BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 15:18

Saturday, 27 December 2025
 
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. Matthew 15:18
 
“And those proceeding from the mouth, it comes from the heart, and those, it commonizes the man” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus gave the disciples a lesson in basic human physiology, something they should have thought through by themselves. Now, He uses that instruction to provide an example of what defiles a man, something foods do not do. He begins with, “And those proceeding from the mouth.”
 
Jesus turns the thought around. “Proceeding from the mouth” corresponds to “into the john it ejects.” Therefore, the source of what He is referring to will be different than the previous example. That is stated in the next words, “it comes from the heart.”
 
The meaning is that what enters the mouth is something external. It passes through the body and then is ejected. There was nothing defiling in the process. However, that which proceeds from the mouth, meaning that the words of man, come from within the man. Their source is the heart.
 
Remember that the heart in the Bible does not refer to the organ that pumps blood. It is only used figuratively for the place where moral preferences are derived. It is the biblical source of thoughts and feelings, of which Jesus next says, “and those, it commonizes the man.”
 
Here is a new word, koinoó, to make (or consider) profane. Thus, it is that which treats what is sacred as common or ordinary. To get the meaning, the adjective form is used this way in Acts 2 –
 
“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common [koinos], 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
 
People are to be sacred, having been made in the image of God. However, man becomes commonized through what comes from his heart and the words that proceed from his mouth. Jesus will explain why this is so in the next two verses.
 
Life application: The heart is the inventor of wickedness in man. This is then turned into action as he is spurred on by what the heart has developed. As noted, Jesus will explain the various ways that this occurs. However, we can already consider how this process is realized in us.
 
The things we think are often not things we would actually act on. Further, we would not normally say the thoughts that well up in us. We have filters and checks that properly suppress such things.
 
At times, however, the filters may be lacking. We blurt out something that is caustic, and it causes damage to a relationship. Even if it was unintentional, what we have said is perceived to be the reality of what is going on inside of us by the recipient of our words.
 
Likewise, the checks on our words and actions are usually in place to keep us from acting in certain ways. However, if we are hungry, that can exacerbate our mood in a negative way. We become hangry, releasing our anger because the normal checks are blocked through our physical degradation. This can be true with a lack of sleep, high-pressure situations, etc.
 
We are still accountable for our words and actions, but there are reasons they occurred. When it happens, we regret what we have done, showing that it wasn’t our intention to act in such ways. In an old Clint Eastwood movie, he said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”
 
When we feel we are reaching a point where we may do wrong, we need to work harder at limiting the inclinations that arise. We may also want to remove ourselves from whatever situation we are in. This will keep us from saying or doing something we will later regret.
 
Everyone responds to internal and external stresses differently. Therefore, it is up to us to carefully monitor ourselves and respond to those things that stress us.
 
Having said that, there are people who have no such limitations. They openly act on their inappropriate impulses. The problem with this is that it can become ordinary as others follow suit. Pretty soon, you are in full San Francisco mode, where the majority of the people openly act out perversions, illegalities, and harmful conduct towards self and others.
 
Once this happens, the society is set in a doom loop that is very hard to rectify. This is why the whole world had to be destroyed by the flood. It is also why the whole world will once again be destroyed by fire. Be sure not to follow the world. Rather, be like Noah, who remained righteous in a world full of iniquity.
 
Lord God, give us wisdom in how we should deal with our weaknesses and limitations. We all have them, and we all need to carefully monitor ourselves when faced with pressures and stresses that weaken us. Be with us and help us to always be fixed on You and what You would want us to do. Amen.

Matthew 15:17

Friday, 26 December 2025
 
Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? Matthew 15:17
 
“Not yet you grasp that all, the ‘entering into the mouth,’ into the stomach it contains, and into the john it ejects?” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus chided the disciples, noting their still being unintelligent. He now explains their question with basic information that any child could understand, beginning with, “Not yet you grasp.”
 
Two new words are seen here. The first is oupó, yet. It is not found in all manuscripts. Instead, some say, “Not you grasp.” Either way, the word will be found in all manuscripts starting in Matthew 16:9.
 
The second new word is noeó, to exercise the mind. Thus, it means to understand, comprehend, etc. To keep it distinct from other similar words in a translation, saying “grasp” satisfies the need.
 
HELPS Word Studies says that this word “underlines the moral culpability we all have before God – for every decision (value-judgment) we make. This follows from each of us being created in the divine image – hence, possessing the inherent capacity by the Lord to exercise moral reasoning.”
 
What Jesus wonders if they yet grasp is “that all, the ‘entering into the mouth,’ into the stomach it contains.”
 
Jesus gives them a lesson in basic human physiology. In fact, it is characteristic of life everywhere. In these words are two more new words. The first is eisporeuomai, to enter. When a person feeds himself, food enters his mouth. From the very first moments of a baby’s existence, this is understood. They know exactly what to do to obtain nourishment.
 
