Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 14 ESV; Ch. 15-16 LEB

Podcast Introduction

Today is Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Matthew 14-16. I’m calling today’s episode “The House Call.” I’m old enough to remember when doctors made house calls. Instead of the patient traveling to the doctor, the doctor would actually go to the patient. As a matter of fact, I remember when I was seven years old, I was very sick. As I look back, I probably had a bad case of the flu. I could barely breathe. My lungs seemed to be filled with fluid, and my parents called the doctor in the middle of the night. He actually came to our little New Jersey apartment. I remember it like it was yesterday. Whatever he did helped me to get on the road to healing. House calls are a great thing when the patient is too sick to travel. Today we’re going to read about another life saving house call.

Comments on Matthew 15

When the chapter begins, Jesus is in Gennesaret, by the Sea of Galilee.  But in verse 21 Jesus travels to the area around Tyre and Sidon, about 50 miles away. And the area is in the opposite direction of Jerusalem. For reference, Galilee is roughly due north of Jerusalem, about 75 miles away. As the crow flies, Tyre is about 105 miles from Jerusalem. 

Remember, Jesus walked everywhere. He didn’t own any animals. So it probably took him two to three days, depending on his speed, to walk from Gennesaret to the area around Tyre and Sidon. 

Why am I telling you this? Because when Jesus went there, this was not on the way to any of the places he usually frequented. He was there on a mission. He had an appointment to keep with a Canaanite woman. A Gentile.

There was a lot of hatred between the Jews and the Canaanites. Yet this woman cries out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!” She must have heard the accounts of the miracles of healing that Jesus had done, even for Gentiles, and she believed that Jesus was the Son of David, and that He could heal her daughter. The people in his home town had no faith in Jesus, but this Canaanite woman did. 

Let’s step aside for a moment to note that the Gentiles Jesus healed previously had travelled to his location. In this case, Jesus made the trip to her. 

Now back to the scene. The woman cries out, “Have mercy on me…!” and Jesus doesn’t even answer her. Maybe he didn’t even acknowledge her presence. This doesn’t sound like Jesus. He ignored her.

Evidently her reaction to being ignored was to keep pleading with Jesus, because the disciples said, “Send her away, because she is crying out after us!” At this point, we don’t know what Jesus was doing, but the disciples were annoyed. They wanted her to just go away. In saying “send her away”, the original language implies that they were asking Jesus to do what she asked so that she would stop her pleading and go away.

Instead Jesus said in essence, “I was not sent for the Gentiles, but for Israel.”

This made her even more persistent. “Lord, help me!” Listen to what Charles Spurgeon wrote about this plea: “I commend this prayer to you because it is such a handy prayer. You can use it when you are in a hurry, you can use it when you are in a fright, you can use it when you have not time to bow your knee. You can use it in the pulpit if you are going to preach, you can use it when you are opening your shop, you can use it when you are rising in the morning. It is such a handy prayer that I hardly know any position in which you could not pray it: ‘Lord, help me.’”

Lord, help me. Some people don’t feel like they’ve prayed effectively unless they use a lot of words. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:8 that “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Lord, help me.

But to our ears, Jesus seemingly doubled down in his coldness to her. He says, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs!” Sounds pretty racist, doesn’t it? Knowing how Canaanites and Jews hated each other, it sounds like Jesus is calling her a dog, doesn’t it? But not so. The language tells us that what Jesus said was “little dogs”, as in the pet dogs that even Jewish people had, not the wild dogs that roamed the streets. 

We aren’t told the tone of Jesus’ voice when he made this statement, but I imagine He was beginning to let her in on the fact that He was using this as a teaching moment. I can even believe that He had a hint of a smile on his face.

So she said, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” She understood what he was saying. She didn’t take offense at being called a little dog. And she continued her plea. “Just throw me a scrap, Lord. Just a scrap from You will be enough to heal my daughter.”

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with God. Remember, when God appears in the flesh in the Old Testament, we understand that to be the pre-incarnate Jesus. They wrestled all night long. Finally, Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And Jacob prevailed.

Here Jesus has tried three times to discourage the woman. And yet, she prevails.

“O woman,” Jesus said, “your faith is great!”

