Matt4-4

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

2. What did Jesus say they were doing? v.3

Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

3. What had God said? v.4

For God said, `Honor your father and mother' and `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'

4. How had they annulled that? v.5,6

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to `honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

5. How did Jesus say Isaiah described them? v.7-9

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: " These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"

6. How did Jesus define what was clean or unclean? v.10,11

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him `unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him `unclean.'

B. Think:

1. How were the Pharisees seen to be more concerned with externals?

2. How did Jesus show they missed the heart of the Law?

3. How did Jesus define what really made a person unclean?

C. Comment:

The Pharisees focused on outward behaviour and Jesus focused on the inner heart. The Pharisees, note first, were concerned about OUTWARD RITUAL. Unwittingly they gave themselves away when they spoke about the “ tradition of the elders ”. Tradition is a practice that has grown up from long usage, but it is not a law. This was tradition from the men who ruled Judaism, not from God, and they were offended that Jesus was not complying with their expectations. Their rules were concerned to keep a man “clean” by making sure that dirt did not go into him.

Note second, that instead of arguing the point with them Jesus pointed out, instead, that essentially their whole system of rule keeping was flawed. By making more and more minute rules they had in fact lost the very heart of the law of God. He demonstrated this by the way they were not honouring their parents but apparently honouring God instead! Jesus denounces them as those who say they honour God but who, in fact, are far from God. Cleanliness is not about what goes into a person but what comes out of them. A person is unclean on the inside, in the heart, and that is shown by what comes out on the lips.

D. Application:

1. We focus on external, Jesus focuses on the heart.

2. We are worried about the details of doing, but Jesus challenges our

entire outlook and relationship with God.

Chapter: Matthew 15

Passage: Matthew 15:12-20

A. Find Out:

1. What do the disciples tell Jesus? v.12

Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"

2. What principle does Jesus state? v.13

He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.

3. How does he describe the Pharisees? v.14

Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

4. What did Peter ask and how did Jesus describe him? v.15,16

Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.

5. What did Jesus say about food going into the body? v.17,20b

"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?.... eating with unwashed hands does not make him `unclean.' "

6. What did he say about things coming out of the mouth? v.18-20a

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man `unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man `unclean'

B. Think:

1. What do Jesus' various descriptions of people tell us about him?

2. What had been the problem of the Pharisees?

3. How do the disciples and Peter show themselves?

C. Comment:

Today's reading is simply an extension and explanation of yesterday's, so let's first just take note of the teaching that is here: man so often focuses on outward things and worries about how outward things may pollute or make him unclean, e.g. by having contact with certain people or going to certain places. No, says Jesus clearly, it is what is in the heart that matters. All wrong behaviour stems from a wrong heart. Heart condition is all important. Now that is the teaching but the circumstances surrounding the teaching confirms it.

First of all there are the Pharisees whose hearts were polluted and yet gave such a show of “doing the right thing”. Don't bother about them, says Jesus to his disciples, the time will come when God will sort them out and they will bring their own downfall anyway. Then there are the disciples themselves showing a remarkable obtuseness in their inability to understand what is happening and being said. Perhaps we need to realise that they had not yet received the Holy Spirit and therefore they show us “good followers” without the revelation that only the Spirit can bring. Finally note how Jesus speaks. Here is a man known for his compassion and yet look and see how he describes the Pharisees and Peter. He is a speaker of truth!

D. Application:

1. We understand because the Holy Spirit reveals it.

2. Jesus speaks truth to reveal and to correct. Are we open to receive it?

Chapter: Matthew 15

Passage: Matthew 15:21-28

A. Find Out:

1. To where did Jesus go and who came to him? v.21,22a

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon . A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him,

2. What was she asking and what was Jesus' response? v.22b,23

crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word.

3. What was his response to his disciples? v.24

So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel ."

4. What was his response to the woman? v.25,26

The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

5. What was her response to Jesus? v.27

"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

6. So what did Jesus say and do? v.28

Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

B. Think:

1. What appeared to be Jesus reasoning for not helping the woman?

2. What do you think might have been a further reason?

3. What does this then teach us?

C. Comment:

Jesus has gone to the far north. For what reason? We aren't told. Perhaps specifically to encounter this woman? Anyway, hearing of Jesus being there she comes and pleads for Jesus to help her. Somewhat uncharacteristically, we might think, Jesus seems to completely disregard her pleas. His spoken reasoning is interesting: I have a mission to go to the Jewish people and not beyond them, therefore I will not be pushed beyond my calling, even by need!

A need does not present a calling; there are too many needs, we cannot cover them all, just those that God tells us to go to. Although that may sometimes appear hard, it is nevertheless the truth. Jesus worked according to the leading of his Father (see John 5:19 ), and that only.

But when we see what happened, we may conclude that perhaps Jesus was wanting this woman to push harder. Her answer to him indicates a wisdom and is certainly an act of perseverance. In Mt 7:7 Jesus had said ask (and the verb in the original means “ keep on asking”), seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking. This woman is the classic example of this.

D. Application:

1. Jesus is never lacking compassion, so if he appears to be holding back

answering prayer, it is for a good reason.

2. We are to learn to persevere in prayer and when we have a strong

need, we are to make strong persevering prayer for it.

Chapter: Matthew 15

Passage: Matthew 15:29-39

A. Find Out:

1. Where did Jesus next go and what happened? v.29,30

Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee . Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.

2. How did the people react? v.31

The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

3. What did Jesus feel and what did he say to his disciples? v.32

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

4. What was the response of his disciples? v.33

His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"

5. Yet what was available? v.34

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."

6. So what happened? v.35-39

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise v.29-31?

2. What is it that prompts the next miracle?

3. What do the disciples reveal about themselves?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just been in a quiet location in the north, perhaps gaining fresh strength to minister to the need that he knows he will soon encounter again. As soon as he returns to Galilee the crowds come again wanting healing. Great crowds come bringing every sort of healing need and Jesus healed them all. You would expect him to be exhausted at the end of all that ministry, yet at the end of the day his only concern is for the further need of the people, the need to be fed.

The process of this miracle is almost identical to the feeding of the 5000 recorded in chapter 14. Again, when he questions the disciples, they do not respond in faith. You might think that, after the previous feeding, and after watching the amazing healings, they might have faith to believe that Jesus can meet this need as well. A better answer to Jesus question might have been, “Well what have you in mind Lord?”, but they simply focus on the size of the problem. Jesus knows what he wants to do, because he is Lord. The sensible thing in such circumstances is to ask him what he wants of us!

D. Application:

1. Jesus is our example of a man who gives and gives and having given is

still just concerned for the needs of others. Do we receive the

challenge to walk in his footsteps?

2. The disciples focused on the size of the problem not on the Lord

himself and his intentions. Can we learn the lesson here?

RECAP: Contrasts of Responses to Jesus- Matthew 15

SUMMARY :

In this final group of 4 studies we have seen:

- The Pharisees criticising Jesus' disciples

- Jesus teaching on inner cleanliness versus external

- Jesus going to Tyre & Sidon

- A Canaanite women asking Jesus to help her daughter

- Jesus discussing it with her, then doing it

- Jesus feeding four thousand people.

COMMENT :

A chapter of apparently mixed activity yet one that shows a variety of responses to Jesus. First there were the Pharisees who focussed on outward cleanliness and failed to see that the heart of the law was all about heart cleanliness. Second, were the disciples who still needed things explaining to them. Third comes the Canaanite woman who presses on in faith and is not deterred by Jesus' apparent slowness to grant her request. Fourth are the crowds who come to Jesus to have their physical needs met, and finally, there are the disciples again, who seem to have learnt little from the feeding of the five thousand and still focus on their material limitations rather than on Jesus' potential.