The next new word is chóreó, to be in space or to give space. Thus, it gives a sense of holding. When a person eats, the food doesn’t just stay in his mouth. Rather, it takes a journey down the alimentary canal. As it heads down, it stops in the stomach. While there, the stomach contains it and processes it.
 
Anyone who has had a meal knows this. The feeling is sensational each time we eat as the stomach whirls and churns, breaking down the food. If there was something upsetting in the food, the feeling may still be sensational, but in a bad way. Maybe we would call the sensation miserable. Whatever way it affects us, it eventually leads to Jesus’ next words, which finish His question, “and into the john it ejects?”
 
Here is yet another new word, aphedrón, a place of sitting. Eventually, the food is processed in the stomach, continues on a long meandering journey through the bowels, and eventually it is ejected in the place of sitting.
 
In English, we have innumerable words to describe the location. There are locative descriptions, such as outhouse. There are accommodating descriptions, such as privy. We have coyly deceptive descriptions, such as powder room. And then there are colorful descriptions that every schoolboy knows, and many build upon.
 
And there is, of course, the memorial word john. That is most likely named after Sir John Harington. He was a 6th-century godson of Queen Elizabeth I. Being Mr. Inventive, he designed an early type of flushing toilet. Even though he wasn’t the first to invent a flushing toilet, his invention, along with a satirical pamphlet he wrote about it, popularized the word john. Thus, his name became slang for his device.
 
Jesus’ basic physiology course ends. He will next teach a truth about this process, making a contrast with it to something else.
 
Life application: Imagine your name is associated with such an invention, being repeated millions of times every day. There are lots of ways to be remembered that are far more tasteful. However, the best way of all is to be remembered on the day the Lord comes for His church.
 
Paul describes the event –
 
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
 
You may not be famous now, but you are important to God if you have trusted the gospel. So get ready for transformation day when Jesus calls us out of this corruptible body. We are talking about a name with eternal fame, simply by believing. So be ready by trusting Jesus! 
 
Lord God Almighty, You designed us according to Your wisdom, and we are wonderfully made. But what will we be like when we have our change? The thought captures our attention. How we long for that day. May it be soon. Amen.

Matthew 15:16

Thursday, 25 December 2025
 
So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Matthew 15:16
 
“And Jesus, He said, ‘And yet, you, you are unintelligent!’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Peter came to Jesus and said, “You expound to us this parable.” With that, Matthew records, “And Jesus, He said.”
 
Jesus’ response is not a question. Rather, it will be a statement. He has been instructing them on matters, and they have been unable to put His words into intelligent meaning in their minds. Therefore, what He says is an emphatic declaration. It is also in the plural. He is speaking to all of the disciples, “And yet, you, you are unintelligent!”
 
There are two new words. The first one, akmén, means “a point.” The idea is that it refers to a point in time. If one were to coin a new word to suit the literal meaning while conveying the intent, the word “pointly” would get the point across. Someone should consider coining it in this context.
 
For now, the adverb “yet” is sufficient. The point in time is reached, and yet, there is something that is awry. That leads to the next new word, the adjective asunetos, unintelligent. It comes from a, the particle of negation, and sunetos, to mentally put together, and thus sagacious.
 
HELPS Word Studies says, “foolish because incoherent (failing to ‘put facts together’).” Also, “a person failing to structure information in a meaningful way, and therefore unable to reach necessary conclusions.” The word is often translated as “without understanding.” A single word that exactingly describes the person is “unintelligent.”
 
Jesus isn’t asking them if they are yet without understanding. He is affirming that they are, as yet, unintelligent. They have heard His words, and they have not learned to come to proper conclusions concerning what He is saying. This will continue even till the time of His crucifixion.
 
Life application: It may seem harsh for Jesus to say to His disciples so directly that they are foolish or unintelligent, but it is not at all uncommon in Scripture. Such words are used throughout the Old Testament when referring to the people of Israel –
 
“When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off;The women come and set them on fire.For it is a people of no understanding;Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them,And He who formed them will show them no favor.” Isaiah 27:11
 
Such examples are common. The Lord rebukes the people for their lack of heeding Him, attending to His words, etc. In our modern society, it is considered offensive to say directly to people that they are foolish, unwise, unintelligent, and so forth. But to coddle people unwilling to engage their brains will lead to a generation of people who truly are unintelligent.
 
If we remain in a slumber, without rebuke for our unwillingness to learn, there is no incentive to strive for better. When everyone on a team gets the same award, there is no reason for anyone to strive to be the best. The Bible unashamedly says otherwise –
 
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
 
In fact, striving for what is right is so important that Jesus instructs those of Israel to do so with the thought of eternal consequences for not doing so –
 
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Matthew 13:24
 
When we approach matters of life, we should take time, demonstrating patient perseverance and wholehearted dedication to the task at hand. Marble will not tolerate an impatient and impulsive sculptor. Rather, the one who is wise with the hammer and chisel will slowly and methodically pay attention to the task set before him, mentally shutting out what will distract him.
 
