Jesus Heals and Feeds
1. Then came to Jesus the scribes and Pharisees who [were] from Jerusalem, saying,
2. “Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”
3. But He answering said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4. For God commanded, saying, ‘honor thy father and mother; and he that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death.’
5. But you say, ‘whoever shall say to father or mother, [It is] a gift [to the temple], whatever thou mightest have profited by me’;
6. And he in no way honors his father or his mother. And you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
The scene now changes dramatically. In the previous chapter, Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, walked on water, and healed the multitudes. In the closing words of that chapter, it is written that those who merely touched the hem of His garment “were made perfectly well” (14:36).
Now, as the next episode begins, we move from wonderful demonstrations of faith and miraculous healings among the receptive people of Galilee to confrontation and resistance among the rigid religious leaders who have come to Galilee from Jerusalem. Unmoved by the marvelous incidents surrounding Jesus’ ministry, the religious leaders can only focus on the most trivial details of tradition: “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” they ask. “For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread” (15:2).
In the light of Jesus’ many miracles, their question misses the greater point. Did anybody really think about whether hands were washed during the incredible distribution of the bread and fish? The miracle itself was so awe-inspiring that everything else would have been overshadowed—including whether or not the disciples washed their hands before distributing food. The question of the religious leaders, therefore, seems extraordinarily petty. But it does reveal what is on their minds and in their hearts, that is, discrediting and criticizing Jesus.
“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” say the religious leaders to Jesus. Jesus responds to their question with His own question. He says, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” And then He gives them a specific illustration of how they have been transgressing the commandments of God. Jesus begins this illustration by saying, “For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die’”(15:4).
Honoring father and mother, which includes caring for them in their old age, is one of the most central of the Ten Commandments. And yet, the religious leaders had managed to circumvent this command by making up their own law. According to their law, people would be released from caring for their parents if they dedicated their money and resources to the temple. They merely had to say to their parents, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God” (15:5).
We need to keep in mind that there were no pension policies or retirement plans at that time, but there was a commandment about honoring one’s parents. The only insurance for people who were too old and too feeble to care for themselves was the support of their children. And yet, a mere tradition gave people religious permission to abandon their parents who would then have to fend for themselves. Rather than honoring their parents and caring for them in accordance with divine law, this tradition provided a religious loophole for avoiding a sacred responsibility.
The scheme worked well, especially because people had been persuaded to believe that they could buy their way into God’s favor by making generous offerings to the religious leaders. The temple, and the support of temple activities, even to the neglect of a suffering humanity, had become the focus and center of their religion. Maintaining the glory of the temple had become an end in itself. It had become the center of a blasphemous religion where the worship of power, profit, pleasure, and prestige had replaced the love of God and love of the neighbor. As Jesus puts it, “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition” (15:6).
Defilement Comes from Within
7. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, ‘saying,
8. This people is near to me with their mouth, and honors me with [their] lips, but their heart is far away from me,
9. And in vain do they serve Me, teaching teachings [which are] the precepts of men.’”
10. And calling the crowd, He said unto them, “Hear and understand.
11. Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
12. Then His disciples coming said to Him, “Knowest Thou that the Pharisees, hearing the word, were offended?”
13. But He answering said, “Every planting which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted out.
14. Leave them; they are blind guides of the blind; and if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.”
15. And Peter answering said to Him, “Explain to us this parable.”
16. And Jesus said, “Are you also yet without understanding?
17. Do you not yet consider, that everything going into the mouth departs into the belly, and is cast out into the latrine?
18. But the things going out from the mouth come forth from the heart, and these defile man;
19. For out of the heart come forth evil reasonings, murders, adulteries, harlotries, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.
20. These are the [things] that defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not the man.”
From Jesus’ perspective, the decision to make the traditions of men more important than the commandment of God is a form of blasphemy. Telling people that a donation to the temple would absolve them from the responsibility of caring for elderly parents was certainly a distortion of the commandment that calls us to honor father and mother.
