傳統與誡命

15 那時,有些法利賽人和經文士從耶路撒冷來到耶穌那裡,說: 「你的門徒們為什麼違犯古人的傳統呢?他們吃飯[a]的時候不洗手!」

耶穌回答他們,說:「你們為什麼為了你們的傳統而違犯神的命令呢? 神吩咐過

『你要孝敬你的父母』[b],又說
『咒罵父親或母親的人,必須處死。』[c] 你們卻說『如果有人對父親或母親說:我本該給你的已經做了聖殿奉獻, 他就可以完全不孝敬父母[d]。』這樣,為了你們的傳統,你們就廢棄了神的話語[e][f] 你們這些偽善的人哪!以賽亞指著你們所說的預言是對的,他說:
『這子民[g]用嘴唇尊重我,
他們的心卻遠離我。
他們敬拜我也是徒然的,
因為他們把人的規條當做教義教導人[h]。』[i]

汙穢由心而出

10 耶穌召來眾人,對他們說:「你們當聽,也當領悟: 11 不是進到口裡的使人汙穢;而是從口裡出來的,這才使人汙穢。」

12 那時,門徒們前來對他說:「法利賽人聽了這話很反感[j],你知道嗎?」

13 耶穌回答說:「凡不是我天父所栽種的,都將被連根拔起。 14 隨他們吧!他們是給瞎子領路的瞎子[k]。如果瞎子給瞎子領路,兩個人都會掉進坑裡。」

15 彼得對耶穌說:「請把這個比喻解釋給我們聽。」

16 耶穌說:「到如今,你們也無知嗎? 17 你們難道不明白:一切進入口裡的,要進到肚子,然後被排到廁所; 18 而從口裡出來的,是由心裡發出的,這些才使人汙穢。 19 因為從心裡發出種種惡念:殺人、通姦、淫亂、偷竊、做偽證、毀謗, 20 這些才會使人汙穢;而不洗手就吃飯,不會使人汙穢。」

外邦婦人的信心

21 耶穌離開那地方,退到提爾西頓地區。 22 這時候,忽然來了一個住在那地區的迦南婦人,她呼叫說:「主啊,大衛的後裔[l],可憐我吧!我的女兒有鬼魔附身,痛苦萬分。」

23 耶穌一句話也不回應,他的門徒們上前來求他,說:「這婦人一直跟在我們後面喊叫,請讓她走吧。」

24 耶穌回答說:「我奉差派,只到以色列家迷失的羊那裡去。」

25 那婦人來拜他,說:「主啊,求你幫助我!」

26 耶穌回答說:「拿兒女的餅扔給小狗,是不合宜的。」

27 婦人說:「是的,主啊!不過連小狗也吃得到主人桌子上掉下來的碎渣!」

28 於是耶穌回答她,說:「哦,婦人哪,你這信心[m]是大的!照你所願的,給你成全吧。」從那一刻起,她的女兒就痊癒了。

在加利利湖邊治病

29 耶穌離開那地方,來到加利利湖邊[n],上了山坐在那裡。 30 有一大群人來到他面前,帶著瘸腿的、瞎眼的、殘疾的、聾啞的還有許多其他人,把他們放在耶穌腳前;耶穌就使他們痊癒了。 31 結果眾人看見聾啞的說話,殘疾的康復,瘸腿的行走,瞎眼的看見,都感到驚奇,就榮耀以色列的神。

使四千人吃飽

32 耶穌召來他的門徒們,說:「我憐憫這群人,因為他們與我在一起已經三天了,也沒有什麼東西吃。我不願意讓他們餓著肚子回去,恐怕他們在路上暈倒。」

33 門徒們說:「我們在曠野,從哪裡得這麼多的食物讓這麼大一群人吃飽呢?」

34 耶穌問他們:「你們有多少餅?」

他們回答說:「七個,還有幾條小魚。」

35 耶穌就吩咐眾人坐在地上, 36 於是拿起這七個餅和幾條小魚,祝謝以後,掰開,不斷遞給門徒們,他們又分給眾人。 37 大家都吃了,並且吃飽了。然後,他們把剩下的碎塊收拾起來,裝滿了七個筐子。 38 吃的人,不算婦女和孩子,就有四千。 39 耶穌遣散了人群以後,就上了船,來到茉加丹[o]地區。

