THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Chapter 15: Overview
The chapter has a clear beginning with the appearance of the Pharisees and scribes, 15,1. There is another new beginning in 16,1 when the Pharisees appear again, this time with Sadducees.
The first part of the chapter is a long section concerning the traditions of the elders, what is important and what is not important about them, 15,1-20. The Pharisees and scribes enter the scene in 15,1 as we've noted and question Jesus.
This episode has a clear ending because in 15,21 Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
This first part is divided into two by the change of audience in verse 10, taking us from a direct to an indirect confrontation. Thus 15,1-20 gives us our first page for reading this chapter with its two halves.
This episode is followed by Jesus going to the region of Tyre and Sidon where there follows a remarkable encounter with the Canaanite woman. Reading that encounter, 15-21-28, therefore becomes our second page for this chapter.
In verse 29 we find Jesus is back again by the sea of Galilee. There he again goes up the mountain as in 14,23, but this time the crowds follow him (15,30). The final section of the chapter, 15,29-39, tells of the events that take place there and how Jesus feeds the crowd for a second time. Then, oddly, we find in verse 39 that Jesus has returned to the lakeside where he gets into the boat.
That gives us a third page for this chapter, 15,29-39. We will then look more closely at the way Matthew has edited Mark's account.
Our three pages for this chapter are therefore:
- 15,1-20: the Pharisees and scribes
- 15,21-28: the Canaanite woman
- 15,29-39: Jesus heals and feeds
Now we can return to the main page.