Bible Study WELCOME TO AN IN DEPTH STUDY OF MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

[Chopper]

Chopper ....

Reba

 

[DanielGarneau]

My health? I'm almost 75 and my doctor tells me that many of my ailments are due to my age. My biggest problem is back pain a result of 2 failed spine surgeries. Memory loss and vertigo are what I face daily. Other than that I'm doing Ok. Thanks for asking. Your prayers for strength thru my weakness will be appreciated.

My dad is a decade or so older than you are and reports his frustration when he receives that type of answer from his doctors: Mr. Garneau, don't worry about such and such an ailment that you have, at your age it is normal. In a sense this might be true but in another sense no one likes to be treated as if there were no hope for his own health recovery.

I am a decade and a few dusty specks younger than you are, and am not looking forward to the time I start having health troubles, especially of the kind that ruins concentration and affects memory.

My father-in-law just passed away a few weeks ago at the venerable age of 101 years, yes you read well, one hundred and one years old. He was blessed with a precise mind up to the very end of his life, but slowly experimented with mobility problems from 90 years old on and up.

My wife and I witnessed his struggles with fearing death, because, although a very religious man, he was under the impression that he was too much of a sinner to be received by God when he died. So he feared God's rejection. My wife and I and many other believers prayed for him in his past few months. A week before his death, we were able to pray with him, knowing he too prayed with us, as he indicated to us very clearly that he wanted us to do so. Our prayers were built upon his most recent struggles, and how these helped him learn to depend on others for his care, and how such care was truly given to him through the love of those who attended him. This we feel was used by God to help Him understand that God too loves Him.

Finally when he passed away, my wife and I and the entire family to whom we shared what had happened feel confident that he now rests in peace with the Father of Jesus-Christ, our Father, His Father.

Eventually most of us – whether writing or reading this post – will come to a point in our life where we will lose some of our physical abilities. The point of the above digression, as I think of my growing old, is that God knows what trials we need in order for us to keep growing in our knowledge of Him, to learn to rest in Him, and to eventually die peacefully. In the mean time 2 Peter 1:3-11 is a great guideline to be abided by and to guide us.

I mean this post to be an encouragement. Praise to our Father in heaven, and to His Son Jesus-Christ!

 

[Chopper]

April 6th 2015 Matthew 14:22:36 A Water Highway.

Mat 14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
Mat 14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
Mat 14:24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
Mat 14:26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.
Mat 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
Mat 14:29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."
Mat 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Mat 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Mat 14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Mat 14:34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.
Mat 14:35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick
Mat 14:36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

(All Scripture is from the ESV and verses are copied from e-Sword by permission.)

My dad is a decade or so older than you are and reports his frustration when he receives that type of answer from his doctors: Mr. Garneau, don't worry about such and such an ailment that you have, at your age it is normal. In a sense this might be true but in another sense no one likes to be treated as if there were no hope for his own health recovery.

I am a decade and a few dusty specks younger than you are, and am not looking forward to the time I start having health troubles, especially of the kind that ruins concentration and affects memory.

My father-in-law just passed away a few weeks ago at the venerable age of 101 years, yes you read well, one hundred and one years old. He was blessed with a precise mind up to the very end of his life, but slowly experimented with mobility problems from 90 years old on and up.

My wife and I witnessed his struggles with fearing death, because, although a very religious man, he was under the impression that he was too much of a sinner to be received by God when he died. So he feared God's rejection. My wife and I and many other believers prayed for him in his past few months. A week before his death, we were able to pray with him, knowing he too prayed with us, as he indicated to us very clearly that he wanted us to do so. Our prayers were built upon his most recent struggles, and how these helped him learn to depend on others for his care, and how such care was truly given to him through the love of those who attended him. This we feel was used by God to help Him understand that God too loves Him.

Finally when he passed away, my wife and I and the entire family to whom we shared what had happened feel confident that he now rests in peace with the Father of Jesus-Christ, our Father, His Father.