But there were other misleading teachings. For example, it was taught that people could purify themselves from internal evils by external washings. When Isaiah said, “Wash yourselves; purify yourselves; remove the evil of your doings” (Isaiah 1:16), these words were taken literally. If food were touched with unclean hands, the food was considered to be defiled, and whoever ate that food would be seen as a despised sinner. In this regard, eating with unclean hands was seen not merely as a useful hygienic practice, but as a religious obligation. In this way, a healthy tradition had become a religious law. 1
Recognizing that the religious leaders were elevating their customs and traditions above the commandments of God, Jesus says to them, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules’” (15:8-9). Then, further clarifying His point, Jesus says, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person. It is what comes out of the mouth. This is what defiles a person” (15:11).
The disciples who are with Jesus at the time of this confrontation tell Him that the religious leaders are offended by these words. In response, Jesus tells them not to worry about the religious leaders or their false teachings. Because there is nothing divine in their man-made laws, their false doctrine cannot endure. As Jesus puts it, “Every planting which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted out.” Therefore, Jesus says, “Leave them; they are blind guides of the blind; and if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit” (15:13-14).
In other words, Jesus is telling His disciples to not worry about the offended religious leaders whose teachings do not come from God. Blinded by their own beliefs, the religious leaders cannot see the truth. Because of this, they have become blind leaders of the blind, leading themselves and others to destruction. As Jesus says, “They are blind guides of the blind; and if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.”
Peter, one of the disciples who is present at this confrontation, has learned that Jesus’ words always contain a more interior meaning. Therefore, he says to Jesus, “Explain this parable to us” (15:15). In response, Jesus says, “Whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies” (15:17-19).
Eating, digesting, and eliminating are natural, external functions. That which enters the mouth and is eliminated has nothing to do with our internal character. But there is an important correspondence between natural eating and spiritual eating. Just as food enters the mouth, thoughts enter the mind. It is at this point that we can decide to simply let those thoughts go, refusing to take them in. Or we can ruminate on them, digest them, and make them a part of us through our words and actions. It is in this regard that Jesus says. “Those things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”
It is noteworthy that Jesus continues to remind the religious leaders of the Ten Commandments. They have already violated the commandment about honoring parents. Jesus now adds murder, adultery, thefts, and false witness—the exact order of the second table of the Ten Commandments. To this list he adds “evil thoughts” and “blasphemies.”
Jesus knows that the religious leaders despise Him, want to publicly discredit Him, and will eventually plan to destroy Him. These are the destructive intentions that Jesus is speaking about when He says, “These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” (15:20). 2
A practical application
When Jesus says that defilement comes from within, He is urging us to look beyond physical actions to motives and intentions. While external actions are important, they should arise from internal motives that prioritize loving God and serving the neighbor over self-love and material gain. As a practical application, then, place your focus on internal cleansing. While washing your hands before eating is a useful, hygienic practice, cleansing your spirit before saying or doing anything is far more important. Therefore, before speaking or acting, examine your thoughts and intentions. It’s not just about washing your hands. It’s also about cleansing your spirit. 3
A Woman of Great Faith
21. And Jesus, going out thence, departed into parts of Tyre and Sidon.
22. And behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of those borders cried out, saying to Him, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is badly demon-possessed.”
23. And He answered her not a word; and His disciples coming to Him, besought Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries after us.”
24. And He answering said, “I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25. And she, coming, worshiped Him saying, “Lord, help me.”
26. And He answering said, “[It] is not good to take the children’s bread, and to cast [it] to little dogs.”
27. And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their lords.”
28. Then Jesus answering said to her, “O woman, great [is] thy faith; be it unto thee as thou willest.” And her daughter was healed from that [very] hour.
29. And Jesus, passing on thence, came to the Sea of Galilee; and ascending into the mountain, He sat there.
30. And many crowds came to Him, having with themselves the lame, the blind, the mute, the maimed, and many others, and laid them down by the feet of Jesus; and He cured them,
31. So that the crowds marveled, seeing the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
Throughout the gospel narratives, the arrogant, argumentative, disbelief of the religious leaders is held in stark contrast to the simple faith of the people who came to Jesus for healing. For some, they needed only to touch the hem of His garment, and they were made perfectly well. These simple believers, who had little theological training but great faith, lived in and around the region of Galilee, and were called “gentiles.”
The term, “gentile,” applied to anyone who was not a direct descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel,” all of his descendants and their various tribes became known as “the children of Israel.” All others were considered non-Israelites. They were therefore “gentiles,” meaning “not a part of the clan.” In fact, the term “gentile” comes from the Latin word “gentilis” meaning “of a family,” “of a clan,” or “of a group of families.”
