BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 16:1

Sunday, 18 January 2026
 
Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. Matthew 16:1
 
“And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven” (CG).
 
The previous verse closed out Chapter 15. Matthew 16 begins with, “And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
 
It is similar to the two groups who approached Jesus to open Matthew 15 –
 
“Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying...”
 
“And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees...”
 
Their presence is consistently presented as antagonistic and challenging. Each time they show up, it is certain that a dispute of some sort is ahead. Jesus, understanding this, is always ready to stand against their challenges. This time, they have come “testing.”
 
In other words, they may have just heard of Jesus’ miracle of feeding the four thousand and are suspicious about how He did it. They may suppose He had gone to the area a few days earlier and dug underground bunkers, filling them with enough bread to feed an army. How else could such a thing have transpired?
 
As such, they are testing Him, looking for a validation that He can really make the miraculous come about. Therefore, “they queried Him to display to them a sign from heaven.”
 
A new word is seen here, epideiknumi, to display. It is derived from epi, upon, and deiknumi, to show. Thus, it literally would be to “upon-show.” The word is found only seven times. Reading the context of those seven uses, one can see that “display” gives the proper sense.
 
Unfortunately, pretty much every translation punts and says “show,” the same translation as deiknumi. Thus, the reader will never know that a more poignant thought is being conveyed. They are asking for an actual display of a sign, as if Jesus could hold it in His hands, put it on like a garment, or set it before them as a piece of heavenly evidence.
 
This is the second time they have asked for something like this –
 
“Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You.” Matthew 12:38
 
“And having approached the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven.” Matthew 16:1
 
Apparently, Jesus doing a sign has been elevated to Jesus displaying a sign from heaven. If their request is, in fact, based on having heard about the feeding of the multitudes, they have gone from wanting a miraculous sign from Jesus to a magnitude greater, demanding one from heaven.
 
Elisha had multiplied bread in 2 Kings 4. Being an account in their Scriptures, it was considered a divinely sourced miracle. As such, and as the claim is that Jesus did this, they now want something greater, perhaps fire from heaven.
 
Life application: People want more than the written word. It is as if the masses have an insatiable hunger to have proof that God is God and that He is as He claims. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 1 –
 
“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25
 
Perfectly understanding the question of the Pharisees and Sadducees, because he was a Pharisee, Paul says that Jews request a sign. Having lived and evangelized among the nations, Paul also fully understood the Greek mind, always seeking after wisdom.
 
Such people want proof of what they have been told. There is nothing wrong with thinking things through, but it is an entirely different level when God says XX, and we demand that He prove XX. Who are we to question God?
 
Rather, if we read the Bible and understand that it answers to the needs of humanity, we should then, by faith, accept God’s word and, by faith, acknowledge what it says about Jesus, the gospel, and our eternal hope.
 
To many people, videos about dreams, books about coming back from the dead, and attending churches with supposed miraculous events are what life in Christ is about. But those things are opposed to life in Christ.
 
God is pleased with faith in His faithless people. So even a little bit will do. Have faith and be pleasing to God.
 
O God, may Your word be enough to guide our hearts and minds. Help us to faithfully follow You and trust in Your word and the promises found in it. May we not seek or demand that which is contrary to faith. Help us to have this attitude, O God. Amen.
 