“O woman, your faith is great!” Do you know how many other people Jesus said this to? Zero. He did compliment the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant in Matthew 8, but he said it to the crowd, not the centurion. Jesus looked into her eyes and said it. Can you imagine!

 “O woman, your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you want.” Her faith was enough to move Jesus, and He healed her daughter. In the face of Jesus’ apparent lack of interest or motivation to help her, her faith was great. She didn’t give up. She kept pushing. She knew Jesus could heal her daughter, if she could just make Him see. She wrestled with God, and she prevailed. In fact, Jesus gave her something she hadn’t even asked for. He healed the woman’s daughter immediately.

And then what happened? The next words we read is, “And departing from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee…” Remember where Jesus was when the chapter started? Gennesaret, by the Sea of Galilee. Talk about a long detour! A hundred mile round trip walk.

How’s that for love?

Support

This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT.

Transcript

Download .txt file.

Matthew 14-16: The House Call (LSFAB S13E042)

[TEASER – 0:00]
It is such a handy prayer that I hardly know any position in which you could not pray it.

[INTRO S13E042 – 0:13]
Coming at you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year. The website is lifespringmedia.com. I’m so glad you’re with me today. How’s your weekend so far? This is Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Matthew 14 through 16. I’m calling today’s episode, “The House Call”.

I’m old enough to remember when doctors made house calls. You know what that is, right? Instead of the patient traveling to the doctor, the doctor would actually go to the patient. As a matter of fact, I remember when I was about seven years old, I was very sick. As I look back, I probably had a bad case of the flu. I could barely breathe. My lungs seem to be filled with fluid. And I think my parents kind of panicked, they called the doctor in the middle of the night and he actually came to our little New Jersey apartment. I remember like it was yesterday. And whatever he did help me to get on the road to healing. House calls were a great thing when the patient is too sick to travel. Today we’re going to read about another life-saving house call.

And tomorrow is the 18th anniversary of the very first Lifespring podcast episode.

Now before we read, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 1:24]
Our heavenly Father, we thank you so much again for your Word. And we ask that today as we read, you would touch our hearts touch our minds. Help us Lord to understand what it is you have for us today. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Okay, let’s get started.

[MATTHEW 14 (ESV) – 1:41]
Matthew, chapter 14.

(1) At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, (2) and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” (3) For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, (4) because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” (5) And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. (6) But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, (7) so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. (8) Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” (9) And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. (10) He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, (11) and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. (12) And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

(13) Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. (14) When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (15) Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” (16) But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (17) They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” (18) And he said, “Bring them here to me.” (19) Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (20) And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. (21) And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

(22) Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. (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, (24) but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. (25) And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. (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. (27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Don’t be afraid.”

(28) And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

(34) And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. (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 (36) and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

[MATTHEW 15 (LEB) – 5:12]
Matthew, chapter 15.

(1) Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, (2) “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.” (3) So he answered and said to them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? (4) For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die.’ (5) But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or his mother, “Whatever benefit you would have received from me is a gift from God,” (6) need not honor his father,’ and you make void the word of God for the sake of your tradition. (7) Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying,

(8) ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far, far away from me,
(9) and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

(10) And summoning the crowd, he said to them, “Hear and understand: (11) It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.” (12) Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” (13) And he answered and said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. (14) Let them! They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (15) But Peter answered and said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” (16) But he said, “Are you also still without understanding? (17) Do you not understand that everything that enters into the mouth goes into the stomach and is evacuated into the latrine? (18) But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these defile the person. (19) For from the heart come evil plans, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, abusive speech. (20) These are the things that defile a person. But eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person!”

(21) And departing from there, Jesus went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. (22) And behold, a Canaanite woman from that district came and cried out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!” (23) But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came up and asked him, saying, “Send her away, because she is crying out after us!” (24) But he answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (25) But she came and knelt down before him, saying, “Lord, help me!” (26) And he answered and said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs!” (27) So she said, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (28) Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you want.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

(29) And departing from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up on the mountain and was sitting there. (30) And large crowds came to him, having with them the mute, blind, lame, crippled, and many others, and they put them down at his feet, and he healed them. (31) So then the crowd was astonished when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.