If this is so for worldly things, how much more dedicated and patient should we be in our pursuit of God and of obtaining right understanding in His word? Are we so foolish as to strive for the best in polishing our car but neglect the eternal rewards there are for seeking God as He intends for us?
 
Jesus pointedly said to His disciples, “And yet, you, you are unintelligent!” Is He speaking the same to us today? Or is He pleased with our pursuit of who He is, as we attend carefully to His words? Let us receive a word of commendation from Him as we rise each day to consider Him and reflect on His majesty.
 
Lord God, thank You for the rebukes of life that spur us on to greater achievements. Yes, words of chastisement can be painful at the time, but we know that they are normally working for something better in us if we just pay heed. May we learn the lessons from them and strive to excel as we seek You in Your superior word. Amen.

Jesus came from Heaven to Earth - A song by the children for the glory of God!

Because I believe
Jesus came from Heaven to Earth 
to show the way
From the Earth to the Cross 
my Sin Debt to pay
From the Cross to the Grave
From the Grave to the  Sky
His love for me will never die

Matthew 15:15

Wednesday, 24 December 2025
 
Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” Matthew 15:15
 
“And Peter, having answered, he said to Him, ‘You expound to us this parable’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that if the blind-conductors are also blind, they will both fall into a pit. Having finished His words, Matthew notes, “And Peter, having answered, he said to Him.”
 
Peter heard something that needed clarification from Jesus’ words. Therefore, he continues, “You expound to us this parable.”
 
Here is a new word, phrazó. It is found only here in the New Testament. It means to indicate by word or act. Thus, it is rightly defined as “expound,” which signifies to explain the meaning in a detailed manner. Peter goes back to Jesus’ words of verse 15:11, not knowing the meaning of the parable –
 
“Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”
 
The problem with Peter’s words is that Jesus wasn’t speaking in a parable at that time. Hence, he misunderstood the intent of Jesus’ words. For this, he will receive a rather stern rebuke, followed by a more detailed explanation of Jesus’ intent.
 
Life application: It is not always easy to know when something in the Bible is being spoken literally, metaphorically, in parable, or in some other way. It is also difficult to determine if what is being spoken of is one thing rather than another.
 
A good example of this is found in Joshua –
 
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”13 So the sun stood still,And the moon stopped,Till the people had revengeUpon their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
 
Translations generally assume that Joshua’s words indicate that the sun and moon literally stood still in the heavens. This is then bolstered by the words of verses 13 and 14. However, the words are poetic, having been included in the Book of Jasher. The way it properly reads and what is happening is as follows –
 
“Then, he will speak, Joshua to Yehovah, in day gave Yehovah the Amorite to faces sons Israel, and he said to eyes Israel:
 
‘Sun, in Gibeon, you must be silent.
And moon in depth Aijalon.’
And is muted, the sun.
And moon stood.
Until he will avenge nation – his hatings.
 
Not it written upon scroll the Upright (One)? And it stood, the sun, in the half the heavens and not it hastened to go, according to day complete. And not it was according to day, the it, to its faces and after it, to hearken, Yehovah, in voice man, for Yehovah being fought to Israel.” (CG)
 
Notice the structure:
 
V.12 – [Then, he will speak, Joshua to Yehovah, in day gave Yehovah the Amorite to faces sons Israel, and he said to eyes Israel].
 
V.13 Until he will avenge nation [Israel] – his hatings.
 
V.15 - And not it was according to day, the it, to its faces and after it, [to hearken, Yehovah, in voice man, for Yehovah being fought to Israel].
 
The bracketing thoughts explain what the exceptional thing was. It wasn’t that the sun and moon stood still in the skies. Rather, it was that the Lord listened to the voice of a man and fought for Israel.
 
As you read the Bible, understand that what you are reading has been translated by man. A translator comes to the text with biases and presuppositions. If he is only a translator, he is also trying to make sense out of very difficult language. Therefore, it is natural to make assumptions based on a lack of study.
 
Even scholars will start with presuppositions, reading a translation first and then working with that picture in their minds. Because of this, be careful to stop and contemplate what you are reading from other perspectives. You may find that what you thought was correct was not.
 
In the end, you will get out of the word as much as you put in.
 
O God, may we be willing to carefully consider all things Your word tells us. Help us not to get caught up in sensationalism or “going with the pack” mentality. May we first and foremost consider what You are telling us and why. Help us in this so that our time of study will be methodical and filled with proper insights concerning Your word. Amen.
 

Matthew 15:14

Tuesday, 23 December 2025
 
Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Matthew 15:14
 
“You leave them! They are blind, blind-conductors. And blind, if they should conduct, both – they will fall into a pit” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that every plant His heavenly Father had not planted would be uprooted. He now says, “You leave them!” The words are imperative. Their instruction is based on corruption, not the truth. What the Father plants is truth, but the devil only sows lies, confusion, etc. To explain further, Jesus says, “They are blind, blind-conductors.”
 
A new word is seen here, hodégos. It is from hodos, way, and hégeomai, to lead. Thus, it speaks of one who leads in the way, and thus a conductor. With the adjective blind attached to the thought, they are conductors of the blind.
 
