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Bible Commentaries
Matthew 15

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Introduction

1:11 away (a-14) In those days conquerors transported conquered nations to distant seats, and replaced them by others, that national feeling might not subsist, but dependence be complete. 'Carrying away' is feeble for this, but I know no other word.

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Verse 2

15:2 ancients? (d-12) Or 'the tradition of the elders.'

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Verse 4

15:4 saying, (a-4) Exodus 20:12 . and, (b-9) Exodus 21:17 . ill (c-13) Or 'abuses,' 'curses.'

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Verse 5

15:5 gift, (d-15) * i.e. an offering to God, see Mark 7:11 and note at Matthew 27:6 .

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Verse 7

15:7 saying, (e-8) Isaiah 29:13 .

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Verse 12

15:12 this (f-17) Lit. 'the.' offended? (g-21) As ch. 13.57. and so wherever the word 'offend' occurs.

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Verse 18

15:18 man. (h-19) Or 'the man.'

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Verse 20

15:20 man; (h-7) man. (h-17) Or 'the man.'

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Verse 21

15:21 into (i-9) Eis . Not necessarily within the territory, but in that neighbourhood. perhaps it might be translated 'into the neighbourhood,' only it is a little too free. The woman came out from the country of Tyre and Sidon.

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Verse 26

15:26 dogs. (k-21) 'A little dog,' more slighting than 'dog' in Greek; but 'little dog' is rather the contrary in English. I would not say 'cur,' fearing it might be too strong, but I have no doubt of the greater contempt expressed by the word; also in ver. 27.

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Verse 27

15:27 Yea, (l-4) Or else we may say 'Yet' here, as admitting the truth, but pleading; nai is used for affirming what is said, but also for beseeching, as, indeed, in English we say, 'Yes, do it.' 'Yet' seems perhaps to express this more clearly, as the admission of what Christ said is thus evident; the 'but' is wanting if we say 'yea.' The Authorized Version avoids the difficulty discussed by all the critics by translating freely, but the 'for even' of the original is lost. 'Yet' thus used gives assent and obsecration, and this seems the force of nai . See Revelation 22:20 , 'Amen; come.' If we say 'Truth, Lord,' we must add 'yet.' 'Truth, Lord, [yet hear] for even.' As to nai having this tacitly beseeching character, see Philemon 1:20 , and so it is taken by many. Otherwise nai contradicts the Lord, who had said ouk , and kai gar follows naturally. And I suspect this to be the better sense. 'Yes, Lord, you may do it, for even.' so I have put it in the text.

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Verse 32

15:32 lest (a-41) See Note, ch. 5.25; Mark 4:12 .

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Verse 37

15:37 baskets (b-20) Larger than the 'hand-basket' in ch. 16.9. It is particularly a 'fish-basket.'

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Bibliographical Information
Darby, John. "Commentary on Matthew 15". "John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsn/matthew-15.html. 1857-67.

Bible CommentariesMatthew 15

Darby's Synopsis of the New TestamentDarby's Synopsis

Bible Commentaries
Matthew 15