The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 15 -

(Mark 7:1–13)

Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:

Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:

Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.

But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.

And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.

Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:

This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.

And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them: Hear ye and understand.

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Then came his disciples, and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?

But he answering them, said: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit.

And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.

But he said: Are you also yet without understanding?

Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?

But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man.

For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.

These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

And Jesus went from thence, and retired into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grieviously troubled by the devil.

Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: Send her away, for she crieth after us:

And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel.

But she came and adored him, saying: Lord, help me.

Who answering, said: It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs.

But she said: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.

Then Jesus answering, said to her: O woman, great is thy faith: be it done to thee as thou wilt: and her daughter was cured from that hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

And when Jesus had passed away from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee. And going up into a mountain, he sat there.

And there came to him great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others: and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them:

So that the multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude?

And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes.

And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground.

And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people.

And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.

And they that did eat, were four thousand men, beside children and women.

And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan.

(Mark 7:1–13)

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ (a) and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ (b)

But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”

he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’” (c)

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand.

That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.

Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand?

Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body?

But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.

These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”

But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”

But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there.

Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,

so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.”

The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

They all ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

Footnotes

(a)15:4 ℘ Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(b)15:4 ℘ Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9