(32) And Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me three days already and do not have anything to eat, and I do not want to send them away hungry lest they give out on the way.” (33) And the disciples said to him, “Where in this desolate place can we get so much bread that such a great crowd could be satisfied?” (34) And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” So they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” (35) And commanding the crowd to recline for a meal on the ground, (36) he took the seven loaves and the fish and after he had given thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (37) And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. (38) Now those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children. (39) And after he sent away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

[MATTHEW 16 (LEB) – 9:31]
Matthew, chapter 16.

(1) And when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test him, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. (2) So he answered and said to them, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather because the sky is red,’ (3) and early in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy weather, because the sky is red and darkening.’ You know how to evaluate correctly the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to evaluate the signs of the times. (4) An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah!” And he left them and went away.

(5) And when the disciples arrived at the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. (6) And Jesus said to them, “Watch out for and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” (7) So they were discussing this among themselves, saying, “It is because we did not take bread.” (8) But knowing this, Jesus said, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you did not take bread, you of little faith? (9) Do you not yet understand or do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? (10) Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? (11) How do you not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” (12) Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(13) Now when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he began asking his disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (14) And they said, Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (15) He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” (17) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it! (19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven.” (20) Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ.

(21) From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. (22) And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid, Lord! This will never happen to you!” (23) But he turned around and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a cause for stumbling to me, because you are not intent on the things of God, but the things of people!”

(24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. (26) For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and at that time he will reward each one according to what he has done. (28) Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

[COMMENTARY – 13:05]
Let’s talk for a few minutes about Matthew 15. When the chapter begins, Jesus is in Gennesaret by the Sea of Galilee. But in verse 21, Jesus travels to the area around Tyre and Sidon, which is about 50 miles away. And the area is in the opposite direction of Jerusalem. The Sea of Galilee is north of Jerusalem by about 75 miles away. But then beyond the Sea of Galilee, Tyre and Sidon are another 50 or so miles north northwest. And as the crow flies Tyre is about 105 miles from Jerusalem.

Now, remember, Jesus walked everywhere, he didn’t own any animals. So it probably took him two to three days maybe even longer depending on his speed, to walk from Gennesaret to the area around Tyre and Sidon.

Why am I telling you this? Well, because when Jesus went there, this was not on the way to any of the places he usually frequented. From the area around the Sea of Galilee to get to Tyre and Sidon, you had to be going there to get there, in other words. He was on a mission. He had an appointment to keep with a Canaanite woman, a Gentile.

And there was a lot of hatred between the Jews and the Canaanites. Yet this woman cries out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David, my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” Now she must have heard the accounts of the miracles of healing that Jesus had done even for the Gentiles. And she believed that Jesus was the Son of David and that he could heal her daughter. The people in His own hometown had no faith in Jesus, but this Canaanite woman did.

I’m going to step out of the scene for just a moment to note that the Gentiles that Jesus healed previously had traveled to his location. In this case, Jesus made the trip to her area.

Okay, back to the scene. The woman cries out to him, “Have mercy on me…!” And Jesus doesn’t even answer her. Maybe he doesn’t even acknowledge her presence. This doesn’t sound like Jesus does it. He ignored her.

Evidently, her reaction to being ignored was to keep pleading with Jesus because the disciples said, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us!” Well, at this point, we don’t know what Jesus was doing, but the disciples were annoyed. They wanted her to just go away. And when they said, “Send her away”, the original language implies that they were asking Jesus to do what she asked so that she would just stop her pleading and go away.

But instead, Jesus said, in essence, “I wasn’t sent for the Gentiles, but for Israel.”

Well, this made her even more persistent. “Lord, help me!” she said. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon wrote about this plea. “I commend this prayer to you because it is such a handy prayer. You can use it when you are in a hurry, you can use it when you are in a fright, you can use it when you have not time to bow your knee. You can use it in the pulpit if you are going to preach, you can use it when you are opening your shop, you can use it when you are rising in the morning. It is such a handy prayer that I hardly know any position in which you could not pray it: ‘Lord, help me.’”

Yes, Lord help me. Some people don’t feel like they’ve prayed effectively unless they use a lot of words. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:8 that “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Lord, help me.