And yet, Jesus notes that they, too, are blind. Paul, speaking to the Jews in Romans 2, uses the opposite terminology to describe the way they felt about themselves, even though they acted contrary to their teachings –
 
“Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ as it is written.” Romans 2:17-24
 
This is the attitude that Jesus rebukes in these leaders of Israel. They were blind leading blind people. It is a recipe for disaster. He next says, “And blind, if they should conduct, both – they will fall into a pit.”
 
It is an obvious truth. When a blind person is conducted, it is where the conductor takes him. He is placing his trust in the one leading him. But if the conductor himself is blind, any step he takes could bring him to the edge of a pit. The next step will see him tumbling in along with the one he was charged to lead.
 
Now imagine one who is willfully blind, like these leaders of Israel. They were disregarding the law and causing others who were untrained in the law to follow them –
 
“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,Even his prayer is an abomination.10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,He himself will fall into his own pit;But the blameless will inherit good.” Proverbs 28:9, 10
 
Isaiah prophesied of Israel’s blindness. It was a chronic condition with them –
 
“Hear, you deaf;And look, you blind, that you may see.19 Who is blind but My servant,Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?Who is blind as he who is perfect,And blind as the Lord’s servant?20 Seeing many things, but you do not observe;Opening the ears, but he does not hear.” Isaiah 42
 
Life application: Think of the variety of doctrinal disputes between Christian instructors:
 
*Israel are God’s people vs. Israel are not God’s people. *The church replaced Israel vs. Israel and the church are separate entities. *Salvation is eternal vs. Salvation can be lost. *There is such a thing as the rapture. There will be a pre-trib rapture. There will be a mid-trib rapture. There will be a post-trib rapture. *The church began at Pentecost vs. the church began with Paul’s conversion. *Believers are free from the law. Believers must adhere to the law. Believers are free from the civil law but are bound to the moral law. *The Sabbath must be observed. A Christian Sabbath must be observed. No Sabbath is necessary. *Bacon is bad vs. bacon is good.
 
On and on it goes, with ten thousand points of doctrine. When a teacher is wrong in his doctrine, he is blind, at least in that area. But he is now leading others who are blind because they have never been taught to see properly. Imagine something as critical as law observance, and what Paul says about that –
 
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8, 9
 
People who teach observance of the law, the subject of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, are exactly the type of people Jesus was speaking about. They are blind, and they are leading others into the same pit they are in.
 
How can you know if you are being taught something incorrectly? The only way to even have a hint of it is by at least being aware of the source of what you are being taught. In the case of Christianity, the source is Jesus. The place to find instruction about Him is in His word. So be sure to read your Bible daily. It is important.
 
Glorious God, wisdom is found within You. Help us to pursue You and to desire to know the truth of what Your word tells us. So many people teach so many different things. So, Lord, as we read Your word, give us sound and proper insight into what it says. Help us to be wise as we look for instructors of Your word to guide us. Amen.

Matthew 15:13

Monday, 22 December 2025
 
But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Matthew 15:13
 
“And having answered, He said, ‘Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father, it will be uprooted” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus’ disciples came to Him, exclaiming that Jesus knew the Pharisees were offended when they heard His saying. In response to that, Matthew records, “And having answered, He said, ‘Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father.”
 
A new word in Scripture is seen, phuteia, a plant, but literally a transplanting. It is found only here in the Bible. Jesus is referring to the religious leaders, equating them with plants. It is probable, He is connecting this to the parables He gave in Chapter 13 –
 
“Another parable He near-set them, saying, ‘It is likened, the kingdom of the heavens, to a man having sown good seed in his field. 25 And in the ‘sleeps the men,’ he came, his enemy, and he sowed darnel in between the wheat, and he went away.’” Matthew 13:24, 25
 
The explanation of that parable is found in Matthew 13:37-43. Along with that, there are other such references to be found in the Old Testament, such as in Deuteronomy 29 –
 
“...so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” Deuteronomy 29:18, 19
 
“And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 29:28
 
As was recorded at times in the Hebrew Scriptures, something the scribes and Pharisees would have known and understood, and as Jesus relayed to the disciples in Matthew 13, Jesus notes of these apostate leaders, like darnel or a root of bitterness and wormwood, “it will be uprooted.”
 
Just as a plant can be transplanted by one person, it can be uprooted by another. If the devil has sown into God’s field worthless plants, it is certain that the Lord will have them uprooted and disposed of through judgment and fire.
 
Life application: The Bible uses simple metaphors to convey deep spiritual truths. The things it mentions are things that were understood by the people in the land. And despite Israel being a land that many people may not be able to fully identify with, such as a desert if someone is raised in a forest, the surrounding explanations are usually sufficient to enlighten people to whatever is being conveyed.
 
And yet, the spiritual truths that are tucked away in Scripture are so deep and so profound that to this day, people are still discovering new information from this word. Because of this, you will get out of the Bible whatever effort you put into it.
 
