Matthew 15:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

NIV: He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.'

NASB: But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'

CSB: He replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

NLT: Then Jesus said to the woman, 'I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep — the people of Israel.'

KJV: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

NKJV: But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus acted with a crystal-clear sense of His purpose. Eventually, all nations of earth would be blessed through Israel, in the person of Jesus, as the Son of God gave His life as the sacrifice for the sins of humanity. For that to happen, however, Jesus needs to accomplish certain things within the people of Israel. So, for now, Jesus has come to serve and heal God's chose people as the promised Messiah. Only after His own people officially reject Him will the offer be made for all to come into the family of God through faith in Christ (John 1:11–12).

Jesus uses the same language with her as when He sent disciples out in pairs to the towns and villages of Galilee (Matthew 10:5–6). He strictly forbids them from going into the Gentile territories. They are only to take the message of the kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This is the same reason given here for refusing—for now—to cast the demon from the daughter of this Canaanite woman begging Him for help. He has not been sent by His Father to heal the Gentiles, yet.

Matthew 15:21–28 describes an encounter between Jesus and a Gentile woman. She knows Jesus is the Messiah and tells Him her daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. At first, Jesus chooses not to cast the demon out. He tells the woman His mission is only to Israel, using a metaphor about table scraps. The woman persists, and Jesus praises her for her for faith. Her daughter is healed instantly. This seems to be a teaching moment for the disciples, as Jesus will continue to another Gentile-heavy area and heal many, in the next passage.

Pharisees and scribes come from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus. They are offended that His disciples break the religious leaders' tradition about ritual handwashing before meals. Jesus turns that attack upside down, pointing out that His critics honor tradition above God's actual commands! He insists that nobody is defiled by what goes in the mouth—by the literal matter itself—but by the overflow of the spirit, such as the words that come out of the mouth. He and the disciples travel out of the country. Jesus casts a demon out of the daughter of a persistent Canaanite woman. They travel to the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus feeds thousands of people from a few loaves and fishes. These last two events set up the eventual spread of the gospel beyond the people of Israel.

Matthew 15 begins with a confrontation between some Pharisees and Jesus. They ask why His disciples break the traditional practice of ritual handwashing. Pointedly, Jesus asks why they allow the obvious intent of God's commandments to be broken through their traditions. Jesus and the disciples travel out of Israel, encountering a Canaanite woman. He praises her faith and casts a demon from her daughter. They travel to the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus heals more people and feeds thousands more from another few loaves and fishes. This sets up another confrontation with religious leaders, warnings about their teachings, and predictions of Jesus' death in the next chapter.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/27/2024 4:10:09 PM