Matthew 15 - Jesus Calls Out the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees

Click Here to Read or Listen to Matthew 15 

One of the criticisms that I hear most often from the world is that Christians are a "bunch of hypocrites". Some of it may be deserved but a lot is not. In Chapter 15, Jesus gives a blistering assessment of the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day. They not only were neglecting the clear commandments of God in things areas like "honoring your faither and mother", but they were also adding many traditions that had nothing to do with true godliness. It gave them the allusion of having more power and enabled them to lay heavier burdens on the people that they were not willing to lift. 

Jesus calls them, "blind guides", who if followed would lead you right into the pit. Jesus gives a clear definition of why they are such hypocrites, as he quotes from Isaiah 29:13,

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules."

You might say they "played religion". Their heart wasn't in it. Their lips didn't match their lives. 

D.C. Talk one of my favorite Christian bands has a song with these lyrics, "The greatest cause of atheism today is those who acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny him by their lifestyle. This is what an unbelieving world find simply unbelievable." 

And think about it if the world sniffs out hypocrisy don't you think God does first.  But before we get too judmental of others, we all can be hypocritical in some sense of the word. We call ourselves Christians, but we don't always live like Jesus did. Fortunately Jesus forgives us for all of sins including hypocrisy. 

Where in your life can your confession of faith be matched by your actions? How can you avoid contributing to those in the world who say, "Christians are a bunch of hypocrites". 

 The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

This is a very interesting story from the perspective that Jesus seems to change his mind. A Canaanite women called out to Jesus saying, "Lord, Son of David have mercy on me." 

This Gentile woman also understood who Jesus was. Many of Jesus’ own countrymen didn’t know who Jesus was, but this woman of Canaan knew. - Guzik

Jesus even rebuffed her saying, "I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel." Again it seems a little perplexing because Jesus always seemed open to anyone who had faith in him. But this doesn't dissuade the woman from falling on her knees and asking Jesus again to help her.

Jesus again tries to dismiss her in seemingly a disrespectful manner. He says, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

Upon further review the word "dogs" means "little dogs". "We are at the great disadvantage of not hearing the tone of Jesus’ voice as He spoke to this woman. We suspect that His tone was not harsh; we rather suspect that it was winsome with the effect of inviting greater faith from the woman. It is possible to speak harsh words in a playful or winsome manner." - Guzik

But I love her comeback. It is a classic. "Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Jesus then calls her a woman of "great faith". Jesus never said this to another person. Jesus saud it about the Roman Centurion, but not to him directly but to the crowd. Significantly the only two people Jesus says this about were Gentiles. 

This passage also shows me that true faith perseveres. The woman did not stop seeking Jesus. And her reward was that her daughter was healed. 

Her faith was great because it would not give up. She did not stop until she got what she needed from Jesus. You could say that her faith conquered Jesus. He not only healed her daughter but He did so immediately, something that she had not even asked for. - Guzik

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

This story is very similar to the feeding of the five thousand, which has caused some critics to doubt its authenticity. The differences are:

1. The disciples are slower to get it perhaps because this crowd was mixed with more Gentiles in it.

2. Different numbers of those being fed.

3. Different locales (on the western and the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee).

4. Different seasons of the year, indicated by no mention of grass in the second account.

5. Different supply of food at the beginning.

6. Different number of baskets holding the leftovers, and even a different word for “baskets” in the second account.

7. Different period of time of waiting for the people (Matthew 15:32). - Guzik

Can you remember a time when Jesus took your meager resources and mul,tiplied it for a greater good? What do you think Jesus is calling you to offer him so he can reach more people in and through your church?