 7, 2021, https://simplycatholic.com/introduction-to-canon-law/.
[3] Edward Sri and
Curtis Mitch, The Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (Grand
Rapids, Mi.: Baker Academic, 2010), 199ff.
Commentary by the Theology faculty of the University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain
The traditions of the elders. True cleanliness
Here Christ explains that in many instances the precepts (traditions) of the scribes and Pharisees have effectively dismissed (MT 6) God’s commandment and they should be ignored (MT 15:14). Our Lord proclaims the true meaning of moral precepts. The mistake some scribes made lay in concentrating on external acts and practices and not giving pride of place to purity of heart. For example, they saw prayer as having more to do with exact recitation of set forms of words than with raising the soul to God (MT 6:5-6). In MT 19, Jesus tells us where the true centre of moral agency is to be found – in a person’s inner decisions. The last two commandments in the Decalogue touch on this theme: to struggle sincerely against sins of thought (hatred, impure thoughts, etc.), one needs to have an upright conscience; moreover, any faults in this area can lead to external sins. The passage is reminiscent of the sixth beatitude (MT 5:8), which says that a clean heart’ is necessary for seeing God: “’ Pure in heart’ refers to those who have attuned their intellects and wills to the demands of God’s holiness, chiefly in three areas; love of truth and orthodoxy of faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2518).
The Canaanite woman
Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean
coast, in what is now Lebanon. In the time of Jesus, they fell outside
the domains of Herod Antipas. Our Lord withdrew there possibly to
avoid persecution from Herod and the Jewish authorities, and to concentrate on
the formation of his apostles. In the region of Tyre and Sidon, the
majority of the population were pagans. St. Mathew calls this woman a
“Canaanite” because according to Genesis 10:15 this area was one of the first
to be settled by the Canaanites. St. Mark calls her a “Syrophoenician”
(MK 7:26). Both Gospels refer to the fact that she was a pagan, a
circumstance that makes her faith in Jesus so remarkable. Her faith leads
her to be persistent and daring: she makes her request even though she is
deemed unworthy (MT 15:24-26), shew perseveres despite obstacles (MT 15:27),
and in the end she gets what she wants (MT 15:28). “We often find that
our Lord does not grant us what we ask for immediately; he delays [meeting our
request] so that our desire might increase in ardour, so that we might
better appreciate the value of what we ask for. It is not a refusal but a
test that prepares us to receive more abundantly what we desire” (St. Jean
Vianney, Sermon on prayer).
On a number of occasions the evangelists give a brief summary of the cures worked by Jesus which fulfilled what the profit Isaiah had foretold about the messianic times: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a hart and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy” (Is 35:5-6)
Second miracle of the loaves and fish
In addition to being actual events, Jesus’ miracles were
also signs of supernatural realities: “Once we have acknowledged the great
power of the miracles, we must also plumb their depths. We must go beyond the
striking impression that they make to understand what they mean, to see and
marvel by reading deeply and understanding” (ST Augustine, In Ioannis
Evangelium,24,2) In this case (Mt 15:37) , the abundance of material food
signifies an abundance of divine gifts, particularly that of the Eucharist (Jn
6:1-70). The help lent by the disciples (Mt 15:36) is a sign of the
part played by the Church’s ministers: ”The miracles of the mortification of
the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves
through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of
this unique bread of his Eucharist” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1335).
Testimony of the Church Fathers
Week 13
Teaching in Miracles; Mt 13:54 – 15:39
Testimony of the Church Fathers
53. And it came to pass, that when
Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54. And when he was come into his own
country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished,
and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55. Is not this the carpenter’s son?
is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon,
and Judas? [p. 519]
56. And his sisters, are they not all
with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57. And they were offended in him.
But Jesus said unto them, “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own
country, and in his own house.”
58. And he did not many mighty works
there because of their unbelief.
Remig.: He calls Himself a Prophet, as Moses also
declares, when he says, “A Prophet shall God raise up unto you of your
brethren. [Deut 18:18] And it should be known, that not Christ only, who is the
Head of all the Prophets, but Jeremiah, Daniel, and the other lesser Prophets,
had more honour and regard among strangers than among their own citizens.