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 15 and Ezra

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 15 and Ezra
For BibleInTen.com - By DH, 17th January 2026
Welcome back to Bible in Ten!    
Today, we have another bonus episode as our daily commentary from the Superior Word closes out Matthew Chapter 15.
Matthew’s Gospel contains 28 chapters, and remarkably, it mirrors the first 28 books of the Old Testament as arranged in the Christian Bible.So in this episode, having concluded our walk through Matthew 15, we’ll now look at its fascinating counterpart: Book 15 of the Old Testament-Ezra.
Please do check the last episode to see how Chapter 15 of Matthew gives a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. The verses, though literally occurring at the time of Jesus, point to truths after the completion of Jesus’ ministry.
Authority from Jerusalem 
Matthew 15 opens with scribes and Pharisees coming from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus.
Jerusalem represents authority still bound to Sinai.
Ezra came from Babylon to Jerusalem as a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses.
That was necessary then. But Matthew 15 shows what happens after the Law has been fulfilled.
The authority remains -  but the life is gone.
Paul explains this tension in Galatians:
“Jerusalem which now is… is in bondage with her children.”
The challenge to Jesus does not come from pagans -   but from Law-bound religion.
2. Tradition Replacing God’s Word 
In verses 2 through 9,  Jesus exposes the condition of Israel.
They honor God with lips, but their hearts are far away.
Ezra saw the same problem.
Israel had returned from exile. The Temple was rebuilt. But the heart problem remained.
Ezra tore his garments and confessed:
“After all that has come upon us… should we again break Your commandments?”
External obedience never cured internal rebellion.
Matthew 15 shows that the problem has hardened.
3. Where Defilement Truly Comes From 
Jesus says:
“What goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but what comes out of it.”
This is more than food.
It is proclamation.
Israel refuses to confess Jesus.
Paul later explains:
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart… you will be saved.”
Defilement is not ritual failure.
It is rejecting the Rock.
Ezra spoke of a land defiled by peoples and practices. Jesus reveals the deeper truth - defilement flows from the heart outward.
4. Blind Leaders and Separation 
Jesus then says something severe:
“Let them alone.”
Blind leaders. Blind followers.
Ezra enforced physical separation. Jesus declares spiritual separation.
Same judgment. Different stage of history.
The Law has reached its limit.
5. A Turn Toward the Gentiles 
Verse 21 is pivotal.
Jesus goes out from there to Tyre and Sidon.
Ezra’s restoration preserved Israel. Jesus now expands the promise.
Tyre means Rock. Sidon means Fishery and fish relates to increase.
Israel abandoned their Rock. The nations who receive Him will increase.
A Canaanite woman approaches - humbled, persistent, faithful.
Ezra allowed Gentiles who separated from uncleanness to join Israel.
Jesus reveals the heart of that principle.
Faith, not bloodline, is the door.
6. Bread, Crumbs, and Faith
Jesus speaks of children’s bread.
The woman doesn’t argue.
She trusts.
“Even the crumbs are enough.”
This is not rebellion against Israel.
It is trust in Israel’s Messiah.
Ezra guarded the holy vessels carefully. Jesus shows that grace is not diminished by sharing.
Faith gathers what Law could only preserve.
7. The Mountain and the Multitudes 
Jesus ascends a mountain near the Sea of Galilee - Liberty.
A great gathering forms.
Ezra gathered Israel to restore covenant order. Jesus gathers the nations under Himself.
Broken people come. They are healed.
And Matthew records something unique:
“They glorified the God of Israel.”
The Gentiles now do what Israel was called to do.
Paul later says:
“That the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.”
8. Bread, Fulness, and Preservation 
The feeding of the four thousand follows.
Three days. Divine fullness.
Seven loaves. Spiritual completeness.
Four thousand - the world number.
Ezra preserved what was holy by careful accounting.
Jesus preserves what is holy by abundance.
Seven large baskets remain.
Nothing is lost.
The fullness of the Gentiles comes in while Israel remains partially blinded.
9. Toward the Tower of God
The chapter ends with a quiet note.
Jesus goes to Magdala - Migdal-El, the Tower of God.
Not Babel. Not the tower of man.
Ezra ended with restored order. Matthew 15 points toward final deliverance.
Ezra shows us what faithfulness under the Law looked like.
Matthew 15 shows us what happens when grace takes the field.
The Rock rejected by Israel becomes the foundation of the nations.
CONCLUSION
Ezra supports the typological interpretation of Matthew 15 because it provides the historical “control text” that shows Matthew follows an existing biblical pattern.   
The reason Ezra confirms the typological reading of Matthew 15 is that Ezra provides the final Old Covenant pattern.   Matthew typologically provides the New Covenant pattern.
In Ezra, Israel is restored to the land, the Law is fully reinstated, scribal authority is established, separation is enforced, and a remnant is preserved - yet the heart problem remains unresolved.
Matthew 15 follows that same sequence in order: authority from Jerusalem, Law elevated through tradition, defilement exposed, separation declared, a preserved remnant, and then a movement beyond Israel to the Gentiles. The difference is that what Ezra preserves under the Law, Jesus resolves through Himself. Because Matthew follows Ezra’s structure rather than inventing a new one, the typology is not imaginative - it is controlled, historical, and intentional.
Matthew 15 is not merely a series of confrontations, healings, and feedings, nor is it simply a lesson about religious hypocrisy or personal faith, as it is often reduced to in casual teaching. Rather, it is also a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture.
What Ezra records historically - Israel restored under the Law, preserved through separation, yet still bound by the limitations of Sinai - Jesus reveals prophetically. Matthew 15 walks through that same reality step by step: Jerusalem-based authority bound to tradition, a people near in speech but distant in heart, blindness leading blindness, separation declared, and then a decisive movement outward to the nations.
Ezra preserves a remnant under the Law. Jesus gathers a people by grace.
Ezra safeguards holiness through consolidation and exclusion. Jesus reveals holiness through mercy, healing, and abundance.
Seen together, these chapters show that Matthew 15 is not simply about what happened on a particular day in Galilee, but about what God has been doing in redemptive history from the close of the Old Covenant to the fullness of the New. It is the Law reaching its limit and Christ stepping into that space - not to abolish what came before, but to fulfill it.
Matthew 15, read through Ezra, becomes a sweeping retelling of Israel’s restoration, its partial blindness, the inclusion of the Gentiles, and the preservation of God’s people - all centered on the person of Jesus Christ, the true Rock, the Bread of Life, and the Lord of the harvest.
Lord God, we thank You for Your word - holy, faithful, and true.
We confess that it is easy to handle Scripture carelessly, to bend it toward our own ideas, or to use it as a tool rather than receive it as a gift.
Guard our hearts from pride.Guard us from turning truth into traditionand obedience into self-righteousness.
Teach us to read Your word with reverence,to see Christ where You have revealed Him,and to submit ourselves to what You have spoken.
May Your grace reach deeper than our habits,deeper than our defenses,and deeper than our fears.
And may our lives reflect not just knowledge of Your law,but the transforming mercy found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
To Your glory alone.Amen.
 
Before we close this episode, we want to share something very simple and very personal.
The following song was made up and sung by our Gracie when she could barely speak. She created the words herself and sang it from her heart. It’s hard to understand in places, and it’s certainly not theologically precise - but that’s actually part of why it feels so fitting here.
In Matthew 15, Jesus reminds us that what truly matters is not polished words, tradition, or perfect expression, but the heart. This little song isn’t about getting everything right; it’s about love, trust, and a heart turned toward Jesus.
So we’ll let it stand just as it is - imperfect, sincere, and honest - a small reminder that faith begins in the heart even before it can be explained.
>>>> Grace sings “I love you Jesus” >>>> 

Matthew 15:39

Saturday, 17 January 2026
 
And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. Matthew 15:39
 
Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)
 
You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).
 
“And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it was noted that there were four thousand men, besides women and children, who comprised the multitudes Jesus fed. With that portion of the narrative complete, and to close out the chapter, Matthew next notes, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat.”
 
They have been on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. With this cycle of attending to a Gentile woman in the allotments of Tyre and Sidon noted, followed by a time in the Gentile-led eastern regions near the Decapolis completed, He got into a boat, “and He came to the borders of Magdala.”
 
This is a location not named this way anywhere else in Scripture. Some manuscripts note the location as Magadan, meaning Megiddo, but that is incorrect based on Matthew 16:5, which notes they are still in the region of the lake. Rather, the town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38.
 
This is also known as Al-Majdal (Mejdel) on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberias. Mark 8:10 notes that when they got in the boat, they came to the allotments of Dalmanutha. Saying it this way, there is no contradiction to be found. Just as Jesus went to the “allotments” of Tyre and Sidon, meaning the surrounding areas, in Matthew 15:21, so they went to Magdala in the allotments, meaning the surrounding areas, of Dalmanutha.
 
Life application: Chapter 15 of Matthew gives a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. The verses, though literally occurring at the time of Jesus, point to truths after the completion of Jesus’ ministry. The New Covenant is now what God is doing in the world. Israel as a whole, however, rejected that.
 
Though they no longer observe the Law of Moses, they remain bound to it. During this dispensation, they are spiritually led by rabbis, both in their writings in the Talmud as well as in their cultural and religious life.
 
These are reflected by the scribes and Pharisees who came from Jerusalem (verse 1) to challenge Jesus. Paul explains in Galatians 4:21-31 that the earthly Jerusalem reflects them and their teaching. The main point for now says –
 
“But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:23-26
 
In verses 2-9, Jesus explains the state of Israel at this time, living by the laws of men rather than by the law of God. After the introduction of the New Covenant, the law of God is not the Law of Moses. Rather, that is fulfilled.
 
At this time, religious Israel draws near to the Lord with their lips, but their hearts, because of their rejection of Jesus, are far away from Him.
 
