Matthew 15 - IVP New Testament Commentaries

Pharisees and Canaanites

The educated religious elite of Jesus' day opposed him (vv. 1-20), his own disciples trusted but could not understand him (vv. 15-16), but a Canaanite woman recognized his identity as Son of David (vv. 21-28). Matthew again reminds the reader of what the religious elite would not guess: Jesus does another sign like Moses and Elisha (vv. 29-39).