CHAPTER 14
l. At that time Herod the tetrarch
heard of the fame of Jesus.
2. And said unto his servants, This
is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do
shew forth themselves in him.
3. For Herod had laid hold on John,
and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s
wife.
4. For John said unto him, “It is not
lawful for thee to have her.”
5. And when he would have put him to
death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Raban.: From this place we may learn how great the
jealousy of the Jews was; that John could have risen from the dead, Herod, an
alien-born, here declares, without any witness that he had risen: concerning
Christ, whom the Prophets had foretold, the Jews preferred to believe, that He
had not risen, but had been carried away by stealth. This intimates that the
Gentile heart is more disposed to belief than that of the Jews.
6. But when Herod’s birthday was
kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7. Whereupon he promised with an oath
to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8. And she, being before instructed
of her mother, said, “Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.”
9. And the king was sorry:
nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he
commanded it to be given her.
10. And he sent, and beheaded John in
the prison.
11. And his head was brought in a
charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12. And his disciples came, and took
up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Greg., Mor., iii, 7: But not
without most deep wonder do I consider, that he who in his mother’s womb was
filled with the spirit of prophecy, than whom there arose not a greater among
them that are born of women, is cast into prison by wicked men, and is beheaded
because of the dancing of a girl, and that a man of such severe life dies for
the sport of shameful men.
Are we to think that there was
any thing in his life which this so shameful death should wipe away? God thus
oppresses His people in the least things, because He sees how He may reward
them in the highest things. And [p. 528] hence may be gathered what they will
suffer whom He casts away, if He thus tortures those He loves.
13. When Jesus heard of it, he
departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had
heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14. And Jesus went forth, and saw a
great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their
sick.
Jerome: He did not retire into
the desert through fear of death, as some suppose, but in mercy to His enemies,
that they might not add murder to murder; putting off His death till the day of
His passion; on which day the lamb is to be slain as the sacrament, and the
posts of them that believe to be sprinkled with the blood.
Or, He retired to leave us an
example to shun that rashness which leads men to surrender themselves
voluntarily, because not all persevere with like constancy under torture with
the which they offered themselves to it. For this reason He says in another
place, “When they shall persecute you in one city, flee ye to another.” Whence
the Evangelist says not ‘fled,’ but elegantly, “departed thence,” (or,
‘withdrew,’) shewing that He shunned rather than feared persecution.
Or for another reason He might
have withdrawn into a desert place on hearing of John’s death, namely, to prove
the faith of the believers.
15. And when it was evening, his
disciples came to him, saying, “This is a desert place, and the time is now
past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy
themselves victuals.”
16. But Jesus said unto them, “They
need not depart; give ye them to eat.”
17. And they say unto him, “We have
here but five loaves, and two fishes.”
18. He said, “Bring them hither to
me.”
19. And he commanded the multitude to
sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and
looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his
disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20. And they did all eat, and were
filled: and [p. 532] they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets
full.
21. And they that had eaten were
about five thousand men, beside women and children.
Chrys.: It is a proof of the
faith of these multitudes that they endured hunger in waiting for the Lord even
till evening; to which purpose it follows, “And when it was evening, his
disciples came unto him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past.”
The Lord purposing to feed them
waits to be asked, as always not stepping forward first to do miracles, but
when called upon. None out of the crowd approached Him, both because they stood
in great awe of Him, and because in their zeal of love they did not feel their
hunger. But even the disciples do not come and say, Give them to eat; for the
disciples were as yet in an imperfect condition; but they say, “This is a
desert place.” So that what was proverbial among the Jews to express a miracle,
as it is said, “Can he spread a table in the wilderness?” [Ps 78:19] this also
He shews among his other works.
For this cause also He leads them
out into the desert, that the miracle might be clear of all suspicion, and that
none might suppose that any thing was supplied towards the feast from any
neighbouring town. But though the place be desert, yet is He there who feeds
the world; and though the hour is, as they say, past, yet He who now commanded
was not subjected to hours. And though the Lord had gone before His disciples
in healing many sick, yet they were so imperfect that they could not judge what
He would do concerning food for them, wherefore they add, “Send the multitude
away, that they may go into the towns, and buy themselves food.” Observe the
wisdom of the Master; He says not straightway to them, ‘I will give them to
eat;’ for they would not easily have received this, but, “Jesus said to them,
They need not depart, Give ye them to eat.”