In verse 11, Jesus stated that what goes into the mouth does not defile. Rather, what comes out of it does. Though that was a truth concerning the traditions of these elders, it is a truth that is spiritually seen in Israel to this day. They refuse to proclaim Jesus.
 
This is their defilement. But what does Paul say concerning this? In Romans 10, he says –
 
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
 
The only thing that can cleanse a person from sin is Jesus. Anything else, meaning any other proclamation, defiles that person. As such, Jesus says in verse 14 to let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, and both will fall into a pit.
 
In verse 15, Jesus reexplained to dull Peter (later, the Apostle to the Jews) the matter of the heart and what it is that causes defilement. While Israel remains in their state of defilement because of their oral proclamations, something else takes place. This is seen in verse 21, where Jesus “went out from there,” meaning from the Jewish people to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile area.
 
Tyre (Hebrew: Tsor) signifies Rock. While Israel abandoned their Rock, the Gentiles received Him. That this is speaking of Christ is seen, for example, in Deuteronomy 32:32, where it says, “For their rock is not like our Rock.” There are those who are confident in their rock (tsur), and yet their rock is not the Lord who is the Rock (tsur).
 
Sidon (Hebrew: Tsidon) signifies Fishery. It is a place for catching fish. Everyone is like a fish. When Jesus said to Simon and Andrew that they would be fishers of men, He meant that men are like fish to be caught.
 
While in this area (verse 22), a Canaanite woman came to Jesus and begged for compassion for her demon-possessed daughter. Canaan signifies Humbled, Humiliated, or even Subdued. She pictures those of faith who have humbled themselves before the word of Christ.
 
The issue is the daughter. In Scripture, a son or a daughter is representative of the state of something. A “son of death,” for example, is a person deserving of death. That is his state. A daughter, in this case, is the state of a group of people, such as “daughter of Jerusalem,” “daughter of Tarshish,” etc. What is the state of the Daughter of the Humbled who are also Gentiles?
 
Jesus said in verse 24 that He had come “if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost’ – House Israel.” Despite there being a New Covenant, with whom was that covenant made? The answer is found in both Jeremiah and Hebrews –
 
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31
 
The early church did not understand that the word was to go to the Gentiles. That is a major subject found in Acts. It is representative of the disciples’ comments found previously in verse 23 when they told Jesus to dismiss her.
 
It literally took an act of God to get them to see that the New Covenant included Gentiles, first with the Ethiopian eunuch and then the house of Cornelius. Jesus’ calling, though, to redeem the House of Judah and Israel, is inclusive of the Gentiles of faith, as seen in this account. It is something prophesied in Isaiah 49:6, but which is revealed in typology here.
 
The woman was told that it wasn’t “good to take the children’s bread and cast to the puppies.” In the Bible, dogs represent Gentiles. That is seen in the Caleb series of sermons. Caleb, kalev, is from kelev, dog. It is also seen in the account of Gideon and his men, who lapped like dogs, a typological picture dealing with the Gentiles.
 
The woman didn’t argue Jesus’ point. Instead, she noted that “even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master’s table.” Jesus thus remarked concerning her great faith, something evidenced in the Gentile world. At that time, it noted the child was cured. Salvation, in fact, is also directed to the Gentiles. They are brought into the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).
 
From there, verse 29 said of Jesus that “He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there.” The Galilee has previously been explained as “the Liberty.” It is a picture of freedom from sin. As sin stems from a violation of law, it ultimately signifies freedom from law.
 
A mountain in the Bible represents a lot of something gathered. In typology, it is synonymous with a large but centralized group of people. Though it is only stated in Mark, the last area noted was the Decapolis, a Gentile controlled area.
 
Thus, this is typologically referring to a large but centralized group (meaning under Jesus) of Gentile people. The Canaanite woman already established that, but this is an extension of the thought, explaining the result of the dispensation of the Gentiles. In other words, “What will happen in the world once it is established that Gentiles are to be included in the New Covenant?”
 
In verses 30 and 31, multitudes came to Jesus for healing, so many that they were strewn about Him. It is reflective of the broken Gentile world coming to Christ for healing and salvation. As many came, He healed them so that “they glorified the God of Israel.”
 
As noted at that time, the term is unique in the New Testament. It suggested the presence of Gentiles on the mountain, but it typologically asserts this fact. Paul’s ministry literally shouts out the parallel to this thought in Matthew –
 
“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:11, 12
 
Was the God of Israel glorified through this? The answer is found in Romans –
 
“Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,And sing to Your name.’” Romans 15:8, 9
 
And...
 
“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:18, 19
 
In verses 32-38, the feeding of the four thousand is recorded. Jesus said they had been with Him three days. In Scripture, three “stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. ... Hence the number three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.” Bullinger
 
The time these people have been with Jesus speaks of a divine fullness, something reflected in Romans 11:25, “that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” It goes right back to the state of Israel, noted in Matthew 15:14, where the blind are leading the blind.
 
While Israel is blinded, the blind of the Gentiles (Matthew 15:31) are brought to sight. The miracle of the bread (think of Jesus, the Bread of Life) and fish (a word which signifies “increase” in Hebrew) speaks of the immense harvest. There were seven loaves, the number of spiritual perfection, and a few tiddlers. However, they were enough to feed the multitude of four thousand. The number is a product of four and tens.
 
Four is the number of material creation, the world number. It speaks of the entirety of the world hearing the gospel, just as Jesus said it would. Ten is the number where nothing is wanting, and the whole cycle is complete. The entire world of the Gentiles will be evangelized before the end comes.
 
To demonstrate the immense harvest that will be realized in the church age, the baskets of fragments were collected, totaling seven large baskets. Notice the difference from the feeding of the five thousand –
 
“And they ate all, and they gorged, and they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full. 21And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
 
“And they ate all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. 38And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children.”
 
Whereas a remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the twelve small handbaskets (Greek: kophinos) was collected, there will be an immense harvest of the seven churches (as defined in Revelation 2 & 3), represented by the seven large hampers (Greek: spuris).
 
The chapter ended with a location only mentioned here in Scripture, saying of Jesus, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.”
 
The town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38. Migdal El is contrasted to the tower of man, meaning Babel and all that accompanies her. Thus, this is implicitly a picture of the ending of the church age, where believers are delivered from the Babylon of the end times recorded in Revelation.
 
To understand why these conclusions have been made, one should refer to the descriptions of these locations found in the Old Testament sermons given by the Superior Word. Each location, number, or other reference has been drawn from the information already recorded there. Thus, the typology is not new. It has already been seen and has been reused without change, confirming that this analysis of Matthew 15 is sound.
 
Lord God, Your word is beyond amazing. It is a lifeline for the soul caught in despair. It is a treasure for the seeker of riches. It is a guide for the path of our lives. And Lord, it is so much more. It is so glorious to enter into its pages and find rest for our souls in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Thank You for this precious word. Amen.
Matthew 15
 
15 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.”
 
3And answering, He said, to them, “Through what – also you, you sidestep the ‘God’s commandment’ through your tradition? 4For God, He enjoined, saying, ‘You honor your father and your mother,’ and the ‘disparaging father or mother,’ death – he expires!’ 5And you, you say, ‘Whoever, he should say to father or mother, “Gift – whatever if from me you should benefit.”’ 6And no, not he should honor his father or his mother. And you invalidated God’s commandment through your tradition. 7Hypocrites! Well, Isaiah, he prophesied concerning you, saying,
 
8‘He neared Me, this people – the mouth,
And the lips – he honors Me,
And their heart, it distances far from Me.
9And vainly they revere Me, 
Teaching instructions – men’s injunctions.’”
 
10And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, “You hear and comprehend! 11Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”
 
12Then His disciples, having come near, they said to Him, “You have known that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!” 13And having answered, He said, “Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father, it will be uprooted. 14You leave them! They are blind, blind-conductors. And blind, if they should conduct, both – they will fall into a pit.”
 
15And Peter, having answered, he said to Him, “You expound to us this parable.”
 
16And Jesus, He said, “And yet, you, you are unintelligent! 17Not yet you grasp that all, the ‘entering into the mouth,’ into the stomach it contains, and into the john it ejects? 18And those proceeding from the mouth, it comes from the heart, and those, it commonizes the man. 19For from the heart, they come: evil meanderings, murders, adulteries, harlotries, thefts, false-witnessings, blasphemies. 20These, they are, the ‘defiling the man,’ but to eat with unwashed hands, not it defiles the man.”
 
21And having departed thence, Jesus, He withdrew to the allotments – Tyre and Sidon. 22And you behold! A Canaanite woman from those same borders, having come, she cried to Him, saying, “You compassionate me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter, she is demon possessed-badly.”
 
23And He answered not a word.
 
And having approached, His disciples, they entreated Him, saying, “You dismiss her! For she cries after us.”
 
24And answering, He said, “Not, I was sent, if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost’ – House Israel.”
 
25And having come, she worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, You rush-relieve me!”
 
26And answering, He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and cast to the puppies.”
 
27And she said, “Yes, Lord. And even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master’s table.’”
 
28Then, Jesus answering, He said to her, “O! Woman, your faith is great! It become to you as you determine.” And she’s cured, her daughter, from that hour.
 
29And having departed thence, Jesus, He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there. 30And they came to Him, great crowds, having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes, and others – many, and they strewed them near Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. 31So too, the crowds marveled, seeing mutes speaking, cripples healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.
 
32And Jesus, having summoned His disciples, He said, “I gut-wrench upon the crowd because already three days they bivouac with Me, and naught they have that they may eat. And I wish not to dismiss them unfed, not lest they should collapse in the way.”
 
33And the disciples, they say to Him, “Whence to us in solitude – loaves so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?”
 
34And He says to them, Jesus, “How many loaves do you have?”
 
And they said, “Seven, and a few tiddlers.”
 
35And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground. 36And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked, He broke, and He gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd. 37And they ate, all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. 38And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.

Matthew 15:38

Friday, 16 January 2026
 
Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 15:38
 
“And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the multitudes ate, and yet, after the meal, the disciples took up seven hampers full of leftovers. With that stated, Matthew next reveals the size of the crowd, saying, “And those eating, they were four thousand men.”
 
It is a new word, tetrakischilioi, four thousand. It is derived from tessares, four, and chilioi, a thousand. Thus, it is four times a thousand, or simply four thousand. The number is derived from four and tens.
 
In the Bible, four, according to Bullinger, “always has reference to all that is created. It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the world as created; while six is the number of man in his opposition to and independence of God. It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the ‘city’ number.”
 
Ten “is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first decade is the representative of the whole numeral system, and originates the system of calculation called ‘decimals,’ because the whole system of numeration consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole. Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”
 
Of this number of men, Matthew adds, “besides women and children.” If one were to figure each man had a wife and two children, the crowd would have been about sixteen thousand. It is impossible to know if there were this many, more, or fewer, but it is a good estimation of those who were fed.
 
Life application: As the chapter is winding down, take time to think about all that has been going on. God is giving us information in the things Jesus does, the places He goes to, etc. There is the surface text, which is given to provide a literal historical account of what occurred. There is normally an underlying pictorial or typological story or truth being conveyed.
 
At times, there will be a prophetic application. And finally, there is usually a moral application to be considered. These will not always be included in every chapter, but they will be seen throughout the Bible for one who is attentive to what is being said.
 
And more, these four ways of viewing Scripture will often overlap. The main thing is to be careful not to insert information into the text. Rather, it is to be drawn out based on a reliable reading and understanding of the overall tenor of Scripture.
 
As an example, within twenty-four hours of having typed this commentary, a pastor was in the news saying that Jesus must have been “super gay” because He was always around twelve men. Not only is this an unfaithful reading of the life of Jesus, inserting a homosexual agenda into Scripture, but it is also a morally perverse statement.
 
The person teaching this will be held accountable for his blasphemous remarks. He thinks he is scoring points with a congregation, but what he is actually doing is storing up wrath in His day of condemnation.
 
Be careful to never take your own ideas about what a passage is saying and apply them to the word. The Bible is not about any one of us, what we hope for, or how we can manipulate it for some perceived profit. It is a holy word given to us by God to understand what He has done and is doing in redemptive history. Above all, it is a book pointing to His work in and through Jesus Christ. Be sure to always look at it from this perspective.
 
Lord God, it is terrible how people treat Your word, shame Your glory, and bring reproach upon themselves as they tear apart Your precious word. We know they will be dealt with, but it is troubling to us at this time. Help us to never bring discredit upon Your glorious name, but rather exalt You at all times. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.

Matthew 15:37

Thursday, 15 January 2026
 
So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Matthew 15:37
 
“And they ate, all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus took the loaves and fish, gave thanks, and broke them. He then gave them to the disciples who, in turn, passed them to the crowds. Of this event, it next says, “And they ate, all.”
 
It was noted in verse 30 that there were “great crowds.” Even without yet knowing the number, for all of them to have eaten, it means there would have had to have been a very large grocery store of bread and fish. And yet, all that was available were the seven loaves and a few fish.
 
Like the feeding of the five thousand, this is an assured miracle. Attempts to downplay it, as liberal scholars attempt to do, prove they have a purposeful agenda to deny the miraculous. And more, not only did they all eat, but it next says, “and they gorged.”
 
