Word of Jesus Part 12
Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem,
saying,
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they
wash not their hands when they eat bread.
They still didn't get it. The truth of the word is that our salvation does not
depend on outward ordinances, cleanliness or any other outward ritual. It
depends on what is in the heart and soul. That is why salvation comes through
repentance and turning to Christ for our salvation. He alone can bring it
because He alone fulfilled all the requirements of the law that condemn every
soul to hell without God. Its good to wash before one eats but it has nothing to
do with eternity and whether or not our sins have been remitted.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the
commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that
curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 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;
Mat 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.
Many religions will change any part of the law to suit their own convenience.
The commandments are still in effect. It is the outward ordinances and rituals
that have no power to save after Jesus came.
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Outward worship honors God in public but it doesn't necessarily mean that one is
right with God.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments
of men.
Practically every church organization and denomination has a few commandments
that are manmade and not from God. That is the reason God gave us a volume of a
book called the bible so that we can know what is commands and what is manmade
ordinances.
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which
cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
There are certain things we can eat and drink which will harm the body but as
long as it doesn't harm the mind, it has nothing to do with our eternal soul.
Jesus wasn't advocating that taking drugs is not harmful, He is mostly talking of
food.
Mat 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the
Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
This is hard for every minister of the gospel, I'm sure but I know we have to
tell the truth. Jesus did.
Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath
not planted, shall be rooted up.
If we are not standing on the solid rock of truth we also shall be rooted up.
Mat 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.
Its heartbreaking but I see this happening in the United States.
Mat 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
Mat 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
It is really tough for one that has a religion full of traditions to see
truth. It is also hard for the Jewish people because not all of their
religion was just tradition. Their religion pointed toward the one that
was to come and bring them salvation but they didn't see that. They were
looking for a conquering king instead of a savior from sin. If one
conquers sin which destroys the soul, that is a great victory.
Mat 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth
goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the
heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Adultery, murder, fornication, thefts, lying, blasphemy also starts within
the heart and soul of all of us.
Outward religion does not change the heart, deliver from sin and make the soul
ready for eternity. Repentance and receiving Jesus Christ as the sacrifice for
our sins, does change the heart and make us ready for eternity. We become
"born again" by the spirit of God.
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen
hands defileth not a man.
Sin is the thing that defiles the inner man.
Mat 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 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.
Mat 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.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the
house of Israel.
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread,
and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall
from their masters' table.
Mat 15:28 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 knew all the time that He was going to heal the daughter but He wanted us
to see something very important. The Gentiles was willing to take the crumbs.
They knew God had chosen the Jews and they accepted that. This lady was willing
to take what was left over. Jesus rewarded and commended her faith.
We as Gentiles should be thankful for the gospel and that it was extended to us.
It was to go to the Jews first, after their rejection of the gospel, it was
given to us. We need to be thankful and not high-minded against Jews. According
to Paul's writings, the Jews will one day be grafted into their own vine.
Mat 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.
Mat 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:
Mat 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.
Signs will follow a true believer.
Mat 15:32 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.
Again we see the Lord's compassion on the basic human need.
Mat 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?
Mat 15:34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said,
Seven, and a few little fishes.
Mat 15:35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
Mat 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.
Mat 15:37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken
meat that was left seven baskets full.
Mat 15:38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and
children.
Mat 15:39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the
coasts of Magdala.
Our Lord's message to us throughout the "words of Jesus" are many but in
summation we can see that He wants us to seek Him for salvation and trust Him
for the food, shelter and clothing part. Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. We find so many of us
trying to do the opposite. Many are seeking the material and trusting God for
the spiritual. It should be the other way around.