22. And straightway Jesus constrained
his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side,
while he sent the multitudes away.
23. And when he had sent the
multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening
was come, he was there alone.
24. But the ship was now in the midst
of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25. And in the fourth watch of the
night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26. And when the disciples saw him
walking on [p. 538] the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a spirit;” and
they cried out for fear.
27. But straightway Jesus spake unto
them, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
28. And Peter answered him and said,
“Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”
29. And he said, “Come.” And when
Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30. But when he saw the wind
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save
me.”
31. And immediately Jesus stretched
forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst
thou doubt?”
32. And when they were come into the
ship, the wind ceased.
33. Then they that were in the ship
came and worshipped him, saying, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”
Aug., De Cons. Ev., ii, 47:
This may seem contrary to that Matthew says, that having sent the multitudes
away, He went up into a mountain that He might pray alone; and John again says,
that it was on a mountain that He fed this same multitude. But since John himself
says further, that after that miracle He retired to a mountain that He might
not be held by the multitude, who sought to make Him a king, it is clear that
He had come down from the mountain when He fed them. Nor do Matthew’s words,
“He went up into a mountain alone to pray,” disagree with this, though John
says, “When he knew that they would come to make him a king, he withdrew into a
mountain himself alone.” [John 6:15]
For the cause of His praying is
not contrary to the cause of His retiring, for herein the Lord teaches us that
we have great cause for prayer when we have cause for Right. Nor, again, is it
contrary to this that Matthew says first, that He bade His disciples go into
the boat, and then that He sent the multitudes away, and went into a mountain
alone to pray; while John relates that He first withdrew to the mountain, and
then, “when it was late, his disciples went down to the sea, and when they had
entered into a boat, &c.” for who does not see that John is relating as
afterwards done by His disciples what Jesus had commanded before He retired
into the mountain?
Jerome: Whereas He [p. 541]
says, “It is I,” without saying who, either they might be able to understand
Him speaking through the darkness of night; or they might know that it was He who
had spoken to Moses, “Say unto the children of Israel, He that is has sent me
unto you.” [Ex 3:14]
On every occasion Peter is found
to be the one of the most ardent faith. And with the same zeal as ever, so now,
while the others are silent, he believes that by the will of his Master he will
be able to do that which by nature he cannot do; whence it follows, “Peter
answered and said unto him, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the
water.” As much as to say, Do thou command, and straightway it will become
solid; and that body which is in itself heavy will become light.
34. And when they were gone over,
they came into the land of Gennesaret.
35. And when the men of that place
had knowledge [p. 546] of him, they sent out into all that country round about,
and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36. And besought him that they might
only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly
whole.
Hilary: Otherwise; When the times of the Law were ended, and five thousand
out of Israel were entered within the Church, it was then that the people of
believers met Him, then those that were saved out of the Law by faith set
before the Lord the rest of their sick and weak; and they that were thus
brought sought to touch the hem of His garment, because through their faith
they would be healed. And as the virtue of the hem proceeded from the whole
garment, so the virtue of the grace of the Holy Spirit went forth from our Lord
Jesus Christ, and imparted to the Apostles, who proceeded as it were from the
same body, administers salvation to such as desire to touch.
CHAPTER 15
1. Then came to Jesus Scribes and
Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2. “Why do thy disciples transgress
the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat
bread.”
3. But he answered and said unto
them, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4. For God commanded, saying, Honour
thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the
death.
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;
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.”
Jerome: Since ye because of the
tradition of men neglect the commandment of God, why do ye take upon you to
reprove my disciples, for bestowing little regard upon the precepts of the
elders, that they may observe the commands of God?
“For God hath said, Honour thy
father and thy mother.” Honour in the Scriptures is shewn not so much in
salutations and courtesies as in alms and gifts. “Honour,” says the Apostle,
“the widows who are widows indeed;” [1 Tim 5:3] here ‘honour’ signifies a gift.
The Lord then having thought for
the infirmity, the age, or the poverty of parents, commanded that sons should
honour their parents in providing them with necessaries of life.