Eventually most of us – whether writing or reading this post – will come to a point in our life where we will lose some of our physical abilities. The point of the above digression, as I think of my growing old, is that God knows what trials we need in order for us to keep growing in our knowledge of Him, to learn to rest in Him, and to eventually die peacefully. In the mean time 2 Peter 1:3-11 is a great guideline to be abided by and to guide us.

I mean this post to be an encouragement. Praise to our Father in heaven, and to His Son Jesus-Christ!

Thank you Daniel for those words. They are worthy of contemplation. Old age is certainly not easy. One of the problems with old age is looking back over my life and seeing regrets. When I was forging ahead in the service of my Lord in my late thirties and forties, I never looked back. The future was all I was interested in. Now, the regrets haunt me and it is a struggle to leave it all with Jesus at the cross. I long for my heavenly home, like Paul, I have fought the faithful fight and praise my Lord for all He accomplished thru me.

 

[Chopper]

Because I'm still struggling with log in problems, I keep loosing what I have written Grrrrr. So I'll have to re-post some things.

I find it interesting that Jesus had instructed His Disciples to go to the other side by boat. Listen, when Jesus tells us to do something, He has already set the way. The Disciples were going to make it to the other side come tempest, high winds and all. Their faith in what Jesus had instructed them will face a test, and we will face a test when we are instructed to do something by Jesus.

Here is a story that happened to me in my Daughters home....My Daughter and her Husband were, at the time, fellowshipping with the "Brethren". Similar to the Mennonites. My Wife and I were visiting her for the weekend and would be attending their Sunday worship with about twelve others. Because my Daughter was used to God speaking to me about people she told me to "behave myself" because "Brethren" don't believe in miracles.

After the worship service, we were having lunch. The voice of God in my mind said "see that woman?" At first I wondered, "what woman, there were six." My attention went to a woman on the floor playing with three children. He said, "see how she loves the children?" I replied, "yes". God said, "she can't have children, but if you anoint her head with oil, I will heal her."

I asked to speak with my Daughter privately, she said, "behave yourself" Hmmm. I asked her anyway. I told her what the Lord had told me and reluctantly she said "you can ask her husband. What I didn't know was the woman couldn't have children because of a serious health problem from birth.

Peggy, my Daughter, told them about me and what I believed the Lord had said. They said YES right away. The Lord told me to have a few others lay hands on her and for me to do what He told me to do. Now when ever the Lord has done this with me there is always a test of faith in that WILL I DO IT. I did it and a few laid hands on her hoping to see a miracle.

The head elder didn't believe in miracles and told her so and poured water, so to speak, on the procedure. About four years later, I asked Peggy about that day and that woman and she said, "They now have two girls." Praise the Lord for His wonderful works!

Just like the faith of the Disciples being tested to do what the Lord had instructed them to do, we are tested as well. Well, you all know the rest of the story, the Disciples were terrified of the storm, Peter had his faith tested by walking on the water that Jesus was walking on and his faith worked a little while but then failed when he looked at the circumstances.

Of course they made it to the other side and Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith. We need to remember that when we are told to do something whether by Scripture or audible or impression from God, if we do it, IT WILL WORK!

 

[reba]

:amen

Chopper anoint your computer with oil

 

[Chopper]

:amen

Chopper anoint your computer with oil

Will you come and lay hands on it before I lay a hammer on it?

 

[Chopper]

`April 9th 2015 Matthew 15:1-9 The Word of God versus The Traditions of Men.

Mat 15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
Mat 15:2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
Mat 15:3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'
Mat 15:5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"
Mat 15:6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
Mat 15:7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
Mat 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Mat 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

All Scripture is from the ESV. Text is copied from e-Sword by permission.

This Scripture is one of the texts that I have used, over the years, to refute "legalism". The Bible College that I graduated from had for the President, a Bob Jones taught as well as the Professors. I was taught a legalism that was very popular in the late seventies and early eighties. It was called "Fundamentalism". We we8re against a new wave of teaching that was coming out of the liberal Seminaries called "Neo-evangelicalism". Once this new theology was accepted by many main line denominations, including some Baptists, I decided that to continue this legalism was not healthy spiritually for the church that I was the pastor.

