View Matthew 15 in the note window.
1: (Mk 7:1).
2: The elders - The chief doctors or, teachers among the Jews.
3: They wash not their hands when they eat bread - Food in general
is termed bread in Hebrew; so that to eat bread is the same as
to make a meal.
4: Honour thy father and mother - Which implies all such relief
as they stand in need of. (Ex 20:12,21:17).
5: It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest have been profited by
me - That is, I have given, or at least, purpose to give to the
treasury of the temple, what you might otherwise have had from me.
7: Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying - That is, the
description which Isaiah gave of your fathers, is exactly
applicable to you. The words therefore which were a
description of them, are a prophecy with regard to you.
8: Their heart is far from me - And without this all outward
worship is mere mockery of God. (Isa 29:13).
9: Teaching the commandments of men - As equal with, nay,
superior to, those of God. What can be a more heinous sin?
13: Every plant - That is, every doctrine.
14: Let them alone - If they are indeed blind leaders of the
blind; let them alone: concern not yourselves about them: a
plain direction how to behave with regard to all such.(Lu 6:39).
17: Are ye also yet without understanding - How fair and candid
are the sacred historians? Never concealing or excusing their
own blemishes.
19: First evil thoughts - then murders - and the rest.
Railings - The Greek word includes all reviling,
backbiting, and evil speaking.
21: (Mk 7:24).
22: A woman of Canaan - Canaan was also called Syrophenicia, as
lying between Syria properly so called, and Phenicia, by the
sea side. Cried to him - From afar, Thou Son of David - So she had
some knowledge of the promised Messiah.
23: He answered her not a word - He sometimes tries our faith
in like manner.
24: I am not sent - Not primarily; not yet.
25: Then came she - Into the house where he now was.
28: Thy faith - Thy reliance on the power and goodness of God.
29: The sea of Galilee - The Jews gave the name of seas to all
large lakes. This was a hundred furlongs long, and forty broad.
It was called also, the sea of Tiberias. It lay on the borders
of Galilee, and the city of Tiberias stood on its western shore.
It was likewise styled the lake of Gennesareth: perhaps a
corruption of Cinnereth, the name by which it was anciently
called, (Nu 34:11,Mk 7:31).
32: They continue with me now three days - It was now the third
day since they came. (Mk 8:1).
36: He gave thanks, or blessed the food - That is, he praised God
for it, and prayed for a blessing upon it.