Aug., cont. Faust.,
xvi, 24: The Lord here teaches us many things; That it was not He that turned
the Jews from their God; that not only did He not infringe the commandments,
but convicts them of infringing them; and that He had ordained no more than
those by the hand of Moses.
7. “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias
prophesy of you, saying,
8. This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from
me.
9. But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
10. And he called the multitude, and
said unto them, “Hear, and understand:
11. Not that which goeth into the
mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a
man.”
Chrys.: The Lord had
shewn that the Pharisees were not worthy to accuse those who transgressed the
commands of the elders, seeing they overthrew the law of God themselves; and He
again proves this by the testimony of the Prophet; “Hypocrites, well did Esaias
prophesy of you, saying, This [p. 553] people honoureth me with their lips, but
their heart is far frost me.”
Chrys.: Having added weight to
His accusation of the Pharisees by the testimony of the Prophet, and not having
amended them, He now ceases to speak to them, and turns to the multitudes, “And
he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand.” Because He
was about to set before them a high dogma, and full of much philosophy, He does
not utter it nakedly, but so frames His speech that it should be received by
them.
First, by exhibiting anxiety on
their account, which the Evangelist expresses by the words, “And he called the
multitude to him.”
Secondly, the time He chooses
recommends His speech; after the victory He has just gained over the Pharisees.
And He not merely calls the multitude to Him, [p. 554] but rouses their
attention by the words, “Hear and understand;” that is, Attend, and give your
minds to what ye are to hear. But He said not unto them, The observance of
meats is nought; nor, Moses bade you wrongly; but in the way of warning and
advice, drawing His testimony from natural things; “Not what entereth in at the
mouth defileth a man, but what goeth forth of the mouth that defileth a man.”
12. When came his disciples, and said
unto him, “Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this
saying?”
13. But he answered and said, “Every
plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14. Let them alone: they be blind
leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the
ditch.”
Chrys.: When the Pharisees
heard the things that went before, they made no reply to them, because He had
so mightily overthrown them, not only refuting their arguments, but detecting
their fraud, but they, not the multitudes, were offended at them.
“Then came his disciples unto him
and said, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this
saying?”
Hilary: What He intends then by
a plant not planted of His Father, is that tradition of men under cover [p.
557] of which the Law had been transgressed, this He instructs them must be
rooted up.
Remig.: Every false doctrine
and superstitious observance with the workers thereof cannot endure; and
because it is not from God the Father, it shall be rooted up with the same. And
that only shall endure which is of God.
15. Then answered Peter and said unto
him, “Declare unto us this parable.” [p. 558]
16. And Jesus said, “Are ye also yet
without understanding?
17. Do not ye yet understand, that
whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into
the draught?
18. But those things which proceed
out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19. For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies:
20. These are the things which defile
a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
Jerome: The principle therefore
of the soul is not according to Plato in the brain, but according to Christ in
the heart, and by this passage we may refute [p. 560] those who think that evil
thoughts are suggestions of the Devil, and do not spring from our proper will.
The Devil may encourage and abet evil thoughts, but not originate them. And if
he be able, being always on the watch, to blow into flame any small spark of
thought in us, we should not thence conclude that he searches the hidden places
of the heart, but that from our manner and motions he judges of what is passing
within us.
For instance, if he see us direct
frequent looks towards a fair woman, he understands that our heart is wounded
through the eye.
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.”
[p. 561]
23. But he answered her not a word.
And his disciples came and besought him, saying, “Send her away; for she crieth
after us.”
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.”
26. But he answered and said, “It is
not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.”
27. And she said, “Truth, Lord: yet
the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
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.
Jerome: Wonderful are shewn the
faith, patience, and humility of this woman; faith, that she believed that her
daughter could be healed; patience, that so many times overlooked, she
yet perseveres in her prayers; humility, that she compares herself not to the
dogs, but to the whelps.
I know, she says, that I do not
deserve the children’s bread, and that I cannot have whole meat, nor sit at the
table with the master of the house, but I am content with that which is left
for the whelps, that through humble fragments I may come to the amplitude of
the perfect bread.