Back again to the scene. Now after she says, “Lord, help me”, to our ears, Jesus seemingly doubled down in his coldness to her. He says, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs!” Wow, sounds pretty racist, doesn’t it? Knowing how Canaanites and Jews hated each other. It sounds like Jesus is calling her a dog, but not so. The language tells us that what Jesus said was “little dogs” as in the pet dogs that even Jewish people had, not the wild dogs that roamed the streets.

Now, we’re not told the tone of Jesus voice when he made this statement. But I imagine he was beginning to let her in on the fact that he was using this as a teaching moment. I can even believe that he had a hint of a smile on his face.

So perhaps he said it like this. “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” So her answer to that was, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” She understood what he was saying. She didn’t take offense at being called a little dog. And she continued her plea. “Just throw me a scrap, Lord. Just a scrap from you will be enough to heal my daughter.” We don’t read those words, but that’s what she’s saying.

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with God. Now, remember, when God appears in the flesh in the Old Testament, we understand that to be the pre-incarnate Jesus. Jacob and Jesus wrestled all night long. And finally, Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And Jacob prevailed.

Here in our scene with this woman, Jesus has tried three times to discourage the woman and yet she prevails.

Jesus says, “O, woman, your faith is great!” Do you know how many other people Jesus said this to? Hmm? Think about it. I’ll tell you: zero. Now he did compliment the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant in Matthew 8, but he said it to the crowd, not to the centurion. But here, Jesus looked into her eyes and said, “O, woman, your faith is great.” Can you imagine?

And then he continued, “Let it be done for you as you want.” Her faith was enough to move Jesus and he healed her daughter. In the face of Jesus’ apparent lack of interest or motivation to help her, her faith was great. She didn’t give up. She kept pushing. She knew Jesus could heal her daughter if she could just make him see. She wrestled with God, and she prevailed. In fact, Jesus gave her something she hadn’t even asked for. He healed the woman’s daughter immediately.

And then what happened? The next words we read is, “And departing from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee…” Remember where Jesus was when the chapter started? Gennesaret by the Sea of Galilee. Talk about a long detour, a hundred-mile roundtrip walk.

How’s that for love?

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 19:53]
Have a comment, call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 and if you’re outside the US, please put a +1 at the beginning of that number. You can also comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com, or you can email me at st***@*************ia.com.

Tomorrow is Epistle Sunday and we’ll read Romans 13 and 14.

Boost.

[SEND IN YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS AND PRAISES – 20:18]
Did you know that we’re called to pray for one another? James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” That’s what our Wednesday and Sunday prayer days are all about. And tomorrow is Sunday. So please, if you do have a prayer request, or if you’d like to encourage the other Lifespring family members with a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com, fill out that form there and I will pray for you in my private prayer time. I’ll rejoice with you and I’ll share it on the show. Give me whatever information you want me to share. And if you want to remain anonymous, you can do that as well, prayer.lifespringmedia.com. You can also call in your prayer requests and praise at 951-732-8511.

[LIFESPRING 18-ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – 21:11]
Tomorrow November 13, 2022, is the 18th anniversary of the very first Lifespring podcast. You’ll hear the show tomorrow but I’ll be recording the show today at 4 pm Pacific Standard Time. And if you’d like to help me celebrate the day and you’d like to make a special 18th-anniversary donation please have it in by then if you’d like to have me read it on the show. If any donations come in after that I’ll read them on a later show. If the show has brought value to your life, if it’s become an important part of your life, send some of that value back and for the 18th anniversary include the number 18 in the amount. Beside that 18, you decide what value the show’s had for you. The amount of your donation is completely up to you and then go to lifespringmedia.com/support. And of course, boostagrams are always welcome and for the 18th anniversary put the number 18 in the amount somewhere.

[OUTRO S13E042 – 22:08]
Did you get the newsletter that Kirsty sent out this week? If not, be sure you sign up for the newsletter at news.lifespringmedia.com. And Sister Kirsty is the one that does send out the newsletter. Brother Sean of San Pedro does the chapters and Sister Denise corrects the transcripts. Thanks, guys. God bless you.

Comment on today’s show by calling the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 or by going to comment.lifespringmedia.com, or by emailing me at st***@*************ia.com.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise