January 15, 2014: Matthew Chapter 15

The Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 15

First posted on January 18, 2008

General Comment: In the story of Jesus walking on the water we may find ourselves being critical of Peter and his lack of faith - if he only had more faith he would have been able to stay on the surface of the waves. The English translation of the text obscures a hidden treasure. When the disciples are afraid because they think they see a ghost, Jesus does not say, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid" as most Bibles have it. In the Greek it reads, "Have courage, I AM; do not be afraid." The lesson for us is not that if we had enough faith we could defy the laws of nature or be cured of any disease, no matter its progression. Rather, do we have the courage to look at Jesus and "see" the one who bears God's name and who will be with us in all of life? What Peter did not see then he would one day understand. It would serve him well, even on his way to Rome and a cross, knowing that the one who bore the name, I AM, was with him through it all.

Matthew Chapter 15:1-20 Torah, Tradition and Defilement

The first two sections are part of a single event in three scenes, with three audiences. Jesus and his disciples are in Galilee, presumably back at home in Capernaum. The Pharisees and Scribes have traveled from Jerusalem to debate the issue of the Jewish rite of ablution, the washing of one's hands before eating. For the Pharisees this is not a question of hygiene but of holiness before God. The need for holiness was very important in Judaism. Since God is holy, it is the people's responsibility to strive to be holy. Torah contains what is known as the Holiness Code (Lev.17-26), with detailed proscriptions on what is considered holy and what is not. However, the particular rite of hand washing before meals is not part of that written Code, not part of Torah at all. There are two references to washing, one relating to the Temple Priests (Exod 30:17-21) in the exercise of their duties, and the other to the indelicate matter of bodily discharges (Lev 15:11). 

The Pharisees' reference to "the tradition of the Elders" refers not to a written code but to an oral tradition passed down from generation to generation (by the Elders) as a parallel to Torah, and which they claimed originated with Moses. It was the self-elected duty of the Pharisees to follow and preach that code among the Jews. It wasn't the Law. It was a hedge or fence around the Law which if followed would prevent breaking the Law itself.

Jesus answers the question by charging the Pharisees with hypothetically using their tradition as a way to avoid obeying the commandment of God, in this case "honor your father and your mother (Exod 20:12). The tradition was called "Korban," which was an offering made to God, usually in the Temple, in fulfillment (present or future) of a vow. As a crude example, If I made a pledge to the church and my parents were in financial need, I could claim that the pledge was "Korban" and use the money to pay my pledge rather than to help them financially. So the tradition trumps the commandment, for which the Pharisees deserve being labeled as hypocrites. Jesus cites Isaiah 29:13-14 as a prophesy against them, a sentiment expressed by several Prophets regarding those who replace God's commandments with human tradition. We might call it rationalization.

Jesus next addresses the crowd warning them of the fallacy of the Pharisees' tradition on hand washing. Without elaboration he tells them the food they eat - put in their mouths, can't be defiled by their unwashed hands. and so cannot defile their bodies. Rather, what defiles is what comes out of the mouth. We are to understand in Jesus' words, that he is not putting aside the Torah commandments regarding the difference between ritually clean and  unclean food. The Kosher food laws still stand.

Apparently the crowds understand what Jesus has said but the disciples, who are standing nearby, do not. They let Jesus know of the displeasure of the Pharisees who are offended by his challenge not only of their authority as holders of the oral tradition but of the tradition itself. It is probable that the disciples also are offended for they have grown up following these traditions. Jesus dismisses any reliance on the Pharisees' teaching as little more than the blind leading the blind and if they want to follow them they will end up in the pit with them.

Peter, often puzzled by Jesus' teaching, asks for an explanation of the "parable." His answer is self evident. After explaining the finer points of the human digestive/elimination system, he reminds the disciples that the heart is the seat of emotions; it produces the intentions, good and evil, and it is these evil intentions, expressed in our thoughts and words that will defile us. It is an ancient understanding of emotions, but we understand him clearly.

Matthew 15:21-28 The Canaanite Woman

Again under some pressure from the Pharisees, Jesus leaves Galilee and journeys to Gentile Syro-Phoenicia, the district of Tyre and Sidon to the Northwest of Galilee. No doubt the story was adapted from Jesus' ministry to the Gentiles, which we have already witnessed. Its use here is aimed at those in Matthew's community who still cling to the older sentiments of a more conservative time, when Gentiles were not an attractive target for Christian evangelists. The "lost sheep of the house of Israel" were their field of operation, then we will see to the Gentiles, maybe.

Here Matthew uses a Canaanite, the hated enemy of Israel during the early phases of the occupation led by Joshua. In the story Matthew demonstrates that even a Gentile can have faith in Jesus in the same way the Roman Centurion had faith. The needs of the Gentiles to be brought to God outweigh the outdated nationalist sentiments against those who once were called dogs. If Jesus were to be truly Lord, then he must be Lord of all.

The story itself takes these older sentiments and places them in the story of a persistent Gentile woman sparring with a reluctant Jesus. Or was he? As we read the interchange, we may be struck with the playful tone of Jesus' words, maybe with a smile on his face. She begs, she shouts for mercy, for the exorcism of a demon tormenting her Gentile daughter. She calls him Lord, Son of David. The disciples ask Jesus to send this nuisance away. He puts forth his case - it is the house of Israel that takes priority. She deepens the appeal, kneeling in supplication, again calling him Lord. He tries a proverb - the food (teaching) of the children (Israelites) can't be taken away and thrown to the dogs (non-Israelites). The woman counters that even the dogs can eat the scraps from the table - Gentiles can be fed along with the Israelites. Jesus gives in. The woman wins. Well, her faith wins. The daughter is healed. If Jesus is to be truly Lord, then he must be Lord of all!

Matthew 15:32-39 Feeding the Four Thousand

It is not clearly understood why Matthew has included this second "Feeding" story beyond the fact that both of them are in Mark's Gospel, which he is using as a source. It essentially repeats the one in the previous chapter (14:13-21) with the same meaning and structure, with a few details changed. The  most significant difference is the location. The first story was among the Gentiles. This one is in Galilee, among the Jews. It is possible, for the sake of his mixed audience of Jewish and Gentile Christians, that he has fixed the second story relating to his ministry to Israel directly following the story of the Gentile, Syro-Phoenicia woman for the sake of balance. Jesus goes to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but there are other sheep not of this fold and they, too, are lost, without a shepherd.