To open this chapter, we read that some of the Pharisees and teachers of religious law came to Jesus asking Him why His disciples didn’t obey their tradition of ceremonial hand washing prior to eating. The Pharisees and teachers were saying that the disciples not performing the ceremonial hand washing made them/the food unclean. Jesus clapped back by calling them out regarding them not obeying the direct commandments of God. How could they ask Jesus such a thing about the traditions that they had made up? How could they ask that question while knowing that they were not obeying God’s commandments? They were attempting to cancel out the word of God for the sake of tradition. If you were to think back over your life, I am sure that you would pinpoint times when you chose tradition over the Bible too.
In verses 10 through 20, we read about Jesus teaching the crowd regarding what defiles us ( makes us corrupt, unclean, or impure). It is not what goes into our mouths but what comes out of our hearts that defiles us. The disciples interrupted Jesus’s teaching in verse 12 telling Him that He had offended the Pharisees in His response. Jesus replied that every plant that is not planted by the Father in Heaven will be uprooted before referring to them as the blind leading the blind. After that, Jesus provided an elaboration on defilement. He said that the things we consume go into our stomachs and pass into the sewer. But the words we speak come from the heart, and those words make us corrupt, unclean, or impure; for from the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These things defile us; not eating with unwashed hands.
In verses 22 through 28, we read where a Gentile woman comes to Jesus seeking healing for her demon possessed daughter. Due to cultural differences, Jews and Gentiles were not a cohesive unit. We are allowed a view of this indifference via Jesus’ responses to the woman in verses 24 and 26. But the woman’s FAITH caused Jesus to grant her request, and her daughter was healed instantly. There goes Jesus again; healing due to a person’s faith. This has been a common theme for many of the chapters within this book. Take heed to it. I also want to mention verse 25 as I close this posting. After Jesus told the woman He had been sent for the people of Israel (which means she was not included), she came and worshipped Him pleading for Him to help her. Not only that, in verse 27, she told Jeuss that even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table. And friend, I believe that is what caused Jesus to move on her behalf. Basically, she said, “I know I do not belong to that population, but I know that you are my Master so I will take whatever they didn’t partake in”. Whew! We know from our previous readings that Jesus’ people had rejected Him…they left scraps in the rejection. And this woman was hungry enough to “eat” the scraps that had fallen beneath her Master’s table.
Real Talk with Keve 