Originally, the Israelites treated the gentiles well and sometimes even granted them special privileges. However, over the course of time, gentiles came to be regarded as unclean and contemptible. The religious leaders in Jerusalem spoke of them as being heathen, as filthy dogs, as worshippers of “other gods,” and, therefore, as enemies of God’s people. So the term “gentile,” rather than simply meaning someone who was not a descendant of Israel, came to have a negative and derogatory connotation.
This was largely because the religious leaders in Jerusalem were zealous about protecting their faith, and anxious that it not be contaminated by heathen influences. They therefore taught and practiced a legalistic, exclusive lifestyle. Israelites were to have no association with the gentile nations or with gentiles lest they be corrupted by them.
This attitude, which was especially strong in and around Jerusalem, extended outward from that city. The further away people lived from Jerusalem, the greater the chances were that they would be considered “gentiles.” For example, although the region of Galilee is geographically in the land of Israel, it was nevertheless regarded as the “land of the gentiles” because it was seventy miles from Jerusalem.
In addition, many foreigners were attracted to the fertile region in and around Galilee, with its rich soil and abundant opportunities for fishing and farming. With so many foreigners living in Galilee, many of whom knew little or nothing about the God of Israel, the religious leaders in Jerusalem felt justified in referring to the people of Galilee as “gentiles.”
If the people of Galilee, which was in the land of Israel, were considered gentiles, much more so were the people from the regions of Tyre and Sidon, which were even further from Jerusalem. Tyre and Sidon were situated northwest of Galilee on the Mediterranean Sea, over one hundred miles from Jerusalem. Therefore, Tyre and Sidon, especially because they were not in the land of Israel, were most definitely regarded as being “the land of the gentiles.”
This is the region into which Jesus now goes as He resumes His journey. As it is written, “And Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon” (15:21). While He is there, a woman from that region cries out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David. My daughter is severely demon-possessed” (15:22).
In the Word, mothers and daughters symbolize human affections and emotions. When it is written that the woman’s daughter is “severely demon-possessed,” it represents a state in which our affections and emotions are out of control. Although the woman is begging for help, Jesus does not immediately answer her. And the disciples say, “Send her away, for she cries out after us” (15:23). 4
The disciples are simple men who desire to follow Jesus’ instructions. Jesus has already commanded them not to go to the gentiles, or to enter the cities of the Samaritans. Instead, He has instructed them to go to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (10:5). Therefore, when they tell Jesus to “send her away,” they are only obeying Jesus’ instructions. After all, she is a gentile woman, not one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
At first, it appears that Jesus is unwilling to grant her request. As He says to her, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (15:24). But the gentile woman will not be deterred. Persevering, she says “Lord, help me.” Again, Jesus appears to reject her request, saying, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (15:26).
As we have seen, the religious leaders taught that non-Israelites were heathens and dogs. But the woman is not troubled by this apparent insult. Instead, she replies, “True, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table” (15:27). Recognizing her humble, non-defensive response, Jesus says, “O woman, great is your faith. Let it be to you as you desire” (15:28). And so it was done. As it is written, “Her daughter was healed from that very hour” (15:28). Even as Jesus heals the woman’s daughter, He can heal us whenever we go directly to Him for help.
In begging to be fed by the crumbs that fall from the master’s table, the gentile woman reveals not only her faith and persistence, but also her humble heart. Seeing this, Jesus answers her prayer and heals her daughter. All of this takes place before the eyes of the disciples. Through this living example, they are to understand that “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” are all who hunger for divine love—especially people like this gentile woman who is faithful, persistent, and humble. As Jesus said when He delivered His first sermon, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (15:3; 6).
Jesus’ response to the petition of the gentile woman pictures the healing of all those who are faithfully persistent in their prayers. This includes people everywhere, regardless of their religious upbringing or nationality. As Jesus has already said, “Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (12:50) The disciples would now go forth to find the lost sheep, from every tribe and every nation, and gather them together in one fold, with One Shepherd. From now on there would be neither Jew nor gentile, but brothers and sisters in Christ—with one Father in heaven. These are “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The upward journey
Having made His point about this new and broader approach to ministry, Jesus resumes His mighty work of healing among the gentiles. As it is written, “And Jesus departed from there and skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them” (15:29-30).
