Matthew 15

From The Heart

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And Jesus said, “Are ye also yet without understanding?  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
Matthew 15:16-20

Where does evil come from?  There is only one correct answer to that question, and that answer is from the hearts of mankind.  It started with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, but the one who led them into evil was the serpent which yielded itself to the fallen angel known as Lucifer;  he had rebelled against God.  He hated and still does, the people of this world.

We are all born spiritually dead, in sin, and separated from our God; who is our Creator.  Notice that Jesus that it was not what enters the mouth that defiles a man (and He means man or woman), but what comes from the heart. Jesus gives us a list of things that come from the heart – evil thoughts, murders, adultery, fornication (all kinds of sexual sin), thefts, false witness, and blasphemies.  Many, and maybe all these sins are approved of by a majority of people.  God through His Son tells us they come from an evil heart.

Since we are all born into the wickedness of this world we would all stand before God guilty of sin, condemned (damned) to eternal  torment.  But Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God came into the world to save all who believe in Him.  Believing in Him He gives you a changed; a new heart; and new mind with different thinking.

We are nearing the day in the year that remember the coming of the Savior of the world.  The Baby Jesus.  Every body loves a baby and the story of the baby in a manger.  Let us not forget though why this Baby came.  He came to die and pay their/our sin debt, by becoming sin for us.  He died on that old rugged cross in a shameful way – stripped naked, after being beaten with a mean and horrendous whip with glass, and metal pieces in the ends  of the whip, which tore His flesh away from His body.  He was dead on that cross, they took Him down, and laid Him in a borrowed tomb, and three days later He walked out alive forever more.

Christian we do not believe in a dead Savior, but in the living Lord Jesus Christ.  Yes we believe He died for us, but  He did not stay dead.  He arose showing us that He is the Victor over sin and evil.

Will you come to Him today?

You Cannot Curse Whom GOD Has Blessed

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And he took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
“Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.  He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.  Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What hath God wrought!’  Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”
Numbers 23:18-24

But He answered and said,
“Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”
Matthew 15:13

Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.
Acts 15:18

Compassion for the Multitude

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Then Jesus called His disciples, 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.”
And His disciples say unto Him, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?” And Jesus saith unto them,
“How many loaves have ye?”
And they said, “Seven, and a few little fishes.” And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 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. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. Matthew 15:32-38

Matthew 14:13-21 gives a similar miracle of Jesus but it is in fact and truth a different miracle. For instance, in Matthew 14 the number of men is clearly 5,000; in chapter15 it is 4,000. The numbers of fish and loaves of bread is different; 5 loaves and two fish verses 7 loaves and a few fish. A “few” being more than two.

One thing that surprises me in this event in a day, and the life of Jesus and His disciples is that they had just recently seen the earlier feeding of more people, and they ask Jesus, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?”

Now, about the numbers; 4,000 men, because the women and children were not counted. Many have commented on this I am fairly sure; but think of this; since there was 4,000 men there is a great probability that there could have been a total of 12,000 or more. That is in figuring a wife, and one child for each man. The Scriptures ends this account, and the one in chapter 14 with the phrase, “beside women and children”.

The point is that many of these people had followed Jesus for receiving healing for various sicknesses, diseases, deliverance from demons, etc.. He looks at them having been with them three days and without food. Now He feeds them without any worry or  fear, but faith in the power of His Father to provide.

For the Christian today, we should be able to see Jesus’s compassion for the multitudes and be convinced that He is compassionate toward us as well. He will also supply and meet the individual needs as well.

Trust the work of Jesus, especially His work on the cross dying for our sins, His burial, and resurrection. The greatest miracle of Jesus, is the power of His grace to save a wretch like me.

 

From the Heart

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Then answered Peter and said unto Him, “Declare unto us this parable.” And Jesus said,
“Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” Matthew 15:15-20

That Which Defiles

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“And He called the multitude, and said unto them,
‘Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.’ ” Matthew 15:10-11

When Jesus said this He was addressing the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who had no heart to do His will, but their own. They knew the law but used it for their own ends and means.

Jesus was really revealing their hearts. Their hearts were vile, and evil, and with their mouths they defiled themselves. Further on in chapter 10 and in verses 16 – 20 Jesus explains His words above. All that is evil comes from the heart and is greatly expressed and exposed by the mouth.

