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Selected Verse: Matthew 15:15 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Mt 15:15 |
King James |
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable--"when He was entered into the house from the people," says Mark (Mar 7:17). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
See also Mar 7:17-23.
Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable - See the notes at Mat 13:3. The word "parable" sometimes means a dark or obscure saying, Psa 78:2. Peter meant, "Explain to us more fully this obscure and novel doctrine." To us, now, it is plain; to the disciples, just coming out of Judaism, the doctrine of Jesus was obscure. Mark says that the disciples asked him. There is no contradiction. The question was put by Peter in the name of the disciples; or several of them put the question, though Matthew has mentioned only one. An omission is not a contradiction.
Mat 15:16
Are ye also yet without understanding? - Jesus appeals, in explaining this, to their common sense; and he wonders that they had not yet learned to judge the foolish traditions of the Jews by the decisions of common sense and by his own instructions.
Mat 15:17
Do ye not understand ... - The meaning of this may be thus expressed: The food which is eaten does not affect the mind, and therefore cannot pollute it.
The doctrine of the Pharisees, that neglect of washing and of similar observances defiles a man, cannot be true. Those things pertain to the body as much as food does, and they cannot affect the soul. That must be purified by something else than external washing, and it is polluted by other things than a neglect of mere outward ceremonies. The seat of corruption is within - it is the heart itself; and if people would be made pure, this must be cleansed. If that is corrupt, the whole man is corrupt.
Mat 15:18-20
Christ proceeds to state what does defile the man, or render him a sinner:
1. "Evil thoughts" These are the first things - these are the fountains of all others. Thought precedes action. Thought, or purpose, or motive, gives its character to conduct. All evil thoughts are here intended. Though we labor to suppress them, yet they defile us. They leave pollution behind them.
2. "Murders." Taking the life of others with malice. The malice has its seat in the heart, and the murder therefore proceeds from the heart, Jo1 3:15.
3. "Adulteries, fornication." See Mat 5:28.
4. "Thefts." Theft is the taking and carrying away the goods of others without their knowledge or consent. Thefts are caused by coveting the property of others. They proceed, therefore, from the heart, and violate at the same time two commandments - the tenth commandment in thought and the eighth commandment in act.
5. "False witness." Giving wrong testimony. Concealing the truth, or stating what we know to be false - a violation of the ninth commandment. It proceeds from a desire to injure others, to take away their character or property, or to do them injustice. It proceeds thus from the heart.
6. "Blasphemies." See the notes at Mat 9:3. Blasphemy proceeds from opposition to God, hatred of his character Rom 8:7, and from a desire that there should be no God. It proceeds from the heart. See Psa 14:1. Mark adds several things to those enumerated by Matthew:
(a) "Covetousness." The unlawful desire of what others possess, this always proceeds from the heart.
(b) "Wickedness." The original here means malice, or a desire of injuring others, Rom 1:29.
(c) "Deceit," i. e., fraud, concealment, cheating in trade. This proceeds from a desire to benefit ourselves by doing injustice to others, and this proceeds from the heart.
(d) Lasciviousness. Lust, obscenity, unbridled passion - a strong, evil desire of the heart.
(e) "An evil eye." That is, an eye that is sour, malignant, proud; or an eye of lust and passion. See Mat 5:28; Mat 20:15; Pe2 2:14, "Having eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease from sin."
(f) "Pride." An improper estimate of our own importance; thinking that we are of much more consequence than we really are. This is always the work of an evil heart.
(g) "Foolishness." Not a lack of intellect - man is not to blame for that - but a moral folly, consisting in choosing evil ends and the bad means of gaining them; or, in other words, sin and wickedness. All sin is folly. It is foolish for a man to disobey God, and foolish for anyone to go to hell.
Mat 15:20
These are the things which defile a man - These are the true sources of pollution in man.
These are what corrupt and degrade. It is not the neglect of washing the body which defiles; it is the deep, inward corruption of the heart. And what a fountain of pollution is the human soul! What an array of crimes to proceed from the heart of man! What a proof of guilt! What strictness is there in the law of God! How universal is depravity! |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Declare unto us this parable - Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this! The true knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned. |
17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.