Here is a touching picture of the gentiles coming from far and wide in search of healing. Their upward climb to reach Jesus represents the spiritual hunger for goodness, and the spiritual thirst for truth that is deeply seated in all people, and constitutes their essential humanity. Suffering the hardships of long journeys, climbing the mountain with the lame and the blind, carrying the maimed in their arms, they come to Jesus and lay their loved ones at His feet.
This is the journey that each of us must make, supporting one another along the way, as we come before God. It is a simple gentile faith—a faith that has total belief in God’s healing power. When received in faith, Jesus’ teachings can cure spiritual lameness, open spiritual eyes, and give the ability to speak the truth from love. Therefore, it is written that “He healed them ” (15:30).
The gentiles were drawn to Jesus—not because of His religious or ethnic background, but because of His love, wisdom, and power to heal all people. In Jesus they could see something that transcended all racial and religious stereotypes, a manifestation of a God who is pure love, pure wisdom, and pure power. In Jesus they could see, in some way, God made visible. And so, “the crowds marveled, seeing the dumb speaking, the lame walking, and the blind seeing.” As a result, “They glorified the God of Israel” (15:31).
A practical application
It is noteworthy that the gentile woman said she would be satisfied with the crumbs that fell from the master’s table. In our own lives, there are times when it feels that we are only getting by on crumbs. God does not seem to be answering our prayers, and in place of clear direction, there seems to be only silence. And yet, if we refuse to give in to discouragement, choosing instead to faithfully persevere, healing and direction will come. As Jesus says to the gentile woman, He will say to us, “Great is your faith.” As a practical application, then, look for the crumbs. Look for the evidence of God’s leading and goodness. Even when things seem to be bleak, and God seems to be refusing your pleas for help, healing is on the way. Once you have made a beginning, the Lord will flow in with abundant blessings. The Lord will give you what to say (the dumb speaking). He will lead you to walk in His paths (the lame walking). And He will open your spiritual eyes (the blind seeing) so that you might glorify God. 5
A Second Feeding of the Multitudes
32. And Jesus, calling for His disciples, said, “I am moved with compassion for the crowd, because they are staying on with Me already three days, and have not anything to eat; and I am not willing to send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.”
33. And His disciples say to Him, “Whence should we have so many loaves in the wilderness, as to satisfy such a crowd?”
34. And Jesus says to them, “How many loaves have you?” And they say, “Seven, and a few little fish.”
35. And He ordered the crowds to recline on the earth.
36. And taking the seven loaves and the fish, giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.
37. And they did all eat and were satisfied; and they took up the excess of the fragments, seven baskets full.
38. And they that had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and little children.
39. And sending away the crowds, He stepped into the ship, and came into the borders of Magdala.
After spending three days healing the people, Jesus now wants to feed them. As He says, “I have compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry lest they faint on the way” (15:32).
The disciples, forgetting that Jesus has only recently fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread, reply, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a great crowd?” (15:33). Instead of reminding them of the miraculous feeding He has just performed, Jesus simply asks, “How many loaves do you have?” (15:34). And they answer, “Seven, and a few little fish” (15:34).
In the previous feeding of the multitudes, they had only five loaves, but this time they have seven. The number “seven” brings to mind many things associated with holiness in the Word. The seventh day is a day of rest, holy to the Lord (Exodus 31:15). There are seven branches on the lampstand in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:37). Seven priests with seven trumpets marched around Jericho for seven days—and on the seventh day they marched around the city seven times (Joshua 6:13). Solomon’s temple was built in seven years (1 Kings 6:38). Naaman was to wash himself in the Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5:10). David said that he would praise the Lord seven times a day (Psalm 119:164). And the light of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:26).
So, the number “seven” in scripture is associated with that which is holy. Certainly, the disciples are developing an increasing sense of Jesus’ holiness, and a developing awareness of the divinity that is within Him. This is suggested here by the fact that they now have “seven loaves,” representing a holy state of love. They also have only “a few little fish,” representing their limited understanding of what is happening, but also their growing humility.
Once again, Jesus begins with a blessing. As it is written, “And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks and broke them and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude” (15:36). When the feeding is complete, the number “seven” recurs. As it is written, “So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left” (15:37). 6
The number “seven,” then, suggests a time of great holiness—a time that is solemn, serene, and sacred. We have come a long way from the beginning of this chapter when the religious leaders were criticizing Jesus for permitting His disciples to eat with unwashed hands. They were ignoring the fact that Jesus had just turned five loaves of bread and two fish into enough to feed five thousand people.