Let us be swift to hear the word of the Lord, and in hearing it apply it to our lives beginning with the gospel of Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection; and receiving the change of heart that comes only through the new birth.

With the new birth of the Spirit we receive a new view of life and living, and an ever increasing faith in Him. With the new birth we also receive a new mouth or new vocabulary; if you will.

Words Of Jesus; Son Of God, God The Son – 072520

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“Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.’ But He answered and said unto them,
‘Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honour thy father and mother:’ and, ‘He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.’  But ye say, ‘Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 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.
Hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”  Matthew 15:1-9  (KJB)

The Plants Our Father Has Not Planted

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“Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, ‘Knowest Thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?’  But He answered and said,
‘Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’” Matthew 15:12-14  (KJB)

From the Matthew Henry Commentary…

The rooting out of them and their traditions (Mat_15:13); Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Not only the corrupt opinions and superstitious practices of the Pharisees, but their sect, and way, and constitution, were plants not of God’s planting. The rules of their profession were no institutions of his, but owed their origin to pride and formality. The people of the Jews were planted a noble vine; but now that they are become the degenerate plant of a strange vine, God disowned them, as not of his planting. Note, (1.) In the visible church, it is no strange thing to find plants that our heavenly Father has not planted. It is implied, that whatever is good in the church is of God’s planting, Isa_41:19. But let the husbandman be ever so careful, his ground will cast forth weeds of itself, more or less, and there is an enemy busy sowing tares. What is corrupt, though of God’s permitting, is not of his planting; he sows nothing but good seed in his field. Let us not therefore be deceived, as if all must needs be right that we find in the church, and all those persons and things our Father’s plants that we find in our Father’s garden. Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits; see Jer_19:5; Jer_23:31, Jer_23:32. (2.) Those that are of the spirit of the Pharisees, proud, formal, and imposing, what figure soever they make, and of what denomination soever they be, God will not own them as of his planting. By their fruit you shall know them. (3.) Those plants that are not of God’s planting, shall not be of his protecting, but shall undoubtedly be rooted up. What is not of God shall not stand, Act_5:38. What things are unscriptural, will wither and die of themselves, or be justly exploded by the churches; however in the great day these tares that offend will be bundled for the fire. What is become of the Pharisees and their traditions? They are long since abandoned; but the gospel of truth is great, and will remain. It cannot be rooted up.

Follow the One who gave His life on the cross for our sins, was buried, and bodily arose and came out of that grave.  He forever lives making intercession for sin.

Out of the Heart

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“And He called the multitude, and said unto them, ‘Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.’ Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, ‘Knowest Thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ Then answered Peter and said unto Him, ‘Declare unto us this parable.’ And Jesus said, ‘Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.’” Matthew 15:10-20  (KJB)

Some thoughts from F. B. Meyer…

“It is good to study our Lord’s list of the sources of soul-pollution. Evil thoughts come first. We cannot prevent an evil suggestion being presented to our minds, but we can refuse to dwell on it. To resist the inclination to dwell on it strengthens us in the opposite direction; to yield to it is to commit the sin in our heart, which, in God’s sight, is equivalent to the outward act. Notice that railing, that is, unkind and uncharitable speech, is in this black-list.
The heart, rather than the body, is the source of sin. Out of the heart! The body is the dial-plate on which the soul registers its improvement or deterioration. Do not find fault with your members: look to your heart and keep it beyond keeping, for out of it are the issues of life. Ask God to create in you a clean heart. See that you distinguish between the first Adam and the second. Deny what you inherit of human weakness and sin, and affirm all that is of Christ’s imparting. The cross of Calvary and the uprising of the living Christ are facts of perpetual experience.” F. B. Meyer Through the Bible Day by Day on Mat. 15:10-20

Evidence of Greater Things to Come

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“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 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.’ But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, ‘Send her away; for she crieth after us.’ But He answered and said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.’ And she said, ‘Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ 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.”  ~Jesus healing a Gentile (Matthew 15:21-28)

The Things Which Defile Humankind

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“And He called the multitude, and said unto them, ‘Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, ‘Knowest Thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’  Then answered Peter and said unto Him, ‘Declare unto us this parable.’ And Jesus said, ‘Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.’”  ~Jesus (Matthew 15:10-20)

Commandments of God – Traditions of Men

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“Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honour thy father and mother:’ and, ‘He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.’ But ye say, ‘Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, ‘It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;’ 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. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'”  ~Jesus  (Matthew 15:1-9)