Matthew 15:2 ASV, Matthew 15:17-18 ASV, Matthew 15:26-27 ASV, Matthew 15:32 ASV and Matthew 15:37 ASV

Interesting chapter. It begins with the subject of eating. The Pharisees condemned Jesus' disciples for not washing their hands before eating. Jesus responded that it is what comes out of a person's mouth that defiles him. Next a Canaanite woman begged him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus responds with the analogy, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Her faith inspired her to remark that even the dogs eat the bread that falls from the table." Again, the subject of eating arises. Then Jesus ministered to the crowds at the Sea of Galilee for three days - three days with no food. Their hunger for his ministry over daily bread stirred compassion in Christ's heart for them and he eventually fed the multitude with only a few loaves and fish. Finally, in the next chapter (same context) the disciples lament that they have no food after crossing the sea of Galilea. They left all that extra bread on the other side! Jesus replied that they should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Yet, again, three narratives in a row, the issue of food arises. The moral? 1) Unwashed hands didn't render the disciples impure. Faulty ritual does not separate us from God. Similarly, religious expertise doesn't gain us His acceptance. 2) Impure Canaanite blood didn't render the Gentile woman unacceptable to Jesus. No matter who we are, regardless of race, background, failure, or flaw, God's acceptance and kingdom is available to us. 3) And all we have to do to be filled by God is to follow Christ with all of our hearts, as the crowds did for those three days, completely denying themselves. Finally, we must beware of the temptation to make Jesus prove himself in our lives. We must walk by faith - not only upon the New Birth, but throughout our salvation journey. So, for review, intimacy with God isn't earned, it's available to anyone, and all we have to do is desire him over everything else in our lives and he will fill us, always remembering to avoid the temptation to make Jesus prove himself to us. He is God. he is worth our everything no matter what. (On a side note, isn't it interesting that it's not the Gentiles, but the Jewish disciples who collect the crumbs from the Master's table at the end of chapter 15? And then they go and forget all that food!)