Matthew – Page 14 – Be Still…

Matthew 16:13-20 – Who is the Son of Man?

Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was. What do you think they thought when he asked that? They started sharing examples of what they had heard other people say. That was a safe response. But Jesus dug deeper, “what about you?” he asked. I can just picture them looking at each other wondering who was going to open their mouth.

Then it was Peter who spoke for the group, or himself, it’s not specified. But he boldly declared that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. This was the answer Jesus was looking for. But this truth did not come to Peter from any human source. It was a revelation he was given from God. Peter was then set apart from the rest as being the “rock” upon whom Jesus would build his church.

Matthew 16:1-12 – Beware!

Read Matthew 16:1-12

There are a couple of background details I’d like to share from a commentary I was reading on the Book of Matthew. Suffice it to say that the Pharisees and Sadducees were not in the same camp when it came to religion. There were significant differences between the two, and bringing them together doesn’t necessarily mean they are on the same page. But they both seem intent on discrediting Jesus.

While it is in the law to question a prophet to make sure they are “real” and trustworthy, the way these folks went about it overstepped the boundaries of the law. To question Jesus is one thing, but to ask for a sign from Heaven thus includes God the Father. That is not what the law suggests. At all. You may recall some scribes of the Pharisees came to Jesus several passages ago, and Jesus dismissed them, too.

Matthew 15:32-39 – 4,000 More!

Read Matthew 15:32-39

This may seem very similar to verses we read in the last chapter when Jesus fed 5,000 men (plus women and children). These are two distinct happenings. We see the number of people following Jesus expanding. In Jesus’ own words, “I have compassion for these people.”

For three days the people have stayed. Jesus has healed many. People were amazed and gave praise to the God of Israel. They understood that much, where the power came from. So what about the disciples? Having already seen a miraculous feeding, where was their faith?

Matthew 15:21-30 – Great Faith

Read Matthew 15:21-30

There were a few puzzling things in today’s reading. But most of them can be cleared up by understanding who this Canaanite woman was. She wasn’t famous or anything that I know of, but she was determined. She was not a Jew. Jesus saw something in her that he wanted to reward. Let’s break some of this down.

First of all, she was a Canaanite. She was not Jewish. Jesus’ own statement to his disciples was “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” We could interpret from this that Jesus’ target audience was the Jews needing a savior. The rest of the world would have to wait. The disciples were also distressed by her incessant requests for help. They wondered why Jesus didn’t just send her away. But she persisted. The woman didn’t seem phased by “where she came from” or who Jesus normally healed. She knew without a doubt Jesus could save her daughter from the demons.

Matthew 15:1-20 – From the Inside Out

Read Matthew 15:1-20

You Are What You Say is a book by a Harvard doctor who has a program focused on transforming stress through the power of language. Jesus would say that what comes out of our mouths is more important than what goes in. This whole discussion came about when the Pharisees questioned the disciples’ possible defilement by not washing their hands before they ate.

You have probably been reminded a time or two in your lifetime to wash up before dinner. I can remember that was just something we did after playing outside coming into contact with who knows what germs. As a child, I never knew it was a tradition or ceremony from the Bible. Jesus clears it up. It won’t make us unclean on the inside to eat with dirty hands. Germs may be “unclean,” but they are not going to cause us to sin and spread evil in our hearts.