The Pharisees criticise, the disciples question, the crowds want for self, and so it is only the Canaanite woman who, with persevering faith, shows up well in this chapter. Which ones do we identify with?

LESSONS?

1. Jesus focuses on the heart, not external ritual.

2. Jesus commends persevering faith.

3. Jesus wants us to learn from our previous lessons with him.

4. Jesus wants us to be open for him to move through in power.

5. Faith is looking to Jesus for him to bless others through us.

PRAY :

Ask the Lord to help the lessons and people of this chapter to teach you and release faith in you to enable you to become a person who shows their reliance on Jesus by persevering prayer, who looks with Jesus' eyes, who is able to move in obedience to the prompting of his Spirit and minister to people with His power.

SECTION SUMMARY - Matthew 12-15

In chapters 12 to 15 of Matthew we have seen Jesus :

1. In Conflict with the Pharisees

• about picking corn on the Sabbath (12:1-)

• about healing on the Sabbath (12:9-)

• accusing Jesus of healing by Satan ( 12:22 -)

• asking for a miraculous sign ( 12:38 )

• about washing hands (15:1-)

2. Taking every opportunity to Teach

• about the Son of Man being Lord of the Sabbath (12:3-)

• about compassion and the Law (12:11 -)

• about Satan's dominion (12:25 - & 12:43 -)

• about the fruit of the heart (12:33 - & 15:16 -)

• about the sign of Jonah that will be given (12:39 -)

• about the kingdom of God, using parables

• of the Sower (13:3-)

• interpreted (13:18 -)

• of the weeds (13:24 -)

• interpreted (13:36 -)

• of the Mustard Seed (13:31 -) & yeast (13:33 )

• of the treasure (13:44 ) & the pearl (13:45 -)

• of the net (13:47 -)

• explaining about the use of parables (13:10 -)

3. Performing the Miraculous

• healing the man with a withered hand (12:9-)

• delivering the blind mute man (12:22 -)

• healing many (12:15 - & 14:14 & 15:29 -)

• feeding five thousand (14:13 -)

• walking on water (14:22 -)

• healing the Canaanite woman's son (15:28 )

• feeding the four thousand (15:32 -)

We've also seen his family looking for him (12:46 -), his home town not believing him (13:54 -) and Herod wondering about him (14:2) after killing John the Baptist (14:3-).

SECTION CONCLUSION - Matthew 12-15

As we come to the end of this further set of studies in Matthew's Gospel may we note the following about “An Arriving Awareness”. Two different groups of people become aware of two different things:

1. Awareness of the Pharisees

This group of conservative guardians of the truth become aware that Jesus is a threat to their way of life. For the first time in Matthew's Gospel ( 12:14 ) we find them plotting to kill Jesus. There will be more plotting against him in the book, but in this section it comes to the fore for the first time. Again and again this hostile group confront Jesus, mostly over his apparent disregard for their rules, practices and traditions. Again and again he exposes them for what they are, a hard hearted bunch of man-centred legalists!

2. Awareness of the Disciples

Within this section there is one little incident that indicates a sudden awareness ( 14:33 ) where the disciples exclaims, “Truly you are the Son of God”. In the next section, in chapter 16, we will find Peter making the same declaration, but here in this section, is the first of such declarations. Yet even with this, most of the time in this section, the disciples seem largely unaware of who Jesus really is. So far there is little acclamation of Jesus, there is just that one incident on the lake that prompts them to realise or a moment who he is.

Yet at the same time as these two groups are struggling in different ways, we should also note:

3. Awareness of Jesus

Jesus is completely aware and alert to all that is happening and its significance. He was aware of the feelings of the Pharisees (12:15,25), aware of what had happened to John the Baptist (14:13), aware of the needs of the people (14:14, 15:32), and even in the way he goes north he seems to know what is coming and the need for rest and preparation. Throughout the Gospels the truth is conveyed to us: Jesus is completely aware and in control of his circumstances. Can we rest in that knowledge in our daily lives, for it is still true today?