They didn’t just eat, but they ate until they were fully satisfied. This note is important because they could have symbolically taken the loaves and fish and broken off a teeny weeny, eensy weensy, speck of food for each person as a gesture of thanks. It would be akin to our modern Lord’s Supper, where a small piece of bread is taken by each person. But no, that wasn’t the case.
 
Rather, they all ate, and they all were gorged. But even more incredible are the next words, “and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full.”
 
Here is a new word, spuris. This is a large basket. In fact, a spuris was used in Acts 9:25 to secretly lower Paul down the wall of Damascus so that he could escape. It is unknown how big these baskets were, but they were quite large. The point then is that an immense amount of food was left over after the crowds had gorged themselves.
 
As an important side point, notice the very poor nature of the translation of these two verses:
 
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments [kophinos] that remained twelve baskets full. Matthew 14:20
 
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets [spuris] full. Matthew 15:37
 
The King James Version translated the two words, kophinos and spuris, with the same word. How can anyone rightly understand what is being conveyed without knowing that different things are being described? Without going to the original texts, people who have read the KJV wouldn’t have an inkling about the wonderful things God is conveying to us in His word.
 
Life application: Imagine the marvel of sitting on the mountain with Jesus and being so hungry that you think you will pass out as you start home. There are no stores around, everybody around you has eaten, and there are no wagons of food with Jesus and His disciples.
 
Now imagine that Jesus receives enough bread for a ceremonial thank offering to God. You are reminded that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Jesus has been tending to the people for three days with hardly any time out of the public view. And here He is, once again, tending to the people by teaching them that thanks to God is the most important thing of all.
 
As Jesus gives thanks, something seems to happen, something you know is unimaginable, and yet, you don’t know what it is. But there seems to be a sense of multiplication in the air? The anticipation of something unexpected arises. And then, suddenly, the disciples begin to pass out bread to everyone.
 
In fact, the hands of every person who reaches out are filled, even to the point that there is no way they could finish what they have been handed. No truck has pulled up, and there were no underground storage facilities opened. Rather, there was a loaf in the hand of the disciple, and when he handed it to a person, there was... another loaf in his hand.
 
This went on throughout the entire body of people. What is going on here?
 
Have you ever felt that Jesus’ grace and mercy will never extend to someone like you? Or have you ever thought that you have worn out any grace that you once received when you called on Jesus? The word tells us that it will never happen. No matter how fallen you are or how far you fall, when you reach out to Jesus, the supply of His tender mercies will continue to satisfy.
 
Now think of the magnitude of this aspect of Christ. He has been saving the worst of offenders for two thousand years. What did Paul say –
 
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:15-17
 
At the earliest point in church history, Paul was so bad that he thought he was the worst of all offenders. Since then, billions of “worst offenders” have been brought into a restored relationship with God because of Jesus. And what did Paul say the purpose of that is? It is to the honor and glory... of God!
 
He saves us because He is merciful and gracious, and He wants us to know this and consider it for all eternity. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is an inexhaustible source of life. Never make the error that your sin is so great that God has removed you from His list of the redeemed. Your sin is not greater than His goodness as found in Jesus Christ. No way, José.
 
Lord God Almighty, You are great and greatly to be praised. All glory, honor, and majesty belong to You, forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 15:36

Wednesday, 14 January 2026
 
And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. Matthew 15:36
 
“And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked, He broke, and He gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground. That continues now, saying, “And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked.”
 
As noted in the verse 34 commentary, the word ichthus, fish, is now used instead of ichthudion, tiddler. What was seen as insignificant by the disciples is acknowledged to be sufficient when Jesus receives it from their hands.
 
Also, a new word, eucharisteó, to give thanks or be thankful, is seen here. That is the basis for eucharistia, thankfulness, found first in Acts 24:3. These words are the etymological root group for our word eucharist, thankfulness.
 
Jesus was careful to set the example for those in attendance, ensuring the continued practice of giving thanks for the abundance God provides. After giving thanks, it says, “He broke, and He gave to His disciples.”
 
Considering that it was seven loaves and a few fish, giving it to the disciples already tells us that multiplication had taken place. Even if it were only the twelve, there wouldn’t be enough for each to have a full portion. And yet, they received something from Jesus’ hand. And more, the verse finishes with, “and the disciples to the crowd.”
 
Despite having done this in the recent past, the sensation of walking around vast multitudes of people, handing out bread without diminishing the amount you started with, must have been beyond exhilarating.
 
Even today, in a world where stores are filled with food, to see that accomplished would not fail to cause the one handing out the food to be utterly astonished at what was occurring.
 
Life application: Think of what happened, now for the second time, as these men handed out the food to the people. Now consider it in relation to the salvation provided by Jesus as well as the truths found in the pages of Scripture.
 
Jesus’ atonement was effectual not just for a few first-century Jews on the day of Pentecost. Rather, His salvation extended throughout much of the Roman Empire as recorded in the Bible. But since the completion of the Bible, it has continued to save people around the entire planet, and for a period that is now over two thousand years in duration.
 
There is an unlimited amount of salvation being passed out to the people of God. Indeed, if every person on the planet heard and received the message, every single one of them would be included in His salvation.
 
Likewise, the Bible has been feeding people for thousands of years. Even before it was completed, people were relying on it for their light, food, and understanding of God. But think of it! Since it was completed two thousand years ago, people are still, even day by day, discovering new patterns and hidden treasures in the word.
 
These things should give us complete confidence that God is in control and that we are being safely and assuredly carried along in our lives to a final, good destination. Living in a fallen world means troubles, uncomfortable times, pains, sadness, and loss.
 
None of us is getting out of here alive unless the Lord comes during our lifetime. Death is a part of life that is inescapable. So why should we fret over it? Its effects are but a temporary moment on the way to eternal glory.
 
No matter what we face, may it be with the hope-filled determination that we will live out our days giving thanks to God for the abundance He gives us in this walk of life. May He be our point of boasting and the recipient of all of our praise. Yes, may it be so.
 
Lord God, You are good, and all that You have done and are doing serves a good purpose. We may not see it as we face difficult times, but we can know it is true. Help us to have the right and positive attitude, regardless of what we face in this temporary walk. May we look ahead to the glory that You have promised us, knowing for certain that it will come. Amen.

Matthew 15:35

Tuesday, 13 January 2026
 
So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Matthew 15:35
 
“And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus asked the disciples how many loaves they had. The answer was seven, with a few tiddlers. With that in mind, it next says, “And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground.”
 
