Matthew 15:37    There will be no end to explanations of why seven baskets were left. I have heard so many different explanations that they have all lost their luster. The fact is, the amount remaining was just what the Lord wanted it to be, and it was far more than the original amount before the…

Matthew 15:36   Some have surmised that, since Jesus sent the disciples to feed the multiplied bread to the multitude, the people did not actually realize that a miracle occurred. However, this is extremely unlikely. Given the amount of food involved, the most casual observer among the people would have at least guessed that something strange…

Matthew 15:35   Some have tried to make this feeding and the feeding of the five thousand the same event. There is no good reason to do so. There are so many differences between the two that out is impossible to make them the same event. There is no good purpose in attempting it.   Though it…

Matthew 15:34   Why did Jesus need food in order to perform this miracle? This is the question that will occur to an inquisitive mind. To answer this one must remember the fundamental cause and purpose of miracles. Miracles always accompany an outpouring of revelation from God. They confirm the Word. They validate the fact that…

Matthew 15:33   Sometimes we can be so slow to believe! The disciples could have easily thought back to the feeding of the five thousand that occurred not long before. But, alas, they were like us, slow to believe. It is easy to get caught up in our attempt to solve a problem, and forget that…

Matthew 15:32   One of the most amazing things about Jesus is his tendency to have concern for the least of our concerns. The people gathered there with him were glad to be there, and would probably have happily gone on longer without food. But, Jesus thinks of their basic needs. He is mindful of our…

Matthew 15:31   The contrast here between the response of these people and the response of most Jews is quite amazing. Given the region that Jesus was in at the time, those who were healed in these verses were likely largely Gentiles. This explains their praising of the ‘God of Israel,’ which is how they would…

Matthew 15:30   In this verse, two very wonderful things must be kept in mind. First, the people who brought the lame, crippled, blind, etc. persons to Christ, did so in a hurry. There was not time to expect the sick to come themselves. They had to be brought. A sense of urgency was paramount. They…

Matthew 15:29   This seems to be Jesus’ favorite mode for teaching. He sat down on some high place while the multitudes gathered round to hear. Thus, mush of his teaching was down while he was sitting down. Though we like to emphasize how tired Jesus was, sitting down did help him to speak for longer…

Matthew 15:28   Jesus did not pass out comments such as this one lightly. There were several occasions in which his own disciples lacked this much faith. Thus, his answer to the woman is a great complement. It also shows that Jesus, though focused on the Jews at that time, loves every person in this world.…