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Matthew 15

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.

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.

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.

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.

And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

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:

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.

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.

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.

And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala,

What does Matthew 15:35 mean?

Explanation

[Matthew 15:35](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-15-35/) in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible records an event where Jesus directs the crowd to sit down on the ground.

This instruction is given preparatory to the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, which would feed the multitude.

The literal meaning of this verse is clear: Jesus is making logistical arrangements for the people to be seated before he performs the miracle.

On a deeper level, the act of sitting down at Jesus’ command can be seen as an expression of obedience and trust from the multitude, as well as a symbol of the preparation of one's heart to receive spiritual nourishment from Christ.

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Historical Context

The event narrated in Matthew 15:35 takes place in a predominantly Jewish region in first-century Palestine.

At this time, people commonly sat on the ground for meals, especially in informal settings.

Large gatherings and the distribution of food were familiar scenes and would be understood within the cultural frame of communal feasting or celebration.

Moreover, this miracle echoes the Old Testament precedent of manna from heaven provided to the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16), reinforcing Jesus' role as the provider and sustainer.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse has been a subject of various interpretations.

Some Christian commentators view this organized seating as symbolic of God bringing order out of chaos, as Jesus takes control of the situation and prepares to do the miraculous.

Others see it as a foreshadowing of the Last Supper and the Eucharist , with Jesus as the bread of life, feeding not merely the physical but the spiritual needs of his followers.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can remind believers of the need for preparation and order in spiritual lives.

Just as the multitude had to sit down before being fed, so must individuals prepare their hearts to receive spiritual nourishment.

It also teaches the importance of obedience to divine instructions, even when the purpose behind them is not immediately clear.

Cross-References

[Matthew 14:19](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-14-19/) - 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.
[John 6:10-11](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-6-10_6-11/) - And Jesus said, Make the men sit down.

There was much grass in the place.

So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

[Exodus 16:14-15](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Exodus-16-14_16-15/) - And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was.

And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

Language Study

In this verse, the phrase "sit down on the ground" comes from the Greek words "ἀναπέσω" (anapesō) and "ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρτους" (epi tous artous). "ἀναπέσω" (anapesō), translated as "sit down," could also mean "to recline" or "lie back," which was a common posture for eating in this cultural context.

The prepositional phrase "ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρτους" (epi tous artous), literally "upon the ground," indicates both the location and the readiness of the people to receive what Jesus was about to provide.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this account with other ancient myths and religious interpretations, one could look at the tradition of communal meals as a sign of fellowship and harmony.

In many ancient cultures, sharing a meal was an act of communion, not just with each other, but also with the gods.

The feeding of the multitude thus puts Jesus in the role of a divine provider, akin to the roles of deities in other mythologies who furnish sustenance to their people.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the logistics of seating arrangements for a large crowd is a matter of practical organization.

While the Biblical account is centered around a miraculous event, contemporary event planning involves the consideration of crowd control, distribution of resources, and effective communication , all of which are hints at in Jesus' directive to have the crowd sit down.

commentaries

Various Bible commentators have offered insights into Matthew 15:35.

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that Christ's organization of the crowd demonstrates His care for order and decency in all things.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes the essential nature of the details recorded in the Gospels, which serve to make the narrative more vivid.

Adam Clarke's Commentary focuses on the compassionate nature of Jesus, who ensures the people are comfortably seated before they are fed, displaying His concern for both their physical and spiritual well-being.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

What does Matthew 15:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 15:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?