In Matthew 14, at the feeding of the five thousand, they were told to sit on the grass. In fact, John 6:10 notes there was much grass. Depending on how much later this is, and this state of abundant grass would not last long, there may have been only scorched grass or bare ground. The lack of the note of grass tends to suggest this.
 
It is probable, though unstated, that He had them sit in groups as before. This would simplify passing things out. It would also allow for counting the people more accurately.
 
Life application: The lack of noting grass is an important clue concerning the timing of the event. As summer closes in, the land quickly heats up, and such vegetation hastily dries out. The seasons in Israel are distinct, and throughout the Bible, the Lord uses them to teach truths concerning many things.
 
For example, of the grass, it says –
 
“The grass withers, the flower fades,Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;Surely the people are grass.8 The grass withers, the flower fades,But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:7, 8
 
The Lord equates man’s existence to mere grass that rises quickly, lives abundantly (as noted in its flowering), and then quickly fades away. This is in contrast to the word of God. The implication is that in our temporary, otherwise futile existence, we should be learning and applying the word of God to our lives. If we want to participate in the eternal, this is a necessary step for us to take. This thought concerning the grass is used by both James and Peter –
 
“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.” James 1:9-11
 
“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because‘All flesh is as grass,And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.The grass withers,And its flower falls away,25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.’Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25
 
As you go through Scripture, be sure to look at the metaphors God uses to describe things. He created us, He created the land, He set the seasons in place, etc. As He has done all things, His use of metaphor is given as an accurate description of what He intends to convey.
 
The word equates the life span of grass to that of man. Almost all people on earth see the grass come and go. It is something we can easily grasp in our minds. Some things are more relevant only when the land of Israel is understood in relation to the metaphor. Therefore, doing studies on those things from a documented perspective of the land is immensely helpful.
 
And there are innumerable sources to find such things. Be sure to take advantage of studies that complement your Bible reading. This will help you mentally perceive the wonderful things God is conveying to us in His word.
 
Lord God, thank You for the wisdom that is displayed on every page of Your word. There is a lifetime of things we can learn from it, even more in fact. No matter how much time and study we put into it, there will always be new things we can glean from it. What a precious gift You have given us. And above all, thank You for Jesus, who is the focal point of this wonderful word. Amen.

Matthew 15:34

Monday, 12 January 2026
 
Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” Matthew 15:34
 
“And He says to them, Jesus, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven, and a few tiddlers.’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples asked Jesus where they could get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a large crowd. Matthew next records, “And He says to them, Jesus, ‘How many loaves do you have?’”
 
Unlike the previous event, Jesus asks this of the disciples, whereas there, they provided the information –
 
16“And Jesus, He said to them, ‘They have no need to depart. You, you give, them to eat.’ 17And they, they say to Him, ‘Not we have here, if not five loaves and two fish.’” Matthew 14:16, 17 (CG)
 
Jesus told them to feed the people, and they incredulously noted that there was no way they had enough to feed them. Here, Jesus turns the matter around, knowing they would now remember the past miracle. Mark’s gospel agrees with this. In response to His question, Matthew notes, “And they said, ‘Seven, and a few tiddlers.’”
 
Here is a new word, ichthudion, a diminutive of ichthus, a fish. Thus, it refers to little fish, properly known as tiddlers. The word was brought to the public eye in a book story by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler in 2007. That was later made into a 2024 movie. Mark’s narrative leaves off the mention of any fish.
 
What is interesting is that their mocking note about the fish, being tiddlers, will not be repeated in verse 36. At that time, Matthew will call them ichthus, fish. What may seem at first insignificant suddenly becomes of full measure when the Lord approves of it and uses it for His glory.
 
Life application: In Zechariah 4:10, the Lord says –
 
“For who has despised the day of small things?” 
 
The things that we look at as insignificant, despised, worthless, or not worthy of attention can be used by the Lord for great purposes. A small gift to a ministry may keep it going until the day when it again gets on sound footing. An unwanted child in foster care may grow to be a great missionary or preacher, and a seemingly worthless tract found on the road may lead someone to salvation in Christ.
 
We as humans look to what is great, flashy, expensive, famous, and so forth, thinking that is where real value comes from. But this is hardly the case in most circumstances. A preacher in a little church with a few congregants may do more to explain the word of God than fifty preachers in mega-churches. Those few congregants are blessed beyond measure each week as they hear the Bible come alive.
 
A missionary in a small village may have more of an impact on the surrounding world than anyone could ever imagine if his evangelism and instruction take hold. Whereas the garbage cans may be full of uneaten food after a large banquet, a small home living in poverty wastes nothing, understanding the importance of every morsel they receive.
 
And with their small but satisfying meal, there is thanks in abundance to God who gave it. At the large banquet, there may not have been a single person who even acknowledged that there is a God, the provider of all things.
 
Don’t despise the day of small things, and don’t underestimate the value of things that seem unimportant in the world’s eyes. That which is truly of value is that which feeds the soul of man when it is received from the goodness of God with thanks and praise.
 
Lord God, may we not look down on those things which are of value to You, even if they are seemingly insignificant and of little value to the world around us. You have care for Your people and how they interact with You. Help us to remember this and always focus on You and Your goodness to us through such things. Amen.

Matthew 15:33

Sunday, 11 January 2026
 
Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?” Matthew 15:33
 
“And the disciples, they say to Him, ‘Whence to us in solitude – loaves so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that He had compassion on the crowd, knowing they had not eaten for three days. He noted that He didn’t want them to depart hungry lest they might collapse on the way. Matthew now records, “And the disciples, they say to Him, ‘Whence to us in solitude – loaves.’”
 
A new word is seen, erémia, solitude. It is derived from erémos, lonesome. Both give the sense of a wilderness or waste area, including a desert. The disciples are concerned about presenting bread to the people, as there was no place near enough to obtain it.
 
This attitude perplexes scholars who immediately assume they would have remembered the feeding of the five thousand and taken it for granted that this would be expected again. Such an attitude is shallow, and it dismisses the reality of life with Jesus.
 
They traveled to places, had to feed themselves, such as when walking through the grainfields picking the heads, they ate at people’s houses, etc. At these times, Jesus didn’t just pop food in front of them. Luke specifically records this thought in his gospel –
 
“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” Luke 5:17
 
The words seem to presuppose that there were times when the power to heal wasn’t openly manifest. They may have gone to many towns where He taught, and yet no healings took place. We weren’t there and cannot know.
 
This is true with the disciples and apostles as well. There were times when they could heal and times when they did not. This continued through the apostolic age. Paul specifically mentions a number of people with physical troubles whom he did not heal. There are times when Peter and Paul restored the dead to life. But these were unique, non-repeatable events.
 