This Scripture spoke directly to this legalism that had captured some of my closest friends and Pastors....The Scribes and Pharisees represented the leadership of the Israelites and the practice of the Law thru Moses. In those days there were two Laws that the Jews were following. There was the Law given thru Moses and another law that the "elders" (meaning old men or the ancients).

Here is a little background written by Albert Barnes, provided by e-Sword by permission.
Mat_15:2
Transgress the tradition of the elders - The world “elders” literally means “old men.” Here it means the “ancients,” or their “ancestors.” The “tradition of the elders” meant something handed down from one to another by memory; some precept or custom not commanded in the written law, but which scribes and Pharisees held themselves bound to observe.
They supposed that when Moses was on Mount Sinai two sets of laws were delivered to him: one, they said, was recorded, and is that contained in the Old Testament; the other was handed down from father to son, and kept uncorrupted to their day. They believed that Moses, before he died, delivered this law to Joshua; he to the Judges; they to the prophets; so that it was kept pure until it was recorded in the Talmuds. In these books these pretended laws are now contained. They are exceedingly numerous and very trifling. They are, however, regarded by the Jews as more important than either Moses or the prophets.

I have discovered over the forty years as a Baptist leader and student of the Holy Scriptures that whether admitted or not, Denominational Tradition is taught to their members disguised as biblical or scriptural when in reality it is not! We have to be very careful in this day and age that we remain focused to what the Holy Bible actually says. I'm more literalistic than most because I don't like when men try and "read between the lines" and interpret Scripture by their preconception or ideas....Our text today is a glaring example of miss-application of God's Word.

In Verse 2 we see these leaders of Israel asking Jesus why His Disciples didn't cleanse their hands before eating. Here we see a tradition being used. Jesus had already rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for paying too much attention to cleaning the outside of articles and themselves without even a thought of maintaining a clean heart and spirit. That is one of the major problems with mans traditions, it focuses on mans ideas rather than God's.

I have always loved the way Jesus changes the question into a question. Jesus catches these Leaders in a trap of truth. Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." And, Exodus 21:17 "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death." Here in the KJV we have two words, Honor and Curse. Honer means to obey, and Curse is to disobey.

These Jews were not treating their parents with the respect that was their due. When the parents reached an advanced age and needed the help of their sons, both financially and to meet their normal needs, the Law of God commanded the sons to obey and respect the Law as well as their aging parents in need.

Instead, these sons were taking their funds that should go to their parents and offering to God as "corban". I'm not really sure why these sons were treating their parents so shamefully, and I hope it wasn't the general rule. It is said, the Jewish teachers said that it was more important for a man to dedicate his property to God than to provide for the needs of his parent. Sad but true.

Mat 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Mat 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

This is the Scripture that I quoted so many times in the past. Unfortunately, it fitted those Scribes and Pharisees then and fits so many Christians today.

 

[ezrider]

They supposed that when Moses was on Mount Sinai two sets of laws were delivered to him

I would say that on that Day, Mt Zion descended upon Mt Sinai. The children of Israel heard the voice of God, yet saw no similitude, as He spoke from Zion. The children of Israel rejected the Spirit of the Lord that day for fear of their death, so they chose instead to follow Moses, and they made a covenant with Death, the covenant made upon Sinai. Had they accepted His Spirit on that day, they would have been granted the Tree of Life; but they chose death instead, and so from Sinai the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil fed them. Because of this, the word spoken that day has been masked in the shadow of the two mountains, and they never knew from which mountain the Voice did come, and so they make both a law and requirement. And like Adam when he was expelled from the Garden, God did have compassion on him and gave him covering that so that His Death would not be imputed unto him, and so as Adam had committed a sin unto death, God sent him from the Garden without imputing unto him his death: For Death was in the world from Adam until Moses, but where there is NO LAW, then Death is not imputed unto them. The covering given to Adam caused the Angel of Death to pass over them. This is what was celebrated as the Passover of God in the land of Egypt, and the haste in which Adam was forced from the Garden before Death could take him.