In this episode, we are again on the mountain with Jesus, witnessing another miraculous feeding. This time, however, four thousand are fed from seven loaves of bread and a few little fish. In this second miraculous feeding, there is a sense of sublime holiness. We witness God’s overflowing love and infinite compassion symbolized by the seven large baskets overflowing with food that is left over.
At the time of the first feeding of the multitudes, the Greek word used for “basket” was kophinous [κοφίνους], meaning, “a small basket.” But this time the Greek word used for “basket” is spyridas [σπυρίδας], meaning, “a large basket.” Baskets are made to receive what is put into them. Similarly, the human mind is designed to receive what flows in from the Lord. The implication is that there is now, in the overflowing of the seven large baskets, an even greater reception and overflow of the Lord’s love and wisdom. 7
A practical application
In this chapter, the story of the gentile woman who prayed for her daughter reveals the essential qualities of all those who desire to grow spiritually. The woman persistently asked for help, willing to accept even the crumbs that fell from the Master’s table. We, too, may experience times when we feel only the crumbs of the Lord’s love, just the briefest taste of His goodness. But if we remain faithful, persistent, and humble, we will soon be enjoying the fullness of the Lord’s blessing, even to overflowing. As a practical application, then, remember that the story of the woman who was willing to accept crumbs is immediately followed by the miraculous feeding of the multitudes. Imagine that you are on the mountain with Jesus, receiving His love and wisdom. The Lord has healed you, and is now nourishing you with spiritual food so that you might continue the journey. You are no longer hungering for crumbs. Rather, you are rejoicing in the Lord’s presence. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Weeping might endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
V:
1. AC 3147:9: “Anyone may see that washing oneself does not purify a person from evils and falsities, only from the filth that clings to that person. And yet … some people supposed that the mere ritual act of washing garments, skin, hands, and feet would purify them. It was believed that as long as they performed such rituals, they would be allowed to continue leading lives of avarice, hatred, revenge, mercilessness, and cruelty, all of which constitute spiritual filth. In this regard, the performance of ritual washings was idolatrous.”
2. CL 527:3: “The angels regard all people in the light of their purpose, intention, or end, and make distinctions accordingly. Therefore, they excuse or condemn those whom the end either excuses or condemns, since an intention for good is the end of all in heaven, and an intention for evil is the end of all in hell.”
3. DLW 420: “All purification is accomplished through the truths of wisdom, and all defilement is brought about through falsities opposed to the truths of wisdom.” See also NJHD 164: “People who examine themselves in order to repent must examine their thoughts and the intentions of their will. They must examine what they would do if they could, that is, if they were not afraid of the law and the loss of reputation, honors, and gains. All of their evils are to be found there, and all the evil actions they actually do come from that source. Those who fail to examine the evils of their thought and will cannot repent, for afterwards they think, will, and desire to act just as they did before. And yet, willing evils is the same as doing them. This is the meaning of self-examination.”
4. HH 382: “In the Word, ‘daughters’ signify affections of goodness.” See also CL 120: “By daughters are signified the goods of the church. Therefore, the daughter of Zion, of Jerusalem, of Israel, and of Judah is so often mentioned in the Word, and by her is signified no other daughter than the affection of good.”
5. HH 533: “When people have made a beginning, the Lord quickens all that is good in them, and causes them not only to see evils to be evils, but also to refrain from willing them, and finally to turn away from them.” See also Life 104: “People must act of themselves but from the Lord’s power, which they must pray for. This is what it means to act as if from oneself.”
6. AE: 617:4-5: “The Lord’s feeding the five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and also His feeding four thousand from seven loaves and a few fishes… [signifies that] when the Lord wills, spiritual food which also is real food but only for spirits and angels, is changed into natural food…. The same is signified by ‘eating bread in the kingdom of God.’”
7. AC 9996:2: “And you shall put them in a basket” (Exodus 29:3). A ‘basket’ is the container of all more internal things; …. Regarding the things which were put in the basket, they mean kinds of celestial good. And since the sensory level is the last and lowest of them and so contains them all, it says that all those things should be put in a basket.”
