Matthew 15
v.12
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
The disciples wanted to have the parable explained (v.15); since they held the Pharisees in high regard, they wanted to be certain of exactly what Jesus had said that had offended them so badly. Jesus must disillusion his disciples as to the reliability of the Pharisees and teachers of the law as spiritual guides, as well as explain the parable.
The point of Jesus’ response to his disciples is: Do not worry about the Pharisees’ power, because their day of judgment is coming (Mt 3:10).
v.13
He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
Religious doctrine is not inaptly compared to a plant. See 1 Corinthians 3:6-8. It is planted in the mind for the purpose of producing fruit in the life, or right conduct. Jesus here says that all those doctrines of which his Father was not the author must be rooted up or corrected.
Israel often saw herself as a plant God had planted (Ps 1:3; Isa 60:21), and the prophets turned the image against them (Isa 5:1-7). Jesus is saying here that the Pharisees, the leaders of the Jewish people, are not truly part of God’s planting. This shocking idea has already been hinted at in 3:9; 8:11-12 and will recur.
v.14
Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
The second image may depend on a title some Jewish leaders apparently took on themselves. They had the law, they reasoned, and therefore they were fit to serve as “guides of the blind” (Ro 2:19). This Jesus disputes; in his view they were “blind guides of the blind” (NIV note) and “both will fall into a pit.” Though the Pharisees and teachers of the law had the Scriptures and interpreted them in the synagogues, this does not mean that they really understood them. On the contrary, they were blind and failed to comprehend them (cf. 23:16-17). Jesus’ denunciation presupposes that anyone who truly understands the “word of God” (v.6) will discern who he is and follow him (cf. Jn 5:39-40). The Pharisees did not follow Jesus; so they did not understand and follow the Scriptures.
The images of uprooting (Jer 42:10; 45:4; cf. 1:10; 11:16-19; 12:2; 24:6; 31:28), blindness (15:14; cf., e.g., Deut 29:4; Is 6:10; 42:19) and leaders guiding others astray with falsehood (Is 3:12-15; 9:16) are standard *Old Testament judgment language; the *Dead Sea Scrolls similarly describe the *Qumran community as a shoot planted by God.
v.19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
v.28
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that every hour.
v.32
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
This is to a Gentile crowd. To allegorize, if the Gentiles are hungry for a relationship with the God of Israel, Jesus won’t send them away without true life lest they perish in their unbelief.
v.34
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
How much are you able to give me? He was not measuring the amount loaves to determine how many he can multiply. Jesus does not require perfection in outcome and results. He requires a total heart devotion and for us to give Him everything.