This attitude also dismisses the record of Israel where there were great miracles, such as the crossing of the Red Sea, the bitter water made sweet, manna and quail being provided, etc., and within no time, Moses was saying –
 
“The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” Numbers 11: 21, 22
 
There is no reason for the disciples to have been confounded by Jesus’ words. One miracle does not presuppose that it can be or will be repeated. Throughout the times in the wilderness, Israel faced hardship and deprivation as a means of testing the people. Jesus is now testing His disciples, who continue with the words concerning their need for bread, saying, “so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?”
 
The multitude was expansive, and the location was barren. Just like Israel in the wilderness being led by Moses, the answer to their dilemma was and is –
 
“Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23
 
Life application: It is easy for us to look back on the narrative in Scripture and say, “Why are they so dull?” John Calvin reflects this superior attitude, “nimis brutum produnt stuporem: They reveal too much brute stupor.” But we can be certain that Calvin’s faith ebbed like the tides in the Bay of Fundy at times.
 
We look at the Bible as events occurring in seconds and without any discomfort or temporal confusion for us as we sit reading and turning page by page. But those with Jesus, as well as the apostles later in their ministries, faced daily life, trials, attacks by foes, splinters, and thorns as they walked, heat in the day, and cold at night.
 
The disciples’ understanding that Jesus is the Messiah is not the same as understanding that Jesus is God. It took until after the resurrection to figure that out. In the meantime, they thought they were dealing with a guy selected by God to do what God instructed Him. When power was available, they saw it and were amazed. When it wasn’t, they had to struggle through daily life.
 
Elijah, through faith, conquered the challenge of the four-hundred prophets of Baal. The next day, he ran away as scared as a kitten at the threat of one woman.
 
We have the full counsel of God with the knowledge available to us that Jesus is God and He prevailed over death for us, and yet our faith wanes at times. Who is in the weaker position? To avoid such times of consternation, we should ensure we read the word daily, stay in tune with the Lord at all times, and hold fast to our faith without easing up. Life is difficult, messy, and each moment is uncertain. Eyes on Jesus! That will carry us through the rough patches of this earthly walk.
 
Lord God, help us to remember You as we enter into times of uncertainty, trouble, loss, grief, and so forth. We know You are there, and yet our minds are so easily distracted. May we have the wisdom to keep You and Your promises at the forefront of our minds to help carry us through the days of difficulty. Amen.

Matthew 15:32

Saturday, 10 January 2026
 
Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “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.” Matthew 15:32
 
“And Jesus, having summoned His disciples, He said, ‘I gut-wrench upon the crowd because already three days they bivouac with Me, and naught they have that they may eat. And I wish not to dismiss them unfed, not lest they should collapse in the way’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the crowd marveled over Jesus’ ability to heal the many who came to Him. Matthew continues now, saying, “And Jesus, having summoned His disciples.”
 
As will be seen, there has been an extended period of time during which the crowds were with Jesus as He ministered to them. With a plan in mind to tend to them, He calls the disciples together. Once with Him, “He said, ‘I gut-wrench upon the crowd.’”
 
This is the third time the word splagchnizomai, to gut-wrench, has been seen. Each time, it has been seen in relation to Jesus’ concerns for the people. He is again emotionally distraught for their well-being. This time, the reason is, “because already three days they bivouac with Me.”
 
A new word, prosmenó, to stay further or remain in place, is seen. It is derived from pros, forward or toward (in many variations), and meno, to stay or remain. As this has been three days, the term bivouac gets the sense.
 
They would have put up a shelter with blankets or whatever else they had available, temporarily residing in the open. And more, Matthew next says, “and naught they have that they may eat.”
 
Whatever the people brought had been used up. As such, they would be weakened and not prepared for a return to their places of dwelling. Understanding this, Jesus explains it to His disciples, saying, “And I wish not to dismiss them unfed.”
 
Another new word is seen, the adjective néstis, not to eat and, thus, unfed. It is derived from the inseparable negative particle ne- and esthió, to eat. Such a situation can be voluntary or involuntary. In this case, the people simply ran out of food after three days with Him. Jesus didn’t want them to trek home in this condition, “not lest they should collapse in the way.”
 
One more new word is seen, ekluó, to relax. It is derived from ek, out of or from, and luo, to loosen. The word thus means to relax. However, the context signifies relaxing from not eating, and, thus, to collapse.
 
As was always the case with those He ministered to, Jesus considered them and their needs even beyond their immediate presence, thinking on their plight even after departing from Him.
 
Life application: If you ever stay with people you didn’t know well, you can learn a lot about them by how they send you off. People will often tend to their guests while they are in residence. They will give them care, ensuring their needs are taken care of in whatever way is necessary for them to be comfortable.
 
However, when the guests are departing, those who are truly caring by nature will go beyond that and have a care package set aside for the travelers as they depart. One of the interesting things that is seen at such times is that those who do so are usually the poorer members of society. The richer someone is, the less likely they are to consider such situations.
 
This is not true in all circumstances, but it is a general reality that is seen. It is also seen in the Bible. The story of the Good Samaritan gives insights into this. The account of David and Nabal does as well.
 
Should you ever have guests who come by, don’t just tend to them while they are there, but maybe consider sending them off with a token based on any anticipated needs. However, if they are flying by air, don’t give them something they would have to toss at the customs inspection. Be attentive to the reality of the situation and act accordingly.
 
Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. ... Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?” 1 Samuel 25, 2 & 10, 11
 
What a loser. Don’t be like Nabal.
 
Glorious Lord God, help us to be considerate of those whom we encounter in life. If we have the ability to tend to their needs, help us to be conscientious and do so. This doesn’t just mean money or things like food. It goes to the true spiritual needs as well. May we be willing to hand out tracks or even Bibles to those who may have never considered how needy they truly are. Amen.
 

Matthew 15:31

Friday, 9 January 2026
 
So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31
 
“So too, the crowds marveled, seeing mutes speaking, cripples healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus healed the many people with various maladies as they were strewn before Him. Matthew now continues with, “So too, the crowds marveled.”
 
Seeing what they were seeing would marvel anyone in any generation. These weren’t false Charismatic church healings that would astound the audience until their deceitful, magician-like tricks are discovered. Rather, these were true miracles performed on people whom those in the crowd had interacted with for many years.
 
Jesus, filled with the power of God, was able to diagnose and correct any and all infirmities set before Him. Matthew next gives a list of some of them, saying that the people were “seeing mutes speaking.”
 
