A. Outline pericopes in Matthew 14—18 (see appendix)

B. Summarize major themes in Matthew 14—18

• Interplay of public/private settings

• Compassion and confrontation

• Lessons in faith—the clear emphasis of this section

The faithless (15:1—9) who test Christ (16:1) will not be given faith confirming signs (16:2—4)

The faithful will receive faith confirming signs and further revelation:

Multitudes—given primarily in summary (14:34—36; 15:29—31)

Syrophoenecian woman (15:21—28)

Disciples—the clear emphasis of this section (14:13—21; 22—33; 15:32—39; 16:13—16, 17—21; 17:1—13; 14—21; 22, 23)

Climax: Mt. 16:13—16 (followed by promise of kingdom authority; prediction of death; transfiguration; another clarification concerning John the Baptist; instructions on entry and life in the kingdom)

C. Structure (skeleton): Matthew 15:1—20

• Context: Why is this passage here?

Preceding pericopes: feeding the 5000 (most recent public act) and walking on the water

Pericope following: delivering the syrophoenician woman’s daughter and other healings

Teaching is directed first to the Pharisees themselves (denunciation); then to the multitude; finally, to the disciples. Note that this is the only passage in this section in which all three audiences are involved.

Summary statement: Mt. 15:1—20 reveals the heart of the conflict in Jesus’ ministry: hypocritical elevation of the authority of tradition over revelation in Christ and OT scripture

Main/Supporting Points—outline of narrative structure:

Introduction statement: Pharisees’ question (15:2): "Why do Jesus’ disciples violate traditions by eating with ritually unwashed hands?"

Three scenes:

• (3—9)—addressing the Pharisees

Tradition invalidates the Law—rhetorical question v. 3

Example of corban and Law’s command to honor ones’ parents

Advocates of tradition are hypocrites

Indulging in heartless, vain worship (Isaiah 29:13)

• (10, 11)—addressing the multitudes

Defilement is the result of what comes out of a person, not what goes in

• (12—20)—addressing the disciples

Parable of the rooted up plant—directed against Pharisees

Parable of he blind guides—directed against Pharisees

What goes in does not defile, but what’s in the heart—summary of 11, 17—19, "these things that defile" of v. 20a

Conclusion statement: the heart, not unwashed hands, defiles the man (v. 20)

Structure summary:

Introduction statement (15:2)—"why do Jesus’ disciples violate traditions by eating with ritually unwashed hands?"

Supporting Point #1: Pharisees’ question based on tradition that invalidates the Law

Corban case

Supporting Point #2: Pharisees’ focus on tradition indicates their hypocrisy

Heartless, vain worship described by Isaiah 29:13

Supporting Point #3: Defilement is the result of what comes out, not what goes in

Parables of denunciation directed to Pharisees with explanation

Conclusion statement (15:20) MAIN POINT—"[things of the heart] defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

Content (muscle)

A. Key and unfamiliar words & institutions, including use of OT

"Traditions" (v. 3)

"corban" (v. 5)

citations from Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Isaiah 29:13 (vs. 4, 8, 9)

"defile" (vs. 11, 18, 20)

cultural significance of imagery in parables (vs. 13, 14)

Israel as garden/vinyard (Is. 5:1—6)

Blind guides (see Luke 6:39, 40; Rom. 2:17ff)

B. Theology

Christology—the denunciation of Pharisees, and his own authoritative interpretation of the Law and application of Isaiah, are clear statements of unique authority.

Nature of salvation—the Law-centered approach of the Pharisees, with focus on external observance and the authority of tradition is condemned. The focal point of the teaching is that the heart is the heart of the problem (see 9:13; 12:7 for citations of Hos. 6:6, making a related polemic against the religious).

Application (skin)

To the Pharisees, this teaching was scandalous—utter rejection of their approach to God, their authority…(v. 12)

To the "multitude", the application is unclear—we’re given no response

To the disciples, the focus is on their lack of comprehension—which places them in the uncomfortable spot of deciding the key questions of authority and salvation introduced by Jesus’ teaching against the rabbinical traditions. The context of authoritative actions (miracles, healings) provides a basis for accepting the authoritative teaching.

Structure (skeleton)

A. Context: Why is this passage here?

Preceding pericope: confrontation with Pharisees over "defilement"

Pericope following: summary of healings, then 4000 fed

Narrative directed both to the pagan woman (in a pagan setting) and to the disciples

Summary statement: Mt. 15:21—28 extends the argument of the last pericope—that faith from the heart, not ritual cleansing from defilement, is what God seeks

Outline of narrative structure:

• First scene: request of woman to Jesus (15:21,22)—sets up the drama

Note the irony. Jesus leaves Israel after engaging Jerusalem’s religious elite over the nature of ritual cleanness, to pagan land. The Canaanite woman, unlike either disciples or religious authorities recognizes Jesus’ true identity as "Son of David" (see also 9:27; 12:23—two prior uses of "Son of David", both on lips of the unclean)

• Second scene: exchange with disciples (15:23, 24)—establishes the significance of the deliverance

Jesus’ silence is met by the disciples’ request to send her away

Jesus’ response is significant: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel"

The Son of David is Israel’s messiah in a unique way (see Jn. 4:22—26)

But at the same time, Jesus has healed Gentiles (8:5—13)

These points contribute to the dramatic exchange between the woman and Jesus

• Third scene: exchange with the woman (15:25—28)—the sufficiency of faith alone

To the woman’s repeated plea, Jesus repeats a saying "it’s not good to throw the children’s bread to the dogs." I.e.—blessings go to Israel, not the Gentiles

Woman does not contradict Jesus, but extends the saying to include the needs of her daughter—a true act of reverent faith

Jesus, seeing her faith, grants her the request

Structure summary:

Supporting Point #1: Ironic identification by "unclean" woman that Jesus is "Son of David"

Supporting Point #2: Messiah’s mission centers on the lost of Israel

Supporting Point #3: Woman pleas for inclusion in blessings of God to Israel

Main Point: God honors the greatness of woman’s faith (both persistence and content)—she is a strong polemic against Israel and it’s tradition-based religion

Content (muscle)

A. Key and unfamiliar words & institutions, including use of OT

• "Son of David"—messianic title, fulfilling God’s promise in 2 Sam. 7
  
• "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel"—true mission of the Davidic King
  
• "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs"—use of sarcasm to elicit response

B. Theology

• The biblical view of God’s kingdom:

Fulfills historic messianic promise to Israel

Spills over into blessings to the Gentiles

C. Faith is

• Content centered
  
• Persistent

Application (skin)

• Yet another challenge to Jesus’ disciples to break with their understanding of what God is looking for, and a challenge to recognize the nature of his kingdom. The irony of this woman’s faith (content, insistence) would not be lost on the disciples.
  
• For us: we share in Jesus’ blessing on this woman. We are Gentiles, given the overflowing of God’s blessing to Israel. What kind of faith do we have?

Teaching the gospels—see teaching the gospels worksheet