At the same time, some things are only meant to be properly understood or interpreted at specific times. God slowly releases the information, inspiring His people to understand His word according to His wisdom.
 
This is why new things continue to be found. So don’t be frustrated if something comes out and you think, “Why didn’t I get that!” There is enough in the word of God to satisfy the minds of His people until the consummation of all things comes to pass.
 
Keep reading, meditating, and studying His word. It is a treasure trove of God’s wisdom in relation to the process of redemption that is going on in the world around us.
 
Glorious God, what a wonderful word You have given us. Thank You for its insights into so many areas of life. When we pick it up and read it, it always seems relevant to what we need to hear right at that moment. What an amazing and relevant word You have given us! Amen.

Matthew 15:12

Sunday, 21 December 2025
 
Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” Matthew 15:12
 
“Then His disciples, having come near, they said to Him, ‘You have known that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that it isn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles a man. Rather, what comes out of his mouth is what does. Having said that, it next says, “Then His disciples, having come near.”
 
Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees, probably without the others grouped around them. Room was allowed for Jesus to engage in the conversation without interruption, but still close enough that the disciples could hear and learn.
 
Once the conversation with them was finished, Jesus called to the crowd, and with an implicit rebuke to these leaders, told the people His words about what defiles a man and what doesn’t. After He said this, the disciples, probably seeing the leaders go off in a huff, came to Jesus to personally address Him. Once with Him, “they said to Him, ‘You have known.’”
 
This is not a question, as translations imply. The verb is a perfect participle without any form of negation to indicate a question is being proposed. The participle signifies a completed action with a state that continues into the present. More likely, it is an exclamation, “You have known!”
 
They were completely surprised that Jesus said what He said, knowing it would elicit a negative response. He was aware of what would happen, and He continued in that state, knowing they were miffed. That is explained in their next words, “that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!”
 
The word translated as stumbled is rightly paraphrased as “offended.” They took offense at Jesus’ rebuke concerning transgressing God’s commandment. They were offended at His continued rebuke of them for being hypocrites by placing tradition above that commandment. They were offended at His citation of Isaiah, which pointed directly at their hypocrisy, even suggesting that Isaiah was referring specifically to them.
 
And if they heard His words to the crowd, they would have been offended at what He said to them as well. He had taken their tradition and spoken against it to the general public, taunting them with His wisdom that was superior to their poor, self-centered customs.
 
Life application: Jesus came on a mission. It was to fulfill the Mosaic Covenant and introduce a New Covenant in its place. However, as long as the Old Covenant was in effect, He defended it while still implying that something better was to be found in Him.
 
There is nothing contradictory in this. The words of the covenant, along with their associated penalties for disobedience, were written down. Obedience was not optional. However, within the Mosaic code, which included the later writings, Jeremiah prophesied a day when God would cut a New Covenant with Israel.
 
Jeremiah never said, “This is great! Now we are no longer under this covenant, and we are free from the curses and the punishment.” Instead, he acknowledged Israel’s transgressions and accepted that their punishment was just and deserved.
 
Jesus, likewise, conveyed this same truth to Israe l. They would remain bound to the Mosaic code until they came to Him. Knowing they wouldn’t, He prophesied of all the disasters that would come upon them.
 
If those disasters came upon them, which were according to the Mosaic Covenant, then that means, by default, that they are still, even to this day, bound to that law. Unfortunately, because the Mosaic law is fulfilled by Jesus, it is no longer what God accepts in order to be right with Him.
 
They will build a temple. The rites and sacrifices associated with it will take place. And not one iota of what they do will be accepted by God. Rather, this will only continue to keep them from any possible right relationship with Him. Until they realize this, forsaking the law by coming to Christ, they will continue to suffer terrible times.
 
Jesus is the key to understanding all of Scripture and the entire history of the Jewish people. Pray for them as they continue to rebel against Him through their rejection of Jesus. It is right that we do so.
 
Lord God, we lift up the nation of Israel to You. Along with all the other lost souls in the world, they need Jesus. We pray that many will come to know Him before the rapture. After that day, hard choices will need to be made by them. Open their eyes to the glory of Jesus our Lord, O God. Amen.

Matthew 15:11

Saturday, 20 December 2025
 
Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Matthew 15:11
 
“Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus called for the attention of the crowd to “Hear and understand.” He now explains to them, “Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man.”
 
This is based on the shocked attitude of the scribes and Pharisees as the chapter opened –
 
“Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying, 2 ‘Through what – Your disciples, they sidestep the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they may eat bread.’” Matthew 15:1, 2
 
Jesus then went through an explanation of how these same people who had set up traditions were actually violating God’s law. Because of this, their hearts were far from God. What the people ate, regardless of any external washings of hands, pitchers, bowls, etc., was clean.
 
It was something God had given to man for food to sustain him, and that was its purpose. A man is not rendered unclean by such things. However, He continues, saying, “but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”
 
He has already explained the meaning of this in His citing of Isaiah. What God finds deplorable are those who disobey Him, or even those who obey Him, but do it with an evil heart. Because the disciples missed the point of Jesus’ words, He will have to explain the intent more fully in verses 18-20 of this chapter.
 