The participle, seeing, used here, along with the others in the verse, indicates the people actively beholding the miracles that had taken place. One can see the crowds watching, unable to take their eyes off these joyous souls as they, one after another, were freed of their afflictions. Mutes who may never have uttered a word in their lives spoke. Also, “cripples healthy.”
 
This is the same word, kullos, introduced in the previous verse. These people were broken and rolling about when they were brought in, but they were raised up to perfect health. As noted, the word may even indicate they were missing limbs but were restored. Along with them, there were the “lame walking.”
 
People brought in on beds would no longer need them. Instead, they could give a free ride to the tired soul who brought them in, repaying them for the years of lugging around their bodies bound with infirmity. Matthew also says, “and blind seeing.”
 
People who needed to be guided up the mountain to the feet of Jesus could now lead the way back home, learning the terrain of the land and the ancient paths that crisscrossed the hills they previously were unable to see. Because of these marvelous things, it says of the crowds, “and they glorified the God of Israel.”
 
This seems to suggest that the crowds included Gentiles. The exact term is used only here in this manner. There is a reference to the Lord God of Israel in Luke 1:68, along with other variations of the words elsewhere, but the exact phrase is unique in the New Testament to this event.
 
Therefore, even if Jesus’ ministry was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, it may be that to build upon the excited faith of the Canaanite woman, Jesus purposefully went through the Decapolis as noted in Mark 7:31 in order to elicit more Gentile awareness concerning His abilities. The interesting underlying meaning of the miracle of feeding these people that lies ahead in the narrative seems to indicate this.
 
Life application: Whether Jesus actually healed any Gentiles or not isn’t the point here. He had just traversed through a predominantly Gentile area. As He did, it is obvious that people followed Him to this location on the mount. As they flocked to do so, any Jew would tell their Gentile neighbors that this was the great Teacher and Healer of Israel.
 
Therefore, even if Jesus only healed Jews (and we cannot know), it is likely that a multitude of Gentiles witnessed the event. Jesus’ movement from the Canaanite healing through this Gentile area, then, indicates that this was His intent.
 
A few scattered Gentiles within the land, seeing His miracles, would be outnumbered in number by those who gathered here in the region of the Decapolis. Therefore, saying, “and they glorified the God of Israel,” is intentionally stated to draw attention to this matter.
 
God was not uninterested in the Gentile people of the world. But there had to be an order and propriety to His working through Christ Jesus to step by step reveal Himself to His people first, while still allowing Gentiles to behold and later understand through Scripture, what He had done and continues to do for all the people of the world.
 
Unlike the Messianic fervor that fills churches today, which exalts everything Jewish, this is not the intent of Scripture for Gentile people. Rather, they are to come to the Lord as they are, in whatever culture, using who they are to glorify God. Color is irrelevant. The means of worship are left up to the group, etc.
 
What God is looking for are people who will worship Him with their whole existence, just as they are and just where they are.
 
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’” John 4:21-24
 
Lord God, thank You that we don’t have to change one iota of who we are culturally in order to worship You. We don’t need to go to a temple in the earthly Jerusalem, which reflects Your now-fulfilled law. Rather, we can worship You through Jesus in a manner that truly glorifies You. No more pointless rituals that only looked ahead in shadows. Now we have the substance. We have JESUS! Amen.

Matthew 15:30

Thursday, 8 January 2026
 
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.  Matthew 15:30
 
“And they came to Him, great crowds, having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes and others – many, and they strewed them near Jesus’ feet, and He healed them” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus was said to have departed from where the Canaanite woman was, drawing near the Sea of the Galilee and going up a mountain to sit there. Next, Matthew records, “And they came to Him, great crowds.”
 
Matthew doesn’t record how they found Jesus, but it appears that the words “near the Sea of the Galilee” from the previous verse may mean He stopped in a town. As Mark says that He went through the midst of the Decapolis and healed a deaf and mute man, that may have been the trigger to draw so many to where He now is.
 
The people would know He was there and decided to follow Him. Regardless, it next says, “having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes and others – many.”
 
Of these afflictions, one is new, kullos, crippled. It is from kulió, to roll about. Thus, it is someone maimed in the hands or feet. Some commentaries say that the idea of rolling about means that a hand or foot was actually missing. If so, the word should be translated as limb-lost or something similar.
 
Whatever the exact intent, the adjective “many” indicates that they just kept coming and coming. The sea of humanity in need of the care of Jesus seemed limitless, even though it was in a small part of a very small country. Matthew continues, saying, “and they strewed them near Jesus’ feet.”
 
The word rhiptó is used. It was already seen in Matthew 9:36. It signifies to deliberately fling or hurl something. It gives the idea of sudden motion. The word strew, to scatter or spread things untidily, gives the proper sense. There were so many people that those helping them cast them down in any available spot. One cannot help but think of the words of Isaiah –
 
“Surely He has borne our griefsAnd carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4
 
These people, suffering from all types of afflictions, were brought forward and hurled wherever space would allow by people who were frustrated with the tedium of caring for them day after day. Their only hope in their suffering was Jesus. Understanding this, Matthew notes, “and He healed them.”
 
The scene gives the sense of one person after another. If not, what would be the point of strewing them around? Jesus could have just said, “I heal all of you,” and been done with it. Rather, it appears He carefully evaluated each, probably talked to them with care, and then healed them. The tender care of the Lord for the people reveals the heart of God for those who will come to Him with their needs.
 
Life application: The sad part of this story is the part that remains unstated at this point. Jesus came to Israel, spent His life restoring people who would otherwise have been permanently afflicted with various maladies, and tended to the people’s spiritual needs as well.
 
His fame was so great that the gospels record that the people wanted to make Him king (John 6:15). However, when prompted by the leaders, Jesus was rejected, crucified, and maligned as a wrongdoer. That attitude toward Him remains to this day among the vast majority of Jewish people.
 
How poorly humans tend to pick their leaders and heroes. And how faithless we are to those who tend to us. This includes those of the church in their attitude toward Jesus. We are granted restoration and eternal life through what He did for us, and yet we spend much of our time pursuing the things of this life.
 
Everything we have and all those we know will fade away with time, but Jesus is with us forever. And yet, we constantly seek what is temporary, forgetting to honor the Lord in the process.
 
Someday, it won’t be like this. A new type of existence is coming, but we should be anticipating that now, holding fast to the Lord, and doing our utmost to get the word out to others. Let us not be waffling or unfaithful in our faith toward and love of the Lord.
 
Glorious God, we can be so easily pulled away from a close and personal walk with You. It usually isn’t intentional. Things just come up, and off we go in pursuit of that which doesn’t profit. Help us, Lord, to redirect our hearts and minds to You at all times. Give us wisdom to walk in this temporary world with an eternal view. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.