But we do not stand in the shadow of two mountains any longer, for the words that proceeded forth from the lips of Jesus was the word of God as it was given from Mt Zion. The prophecy of Christ standing upon the mount of Olives found in Zech 14 has already been fulfilled in Jesus and the words that he spoke upon the mount, for in His death and resurrection and Judgement that followed, the mount has been divided, and half has moved to the North, and the other half to the South. There should no longer be any confusion, for Mt Zion has been moved North, and Mt Sinai has been moved South, and a great valley stands between. Some still try to Glory in the shadow of Mt Sinai, holding on to their covering and promise of salvation. But those who follow after the Spirit, they should be basking in the light that does come forth from Mt Zion.

You can see the foreshadow of this in the division of the Kingdom of Israel into two kingdoms. The Kingdom of the ten Northern tribes of the House of Israel, and the Kingdom of the two southern tribes of the House of Judah. Jesus when he came was sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Note Jeremiah 23:5-8.

We have to be very careful in this day and age that we remain focused to what the Holy Bible actually says.

Isaiah 30:1
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord,
that take counsel, but not of me;
and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit,
that they may add sin to sin.

They take counsel from Moses and the written law. The Law that stands beneath Sinai. But because as much as the words spoken by Jesus came forth from Mt Zion, they were also heard before Mt Sinai, and Sinai has taken them for herself, that she may add sin to sin. But in the death and resurrection of Christ, the mountains have been moved far apart, and he has promised that he would send forth his Spirit into our hearts crying Abba, Father. The Spirit shall bring us to Zion, and no matter how far the shadow mount of Sinai reaches, the light that comes from Zion cast no shadow, and needs no covering.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

One of the problems with old age is looking back over my life and seeing regrets. When I was forging ahead in the service of my Lord in my late thirties and forties, I never looked back. The future was all I was interested in. Now, the regrets haunt me and it is a struggle to leave it all with Jesus at the cross. I long for my heavenly home, like Paul, I have fought the faithful fight and praise my Lord for all He accomplished thru me.

I'm 52 years old and I've been where you describe for a few years now. It felt wrong at first, but I've accepted the tragedy of what could have been for me and my life as a Christian while rejoicing in what little has been right about it.

 

[DanielGarneau]

April 6th 2015 Matthew 14:22:36 A Water Highway.
Mat 14:22 [...] Mat 14:36 [...]

Thank you Daniel for those words. They are worthy of contemplation. Old age is certainly not easy. One of the problems with old age is looking back over my life and seeing regrets. When I was forging ahead in the service of my Lord in my late thirties and forties, I never looked back. The future was all I was interested in. Now, the regrets haunt me and it is a struggle to leave it all with Jesus at the cross. I long for my heavenly home, like Paul, I have fought the faithful fight and praise my Lord for all He accomplished thru me.

I'm 52 years old and I've been where you describe for a few years now. It felt wrong at first, but I've accepted the tragedy of what could have been for me and my life as a Christian while rejoicing in what little has been right about it.

I've been there too, and for several years, with a despondent spirit. I kept going to Church and being involved in a very supportive small group of our Church, but I was broken in spirit. My wife and the people there kept reminding me that they believed I would come through, that there was more to who I was than what I was able to see and understand. Now, the way I see my past sin is partly described in Looking Towards Christ.

To the context of the present thread, I would add to what I said in that article that our regrets – and I have gallaxies of them, like the temptation to feel that large chunks of my life were just wasted away – are occasions to glory in God's love and patience toward each of us, in saving us, and in preserving us in Him.