Life application: Missing the point of what is going on, Charles Ellicott, citing the general tenor of innumerable scholars, pastors, preachers, and teachers, says –
 
“Now a great broad principle is asserted, which not only cut at the root of Pharisaism, but, in its ultimate tendency. swept away the whole Levitical system of ceremonial purity—the distinction between clean and unclean meats and the like. It went, as the amazement of the disciples showed, far beyond their grasp as yet. Even after the day of Pentecost, Peter still prided himself on the observance of the Law which was thus annulled, and boasted that he had never ‘eaten anything common or unclean (Acts 10:14).’” Charles Ellicott, et. al.
 
The last thing on this planet that Jesus would have done is to hint that the Levitical law (the Levitical system of ceremonial purity) was done or that it could be ignored or sidestepped. He was born under the law, and He abided by it, fully and completely. To not have done so, or to have taught others to not do so, would have been to fail fulfilling... Anyone? – Yes, the law!
 
“Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.” Deuteronomy 27:26
 
More to the point, however, is that Jesus would have been taken out and stoned as a lawbreaker if He were to have promoted ignoring God’s law. What Jesus is telling these people is something they would have understood from the context of their lives under the law. There were certain foods they were allowed to eat and certain foods they were not permitted to eat.
 
There were also times when foods were rendered impure as well. Jesus is not speaking of these things, nor would the people have thought He was. Jesus was questioned about ceremonial washing. As noted, Mark gives more details, saying –
 
“Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.” Mark 7:2-4
 
This is what these religious leaders were referring to and what Jesus was likewise referring to. The law deemed eating a camel as unclean. Not a person there would have thought or taught differently. The same is true with pigs, bats, bunny rabbits, and lobsters.
 
Mixing Peter’s misunderstanding of the fulfillment and ending of the law in Acts 10 (and elsewhere) with what was occurring under the law is a doctrinal error known as “mixing dispensations.” Jesus is speaking to the people of Israel, to whom the law was given. The law had not yet been fulfilled, and it was in full effect upon every person of Israel.
 
Only after Christ Jesus fulfilled the law did it lose its force, power, and effect over those with faith in Christ Jesus’ fulfillment of it. This is why Israel, to this day, still stands condemned through failure to uphold the law. They bound themselves to it by covenant agreement. They rejected Jesus’ fulfillment of it, and thus, in God’s eyes, they remain under its full penalty for failing to adhere to it.
 
The main theme of this life application is DO NOT MIX DISPENSATIONS. What belongs to the law remains under the dispensation of the law. What belongs to the grace of God in Christ belongs to the dispensation of grace. Keep the boxes separate, and your doctrine will be simple, sound, and sensationally super.
 
Lord God Almighty, give us wisdom to rightly apply dispensational understanding to our study of Your word. Without it, we will be contradicting, misunderstanding, and unsatisfying in our understanding of what it is instructing us. May our understanding be sensationally super through a right application of this important doctrine. Amen.

Matthew 15:10

Friday, 19 December 2025
 
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Matthew 15:10
 
“And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, ‘You hear and comprehend!’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus finished citing the words of Isaiah, which He had said rightly referred to the scribes  and Pharisees. Next, He will begin a new thought, but one which is still connected to His ongoing words against these leaders of Israel. The words begin with, “And having summoned the crowd.”
 
This would be the crowd gathered in the land of Gennesaret, as noted in verse 14:34. They would have seen the ongoing dispute the scribes and Pharisees had with Jesus. With His words to them complete, He turns to the crowd to instruct them on the matter.
 
This is particularly important because the scribes and Pharisees would have been considered the cream of the crop in religious circles. The people would have heard them and accepted their word concerning such matters. And yet, Jesus had strongly refuted them, directly quoting Scripture to make His point.
 
With that complete, He turns to the crowd. One can see the scribes and Pharisees still there while Jesus ignores any further discourse with them. Instead, He addresses the people in what will turn out to be a stinging rebuke of these religious leaders. It will conclude His thoughts about what they presented to Him in verse 15:2. Understanding this, Matthew records, “He said to them, ‘You hear and comprehend!’”
 
The crowds have been filing away the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees all their lives. Anytime they needed to know a matter, it would be these men who would be consulted for a definitive answer to their question.
 
In this case, however, Jesus will address the crowds directly. Saying, “You hear and comprehend,” is like saying, “Pay careful heed. I have an important matter for you to hear and then file away for future reference when these people come to you with their faulty conclusions concerning this matter.”
 
Life application: In any argument, be it religious, political, mechanical, structural, nuclear, etc., the only thing that matters is what is true. Truth can be defined as “that which corresponds to reality.” If two nuclear scientists disagree on the effects of adding tritium into the fission process when developing a nuclear bomb, there are certain parameters that can be determined by mathematical calculations.
 
