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Thursday, May 29th, 2025
Ascension Day

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Bible Commentaries
Matthew 15

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Verses 1-20

Jesus teaches about inner purity

Matthew 15:1-20	Mark 7:1-23
Matthew 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,	Mark 7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

Mark 7:2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. Mark 7:4 And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

Matthew 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Matthew 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Matthew 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to [his] father or [his] mother, [It is] a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; Matthew 15:6 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.

Matthew 15:7 [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,	Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written,
Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me.	This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.	Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mark 7:10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: Mark 7:11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free]. Mark 7:12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Matthew 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:	Mark 7:14 And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand:
Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.	Mark 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Matthew 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.	Mark 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.	Mark 7:17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?	Mark 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also?
Matthew 15:17 Do not ye yet understand,	Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;
that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?	Mark 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.	Mark 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:	Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
	Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Matthew 15:20 These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.	Mark 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

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Verses 21-28

Jesus sends a demon out of a girl

Matthew 15:21-28	Mark 7:24-30
Matthew 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.	Mark 7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid.
Matthew 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying,	Mark 7:25 For a [certain] woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.	Mark 7:26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
Matthew 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Matthew 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.	Mark 7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast [it] unto the dogs.
Matthew 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.	Mark 7:28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.	Mark 7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.	Mark 7:30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

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Verses 29-31

The crowd marvels at Jesus’ healings

Matthew 15:29-31	Mark 7:31-37
Matthew 15:29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.	Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
Matthew 15:30 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:	Mark 7:32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

Mark 7:33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; (34)And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. (35)And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. Mark 7:36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published [it];

Matthew 15:31 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.

Mark 7:37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

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Verses 32-39

Jesus feeds four thousand

Matthew 15:32-39	Mark 8:1-10
Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples [unto him], and said,	Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples [unto him], and saith unto them,
I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:	Mark 8:2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.	Mark 8:3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
Matthew 15:33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?	Mark 8:4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these [men] with bread here in the wilderness?
Matthew 15:34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.	Mark 8:5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
Matthew 15:35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.	Mark 8:6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground:
Matthew 15:36 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 he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before [them]; and they did set [them] before the people. Mark 8:7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before [them].

Matthew 15:37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken [meat] that was left seven baskets full.	Mark 8:8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken [meat] that was left seven baskets.
Matthew 15:38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.	Mark 8:9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
Matthew 15:39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.	Mark 8:10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

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Bibliographical Information
"Commentary on Matthew 15". "The Gospels Compared". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tgc/matthew-15.html. 2014.

Bible CommentariesMatthew 15

The Gospels ComparedGospels Compared

Verses 1-20

Verses 21-28

Verses 29-31

Verses 32-39

Bible Commentaries
Matthew 15