Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 15:29-39

Introduction

Textual and contextual background

Liberal scholars have long tried to use this portion of Matthew’s gospel as a means to cast doubt on the accuracy and inspiration of Scripture.

They have contended that this is simple a duplicate of the miracle recorded in Matthew 14.

Leon Morris answers these critics masterfully in his commentary…

“Matthew clearly regards the two incidents as distinct: the numbers of people are different in the two incidents, as are the quantities of food and the amounts of left over; the words for “basket” (small baskets, /kophinos/ in Matthew 14; large baskets, /spuridas/; here) are different; the people in this incident had been with Jesus three days(15:32) whereas in the earlier incident they had just gone around the lake to head him off(14:13-14)… The times appear to be different, the earlier feeding being when the grass was green (Mark 6:39), that is, in the spring, while here there is no mention of grass and the ground appears to be hard (15:35); in other words it is late summer.”

God is a God of grace, mercy and compassion

*Lamentations 3:22* “/Through /the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.”

Over and over again God showed compassion on His people when they were in need, despite their sin and rebelliousness against Him.

From the earliest part of His ministry; Jesus felt compassion for the multitudes.

In the text before us we see God’s grace displayed and we can learn some important lessons about God’s grace.

\\ 1A.

God’s Grace Displayed

1B.

The Lord’s genuine concern (15:29-31)

The place (15:29)

Ø      We learn from Mark that Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee, apparently on the east side, stopping in “the region of Decapolis” (Mark 7:31), another Gentile area on the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee, directly south of the modern Golan Heights.

Ø      Decapolis means “ten cities” (from the Greek /deka/, “ten,” and /polis/, “city”) and derives its name from the ten city-states located within its boundaries.

Ø      In and around these ten cities archaeologists have discovered the ruins of elegant amphitheaters, forums, and countless pagan statues and monuments honoring the various gods of the Greek pantheon—including Zeus, Aphrodite, Athene, Artemis, Hercules, Dionysus, and Demeter.

The people (15:30-31)

Ø      Their woes (15:30)

*Maimed *(/kullos/)any part of the human body that is deformed or unable to be used, and includes mutilation or total loss.

*Laid* (/rhiptoô/,)to cast or throw down in haste but not carelessly

Ø      Their wonder (15:31a)

*Marveled* (/thaumazoô/,)to be struck with awe 

Ø      Their worship (15:31b)

The people from Decapolis *glorified the God of Israel.*

\\ 2B.

The Lord’s great compassion (15:32-34)

The Lord’s compassion (15:32)

*I feel compassion* (/splanchnizomai/,) to be moved in one’s inward parts, in the bowels or viscera; “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the pain and remove its cause.”

Ø      Jesus had *compassion* for people’s spiritual needs, which were eternal in their consequences.

Ø      He had *compassion *for their physical afflictions, which were often lifelong in their effect.

Ø      But He also had* compassion* in regard to their food, which sustained them from day to day.

The disciples’ confession (15:33-34)

Ø      They confess their inability  (15:33)

Ø      They confess their insufficiency (15:34)

3B.

The Lord’s gracious command (15:35-39)

What He demanded (15:35)

What He did (15:36-39)

Ø      He thanked the Father, the source of the blessing (15:36a)

Ø      He involved the disciple, the means of the blessing (15:36b)

Ø      He satisfied the people, the recipients of the blessing (15:37-39)

Alfred Edersheim observed that “the Lord ended each phase of His ministry with a feeding.

He ended the ministry in Galilee with the feeding of the five thousand.

He ended the ministry in the Gentile area with the feeding of the four thousand.

And He ended the Judean ministry before His death on the cross with the feeding of His own in the upper room.”

2A.

Lessons About God’s Grace