Chrys.:. This was the cause why
Christ was so backward, that He knew what she would say, and would not have her
so great excellence hid; whence it follows, “Then Jesus answered and said unto
her, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee according to thy will.”
Observe how the woman herself had
contributed not a little to her daughter’s healing; and
therefore Christ said not unto her, ‘Let thy daughter be
healed,’ but, “Be it unto thee according to thy will;” that you may perceive
that she had spoken in sincerity, and that her words were not words of
flattery, but of abundant faith.
And this word of Christ is like
that word which said, “Let [p. 565] there be a firmament.” [Gen 1:6] and it was
made; so here, “And her daughter was made whole from that hour.”
Observe how she obtains what the Apostles
could not obtain for her; so great a thing is the earnestness of prayer. He
would rather that we should pray for our own offences ourselves, than that
others should pray for us.
Raban.: Great indeed
was her faith; for the Gentiles, neither trained in the Law, nor educated by
the words of the Prophets, straightway on the preaching of the Apostles obeyed
with the hearing of the ear, and therefore deserved to obtain salvation.
29. And Jesus departed from thence,
and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat
down there.
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:
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.
Chrys.: These shewed their
faith in two points especially, in that they went up the mountain, and in that
they believed that they had need of nothing beyond but to cast themselves at
Jesus’ feet; for they do not now touch the hem even of His garment, but have
attained to a loftier faith; “And cast them down at Jesus’ feet.”
The woman’s daughter He
healed with great slackness, that He might shew her virtue; but to these He
administers healing immediately, not because they were better than that woman,
but that He might stop the mouths of the unbelieving Jews; as it follows, “and
he healed them all.”
But the multitude of those that
were healed, and the ease with which it was done, struck them with
astonishment. “Insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to
speak.”
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.
33, And his disciples say unto him,
“Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a
multitude?”
34. And Jesus saith unto them, “How
many loaves have ye?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fishes.”
35. And he commanded the multitude to
sit down on the ground.
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. [p. 569]
37. And they did all eat, and were
filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
38. And they that did eat were four
thousand men, beside women and children.
Chrys., Hom., iii: For the
multitude when they came to be healed, had not dared to ask for food, but He
that loveth man, and hath care of all creatures, gives it to them unasked;
whence He says, “I have compassion upon the multitude.”
That it should not be said that
they had brought provision with them on their way, He says, “Because they
continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.” For though when they
came they had food, it was now consumed, and for this reason He did it not on
the first or second day, but on the third, when all was consumed that they
might have brought with them; and thus they having been first placed in need,
might take the food that was now provided with keener appetite.
That they had come from far, and
that nothing was now left them, is shewn in what He says, “And I will not send
them away fasting, lest they faint by the way.”
Yet He does not immediately
proceed to work the miracle, that He may rouse the disciples’ attention by this
questioning, and that they may shew their faith by saying to Him, Create
loaves. And though at the time of the former miracle Christ had done many
things to the end that they should remember it, making them distribute the
loaves, and divide the baskets among them, yet they were still imperfectly
disposed, as appears from what follows; “And his disciples say unto him, Whence
should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a
multitude?”
This they spoke out of the [p.
570] infirmity of their thoughts, yet thereby making the ensuing miracle to be
beyond suspicion; for that none might suspect that the loaves had been got from
a neighbouring village, this miracle is wrought in the wilderness far distant
from villages.
Then to arouse His disciples’
thoughts, He puts a question to them, which may call the foregone miracle to
their minds; “And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? They said
unto him, Seven, and a few little fishes.”
But they do not add, ‘But what
are they among so many?’ as they had said before; for they had advanced
somewhat, though they did not yet comprehend the whole. Admire in the Apostles
their love of truth, though themselves are the writers, they do not conceal
their own great faults; and it is no light self-accusation to have so soon
forgotten so great a miracle.
Observe also their wisdom in
another respect, how they had overcome their appetite, taking so little care of
their meals, that though they had been three days in the desert, yet they had
with them only seven loaves. Some other things also He does like to what had
been done before. He makes them to sit down on the ground, and the bread to
grow in the hands of the disciples; as it follows, “And he commanded the
multitude to sit down on the ground.
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