This is meant as an encouragement from one who knows what regretting is, but to whom God showed how to be rejoicing in the immensity of His forgiveness for the loss we caused and continue causing to ourselves and others, that is, not only in the past but also in the present. The net result of this new (since 2008) attitude is that sin has less impact on my life than it did when I felt crushed under its burden. God taught me from where I was. I believe he teaches each one of us from where we are, no matter how far-away or close to him we live.

Our life can be viewed as a school from which we will gratuate on the day when we meet our Maker and Savior. That school includes in its curriculum every wrong move we made throughout our life. I like to see in 2 Peter 1:5-11 the curriculum of that school, and in 2 Peter 1:12-21, a guideline towards what the reading material is and how it should be approached.

 

[Chopper]

Hi Daniel. Thank you for that frank and honest evaluation of your past. Unfortunately is does spill over into the present. I'm a lot like you in that my regrets would fill a good size book. My regrets really bothered me spiritually for at least one year where I was desperately depressed, with no joy in sight.

In prayer, I kept asking my Heavenly Father where I could find the joy of my Salvation again. Somewhere, or someone, or something reminded me of this portion of Scripture. Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."

Daniel, this verse was used by God to set me free from being held captive in the prison of regret. I felt useless for the Kingdom of the Christ of God, Jesus. Then I realized that God's love for me was far greater than my past of which He forgave me because Jesus understood and didn't abandon me because of bad decisions even though I deserved that. He set me free, forgave me and continued to bless me even more because I trusted His love for me.

My Daughter, Peggy Moore, a wonderful published spiritual writer of devotional books. Recently wrote a devotional titled "Daily Refocus" Her book can be purchased at "Amazon", very inexpensive. In she writes, "It amazes me how easy it is for me to slip into feeling sorry for myself! And the scary thing is.....I usually feel very justified in feeling the way I do.....I don't even recognize how self-absorbed I'm being! A downfall of being self-absorbed is it blows everything out of proportion." The title of this section is "Get Over Yourself" wow, what a great subject to ponder.

 

[Chopper]

April 12th 2015 Matthew 15:10-20 The Heart Exposed.

Mat 15:10 And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand:
Mat 15:11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
Mat 15:12 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
Mat 15:13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Mat 15:15 But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."
Mat 15:16 And he said, "Are you also still without understanding?
Mat 15:17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
Mat 15:18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Mat 15:20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone."

NOTE: Scripture is copied from e-Sword.com by permission.

In verse 10 Jesus reveals a truth about the hearts of the Pharisees, and that truth extends even to us today....Jesus not only wants the Scribes and Pharisees to hear this truth, but all who had come who wanted to hear anything that the great Teacher Jesus had to say. "hear and understand" meant that this was very important for everyone, not only to hear, but to store this truth in their memory for future truth. Not to let what He is about to say "go in one ear and out the other" as my Dad used to say.

In the context of what has transpired. Jesus had rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees with these words.
Mat 15:7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
Mat 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Mat 15:9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

V.12 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" If I were there I would have said "you bet!" Now that's a truth that Jesus doesn't have to ask forgiveness for offending them. V. 14 is quite the indictment to the Jews. Jesus says, "leave them alone" why? because the history of Israel has been "stiff necked".

In my morning worship and devotions, I have been studying Nehemiah. This morning it was chapter 9. I actually couldn't believe what I was reading. I asked my self, "how could a people who have been so blessed by God, turn their back on His abundant grace time after time. I have no answer to my question, just pity for a people who God did so much for.

Verses 19 & 20 demonstrate a battle that goes on every day that we live hers in these broken bodies. I really like the song "Change My Heart O Lord." When I look at rebellious Israel, I think "but for the grace of God, go I."

 

[Jethro Bodine]

One of my life verses.

"17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men." (Romans 14:17-18 NASB)

Jesus is telling us that it isn't about the 'eating and drinking' of legalistic religion. It's about having a changed heart and what overflows from that changed heart.

 

[Chopper]

One of my life verses.

"17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men." (Romans 14:17-18 NASB)

Jesus is telling us that it isn't about the 'eating and drinking' of legalistic religion. It's about having a changed heart and what overflows from that changed heart.