The calculations will determine the truth of the matter. But if one scientist continues to disagree, building a bomb with the disputed amount of tritium and igniting it will resolve the matter. Likewise, if someone says that he wants to build a skyscraper in a certain way, there are calculations to determine if his plans will succeed or fail.
 
If a point of stress is misidentified or ignored, the entire structure could fail and come tumbling down. When debating religion, it doesn’t matter how someone “feels” about a matter. If what he says contradicts Scripture, it doesn’t matter if he claims the Spirit told him, God spoke to him, he had a dream or a vision, etc. If Scripture is God’s standard in understanding Him, then such claims are irrelevant.
 
People all over the world, and also for the past two thousand years, have made claims about matters of faith, doctrine, inspiration, etc. And yet, none of them has added a single word to God’s word. It is true that some have claimed such additions, like Ellen G. White of the Seventh Day Adventists and Joseph Smith of the Mormons.
 
However, their writings, which are supposedly inspired by God, have only caused division, confusion, and apostasy from the truth of Scripture.
 
Therefore, when talking to someone about matters of doctrine or theology, there must be a basis for any disagreement, meaning a standard by which the matter can be resolved. If someone claims he has had a dream that tells him something and it contradicts Scripture, then either Scripture is wrong, or his dream is false.
 
If the standard that is set is Scripture, then the dream, by default, must be false. However, if the claim is made that the dream is valid, there is no longer a standard by which the two can dispute the matter. You are now arguing apples and oranges. There is absolutely no point in continuing the discussion.
 
This is what Jesus faced. He was given a supposed standard. That standard was not in accord with Scripture. As such, He cited Scripture and ended the discussion, instead turning to the crowds to present information based on His conclusion.
 
Don’t be duped into arguments with people who have no set standard that you can agree upon. You are wasting your time and will inevitably bolster their nutty ideas in their own minds and possibly in the minds of others. 
 
Lord God, Your word instructs us concerning when to engage a dispute and when to step away from one. Give us wisdom to apply this to our own lives as we encounter those who have made claims on matters related to Scripture. Help us to know when to engage and when to disengage from such matters. Amen.

Matthew 15:9

Thursday, 18 December 2025
 
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15:9
 
“And vainly they revere Me,Teaching instructions – men’s injunctions.” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus cited the first half of Isaiah 29:13. He now completes citing that verse, beginning with, “And vainly they revere Me.”
 
Two new words are seen. The first is matén. It gives the sense of an unsuccessful search. Adverbially, it then signifies something done aimlessly, to no purpose or in vain. The second is sebó, to revere.
 
Jesus, being the Lord who reads the hearts and minds, had seen numerous generations of men come and go, one after the other, paying lip service to Him while their hearts were turned far from Him. In His incarnation, He knew how they worshiped God, and He called them out for it. Their holding tradition above the commandments of God was one of the ways in which this was done.
 
Further, He continues the citation, saying, “Teaching instructions – men’s injunctions.” Two more new words are seen. The first is didaskalia, instruction. That is derived from the noun, didaskalos, an instructor. That, in turn, is from the verb didaskó, to teach, which is also found in this same clause.
 
They are “teaching instructions” which are “men’s injunctions.” This includes the next new word, entalma, an injunction or religious precept that focuses “on the result of following the directive to its end” (HELPS Word Studies). In this case, they are derived from men. Thus, the instruction does not have the ultimate goal of glorifying God, but satisfying man in some manner.
 
Looking at the verses again, we can see the structure.
 
And vainly they revere Me,Teaching instructions – men’s injunctions.
 
The “vainly” corresponds to “men’s injunctions,” while the “revere” is directed to the instructions. In this case, the reverence should have been directed toward God, but the instruction belies the supposed intent, leading to the satisfaction of man, not the glorification of God.
 
Life application: When you go to church, pay attention to the things done in the church as it is conducted. What is the goal and purpose of what is being done? When songs are sung, are people truly glorifying God through them, or are they “me” centered? If the church wants you to wear a certain type of clothes, is it because God will be glorified, or that some pet peeve of man is being imposed on the people?
 
Pay attention to the various aspects of the service and see if they match what the Bible instructs or omits as instruction. The psalms are written to glorify God. That is their intent and purpose. The type of clothing expected in church is never addressed. However, a poor man’s clothing is spoken of by James. How such a person with his raggedy clothing is treated is highlighted by him.
 
Quite often, you’ll find that a church has devolved into a “me” centered group. The things they do have nothing to do with honoring God or being obedient to His precepts. Such things will often have the opposite effect by moving people away from sound worship. Eventually, some will rebel and just stop going to church.
 
Legalism is an infection in the church. Me-centered worship only increases the neurosis of the congregation because their eyes are always directed at sinful beings whose faults and limitations are not being addressed in a God-centered manner.
 
If you see something in a church that is following a path that directs people from proper worship, it is right to address it. Asking why things are done as they are is proper. There is no need to be accusing or finger-pointing at such times. But it is right to know why the church does things as they are done. Usually, tradition has stepped in and taken over for a heartfelt worship of the Lord. Getting back to the basics will be a breath of fresh air as proper God-centered worship is encouraged.
 
