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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 15:39 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 15:39 is a transitional verse, concluding the narrative of Jesus' interaction with the crowds and his miraculous feeding of the four thousand (Matthew 15:29-38) before moving on to the next part of his ministry.

This verse succinctly describes Jesus dismissing the gathering crowd, boarding a boat, and traveling to the region of Magdala.

While the verse itself is quite straightforward, it signifies the end of a significant event in Jesus’ ministry and foreshadows the continued journey and mission of Jesus.

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Historical Context

Matthew was written in a Jewish milieu in the first century A.D.

The Gospel primarily addresses a Jewish audience and aims to present Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecies.

Magdala, known today as Migdal, located near the Sea of Galilee, is thought to be the hometown of Mary Magdalene.

It was a small fishing village at the time of Jesus. The fact that Jesus gets into a ship indicates the geographical setting around the Sea of Galilee, a common location for his ministry.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse serves as a hinge point in the narrative of Matthew's Gospel.

It transitions from a miraculous sign, the feeding of the four thousand, to new interactions and teachings.

Jesus' decision to leave the crowd and venture to a new location can be seen as an indication of his intention to spread his message widely and to avoid attempts of the crowd to make him into an earthly king or political messiah, which was not aligned with his divine mission.

Practical Applications

From a practical standpoint, this verse can encourage believers to remain purposeful and mission-oriented.

It prompts Christians to complete their tasks and then move forward to the next mission or calling.

It teaches the importance of not lingering unnecessarily after a job is done, much like Jesus moved on after feeding the crowds.

Cross-References

Mark 8:10: "And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha."
Matthew 14:22: "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."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the key terms of this verse are:

"Apoluo" (ἀπολύω): often translated as "sent away" which can mean dismiss, release or let go.
"Ploion" (πλοῖον): translated as "ship," referring to the boat Jesus took.
"Erchomai" (ἔρχομαι): meaning "came" or "arrived."
"Horion" (ὅριον): meaning "coasts" or "boundaries," indicating the region or district of Magdala.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The act of Jesus feeding a multitude, dismissing them, and traveling to another region can be compared to the accounts of leaders and deities in other ancient cultures who journey through various regions, performing wonders and teaching.

This action is not exclusive to Christianity but is less about the miracle itself and more about the journey and mission in a broader religious context.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse does not offer much by way of intersecting with scientific perspectives.

However, it does reflect a practical understanding of first-century travel in the region, with boats being a common method of transportation across the Sea of Galilee, which is a detail consistent with historical geography.

commentaries

Commentators have various perspectives on this verse:

Some point out the significance of Jesus’ movements indicating the non-static nature of his earthly ministry.
Others note the contrast with the previous feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21), suggesting that Matthew is making a deliberate attempt to show Jesus' ministry to both Jews and Gentiles.
The symbolism of the boat could also be drawn as a metaphor for the church, embarking on new journeys to spread the gospel, a theme that Christian commentators often touch upon.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

What does Matthew 15:39 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 15:39 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?