That is so true Jethro. That's a great life verse, I wish I'd thought of that. Oh boy, legalistic! Yep! They could have called me Mr. Legalistic for sure. I followed a man called Rodney Bell who used to accompany Bob Jones on his hateful rampage. They were the genuine Mr. Legalistic. I am so glad that the Lord delivered me out of that pitfall of hatred. I'd say that it was somewhere between 1990 and 1991 that I said good bye to legalism, and hello love.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I'd say that it was somewhere between 1990 and 1991 that I said good bye to legalism, and hello love.

Amen, bro. Looks like we were discovering God's love around the same time. I had been saved a couple of years when I started learning about God's love, what it is and how it works, I felt like I'd been 'born again again'.

It was such an awesome experience and revelation that I felt like I'd arrived, but I soon found out I was just starting out, lol. I realized that perfecting God's love in us is a lifetime work that God does in us.

I need to add that your life experience and testimony is so valuable to us in this forum.

 

[Chopper]

Amen, bro. Looks like we were discovering God's love around the same time. I had been saved a couple of years when I started learning about God's love, what it is and how it works, I felt like I'd been 'born again again'.

It was such an awesome experience and revelation that I felt like I'd arrived, but I soon found out I was just starting out, lol. I realized that perfecting God's love in us is a lifetime work that God does in us.

I need to add that your life experience and testimony is so valuable to us in this forum.

Thanks Jethro, that means a lot. I need to be needed.

 

[Chopper]

April 15th 2015 Matthew 15:21-28 Little Dogs Have To Eat!

Mat 15:21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon."
Mat 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us."
Mat 15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Mat 15:25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."
Mat 15:26 And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
Mat 15:27 She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

John Gill gives us a glimpse of V.21. "and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon; two principal cities of Phoenicia: not that he went into these places themselves, but into some places that bordered upon them; for as he ordered his disciples not to go in the way of the Gentiles, so neither did he himself." (From e-Sword by permission.)

Got to to, will finish this later.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

He got hungry reading the passage and had to grab a sandwich...

Hurry back. Good passage.

 

[Chopper]

I'm Back!
Mat 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Verse 22 Finds a woman, a gentile from outside of the region coming to Jesus for the healing of her daughter. Demon possession was quite common during the first few centuries. But not now? Hmm.

Verse 23 Finds Jesus putting this Greek woman to a test. The disciples reacted much like people today, they can't be bothered with people who want something that will interrupt what they are doing. Especially if they want something.

Verse 24 Finds Jesus stating a fact that He had told His Disciples and had to stay true to His directions. The test for this woman will be a test of faith and knowledge.

Verse 25 If we couple Vs 22 and 25, we see what this woman knew about Jesus. Remember I said that Jesus wanted to test her faith and knowledge. She called Him Lord (Deity) and Son of David (Messiah). So she passed the knowledge test and the fact that she kept after Jesus because she knew He could deliver her Daughter for demon possession, she passed the faith test.

Verse 26 Has over the years been a hard verse to reckon with coming from Jesus. He in reality said "The little dogs" or puppies. The term dogs meant the wild dogs that roamed the streets savaging whatever they could find to eat. Jesus is simply using the language of the times of which this woman would have been very used to being a Gentile. It could have said "It's not right to give the food of Jews to Gentiles.

Verse 27 The woman responds with a clever statement of the puppies being permitted to eat the crumbs that fell from a Masters table. Verse 28 The persistence of this woman's faith won the heart of Jesus when He said "great is your faith." As a result, her Daughter was healed....There you go Jethro old Buddy.

 

[Deborah13]

The woman declared that she believed, by faith, that even though she was a Gentile she could share in the children's bread, just as the puppies ate the crumbs of the children's bread that fell from the master's table. She was very humble in knowing that it was not her birth right or her national right as a member of the nation of Israel.

Does the master's table represent the Kingdom of God? I don't know, never thought of that until this minute.