Lord God, may our lives be directed to You at all times. Help us not to get stuck in unhealthy ruts in life that keep us from a close and personal walk with You. Instead, may our hearts be open to You at all times, and may our worship and praise of You flow from hearts of gratitude and joy in You. Amen.

Matthew 15:8

Wednesday, 17 December 2025
 
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me. Matthew 15:8
 
“He neared Me, this people – the mouth,And the lips – he honors Me,And their heart, it distances far from Me” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus called the scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites. He then noted that Isaiah had rightly spoken of them. What Isaiah said is next cited by Jesus, saying –
 
“He neared Me, this people – the mouth.” The words begin the quote of Isaiah 29:13. It is what people do when they speak about, praise, thank, or petition the Lord. They will draw near to Him with the mouth. The words are in a common Hebrew form of speaking.
 
First, the people are referred to in the singular through a masculine verb, as if one man, “He neared me.” It is then explained by the words, “this people.” From there, the plural is given when speaking of the individual mouth of each person, “their mouth.”
 
The Lord acknowledges this form of expression. As a collective, the people truly near themselves to the Lord. And more, He acknowledges, “And the lips – he honors Me.”
 
It happened all over Israel as people would call out, honoring the Lord with their lips. One can think of any apostate church. They will draw themselves near to the Lord in their words. In those words, there will be great words of honor and adoration for God. However, it is all done falsely as Jesus next notes while still citing Isaiah, “And their heart, it distances far from Me.”
 
A new word is seen, the adverb porró, far. It is derived from the preposition pro, forward (as in proceed, project, etc.). Thus, it refers to something at a distance. The point is that even though the people openly draw near to the Lord, honoring Him with their lips, the true substance of who they are (the heart) remains a far distance from Him.
 
One can think of a church with a lesbian preacher or priest, such as is quite common in many mainstream denominations today. They stand in the pulpit, raise their hands, and say, “We honor You, Lord of the universe. We call on You to send Your Spirit upon us anew today.”
 
The fact is that if they were honoring the Lord, she wouldn’t have been appointed, and she wouldn’t be a lesbian. There is no heart for the Lord. Instead, there is a show-and-pretend religion. This type of pretense allows people to claim they are right with God when their lives and actions deny any relationship with Him at all.
 
One can see the patterns in Isaiah’s words that are common in Hebrew writings –
 
“He neared Me, this people – the mouth,And the lips – he honors Me,And their heart, it distances far from Me”
 
Nearing and honoring are set in parallel and then contrasted to distancing. The mouth and the lips are set in parallel and then contrasted to the heart. At the same time, the first two clauses are reversed in order, though parallel in thought. In the third line, the word “far” is given to accentuate the truth of the matter. The structure calls out for thought and then an active consideration of the state of those it is referring to.
 
Life application: One of the joys of reading many different translations is that the mind can think differently when seeing things laid out differently. The translators of the LSV disagree, saying, “While some readers may prefer paragraph breaks in narrative and line breaks in poetic portions for the purpose of readability, it was the decision of the translators to mimic the style of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek autographs in presenting God’s word as a continuous text block. ... Furthermore, the modern trend even extended to differentiating the words of Christ in red letters, as if God’s word should be divided in such a way. The LSV is the polar opposite, regarding the entirety of Scripture as God-breathed, with its different genres of literature resting on a level playing field.”
 
That is ridiculous. First, the translators admit that there are purposeful markers within the text that naturally break the flow of the reading for the mind of the reader. Why shouldn’t such marks be variously employed for the modern reader in his own language?
 
But more poignantly, as noted above, there is almost no punctuation or capitalization in the original manuscripts. There are also no chapter or verse divisions. To use their logic in a consistent way would mean that they should do the same thing and have everything follow a simple block format with no other markings, including capitalization, punctuation, etc. It would be insane for an English reader to even bother reading such a translation, and so these changes are made.
 
A third point is that between the Old and New Testaments in their version, a painting is included in the hard copy translation. Where is that found in the original manuscripts? As nice as the painting is, was that painted by God as breathed out through His Spirit? Obviously not. It is a hypocritical thing to say one thing and do another. These and many other translational changes by them demonstrate that their words in the preface do not align with their translation at all.
 
As for the text itself with the various formatting differences, at what point does it become “wrong” to make a translation more understandable for the reader? This is the fallacy of the beard, and the LSV translators entered into it just when the beard was enough to tickle the faces of baby readers who first pick it up. Others have a beard a bit longer and can tickle even toddlers. While others choose for the beard to be fully grown and mature.
 
Don’t get legalistic! Get into the word! How it is formatted is something each reader will find suitable to his own needs. So, look through the next Bible you want to read, see if it will help you in your reading, and buy that one.
 
Lord God, You have given us the freedom to translate Your word, highlighting nuances for the benefit of the reader, setting parts off for greater clarity and understanding, and so forth. Thank You for those who have done the hard work so that we can more fully appreciate this wonderful word You have given us. Amen.