Footnotes

  1. 馬太福音 15:2 飯——原文直譯「餅」。
  2. 馬太福音 15:4 《出埃及記》20:12;《申命記》5:16。
  3. 馬太福音 15:4 《出埃及記》21:17;《利未記》20:9。
  4. 馬太福音 15:6 父母——有古抄本作「父親」。
  5. 馬太福音 15:6 神的話語——或譯作「神的道」。
  6. 馬太福音 15:6 話語——有古抄本作「命令」。
  7. 馬太福音 15:8 有古抄本附「用口親近我,」。
  8. 馬太福音 15:9 他們把人的規條當做教義教導人——或譯作「他們教導的教義是人的規條」。
  9. 馬太福音 15:9 《以賽亞書》29:13。
  10. 馬太福音 15:12 很反感——原文直譯「被絆倒了」。
  11. 馬太福音 15:14 給瞎子領路的瞎子——有古抄本作「瞎子的領路人」。
  12. 馬太福音 15:22 大衛的後裔——或譯作「大衛之子」。
  13. 馬太福音 15:28 信心——指「對耶穌基督的信心」。
  14. 馬太福音 15:29 湖——原文直譯「海」。
  15. 馬太福音 15:39 茉加丹——有古抄本作「茉大拉」。

Tradition and Commandment

15 Then some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus and said, “Why do Your disciples violate the [a]tradition (religious laws) handed down by the [Jewish] elders? For Your disciples do not [ceremonially] wash their hands before they eat.” He replied to them, “Why also do you violate the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition [handed down by the elders]? For God said [through Moses], Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of or insults or treats improperly father or mother is to be put to death.’(A) But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “Whatever [money or resource that] I have that would help you is [already dedicated and] given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother [by helping them with their need].’ So by this you have invalidated the word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect] for the sake of your tradition [handed down by the elders]. You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,


This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.

But in vain do they worship Me,
For they teach as doctrines the precepts of men.’”(B)

10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said, “Listen and understand this: 11 It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.”

12 Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard you say this?” 13 He answered, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be torn up by the roots.(C) 14 Leave them alone; they are blind guides [b][leading blind followers]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

The Heart of Man

15 Peter asked Him, “Explain this parable [about what defiles a person] to us.” 16 And He said, “Are you still so dull [and unable to put things together]? 17 Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonors the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming). 20 These are the things which defile and dishonor the man; but eating with [ceremonially] unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

The Syrophoenician Woman

21 After leaving there, Jesus withdrew to the district of [c]Tyre and Sidon.(D) 22 And a [d]Canaanite woman from that district came out and began to cry out [urgently], saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David (Messiah); my daughter is cruelly possessed by a demon.” 23 But He did not say a word in answer to her. And His disciples came and asked Him [repeatedly], “Send her away, because she keeps shouting out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was commissioned by God and sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to kneel down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He replied, “It is not good (appropriate, fair) to take the [e]children’s bread and throw it to the [f]pet dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord; but even the pet dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith [your personal trust and confidence in My power] is great; it will be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.

Healing Crowds

29 Jesus went on from there and passed along by [the eastern shore of] the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on the hillside and was sitting there. 30 And great crowds came to Him, bringing with them the lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they put them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they praised and glorified the God of Israel.

Four Thousand Fed

32 Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing [left] to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, because they might faint [from exhaustion] on the way [home].”(E) 33 The disciples said to Him, “Where are we to get enough bread in this isolated place to feed so large a crowd?” 34 And Jesus asked them, “How many loaves [of bread] do you have?” They replied, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and when He had given thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the people. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they gathered up seven full baskets of the broken pieces that were left over. 38 [Among] those who ate were 4,000 men, not counting women and children.

39 Then Jesus sent the crowds away, got into the boat and went to the district of [g]Magadan.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:2 I.e. the oral commentary on the Law, later codified as the Mishnah.
  2. Matthew 15:14 Later mss add of the blind.
  3. Matthew 15:21 Tyre and Sidon were located along the Gentile coastal region of Phoenicia. Tyre was 35 miles and Sidon 60 miles north of Galilee.
  4. Matthew 15:22 The Canaanites were ancient, pagan enemies of Israel.
  5. Matthew 15:26 A reference to the Jewish people.
  6. Matthew 15:26 Jews used kuon (dog) as a derogatory term referring to Gentiles. This dog (kuon) was a despised, filthy, homeless street scavenger. When speaking with this woman, Jesus uses a word for “dog” (kunarion) that refers to a household pet. The use of the word kunariois by both Jesus and the woman reflects the tenderness and spiritual depth of this exchange. More importantly, it foreshadows the fact that Gentile believers would not be spiritually homeless, but would also be welcomed into God’s household as His children. The gracious response of the woman recorded in v 27 confirms that on some level she understands this.
  7. Matthew 15:39 A small town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Tiberias and Capernaum.

15 Then Perushim and Sofrim (rabbonim) from Yerushalayim approach Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying,

Why do your talmidim transgress the Masoret HaZekenim (the Tradition of the Elders)? For they do not do the netilat yadayim before meals.

But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, in reply to them, said, Why [do] also you transgress the mitzvat Hashem for the sake of your own masoros?

For Hashem has said, KABED ES AVICHA VES IMMECHA (honor your father and your mother, SHEMOT 20:12; DEVARIM 5:16), and MKALEL AVIV VIMMO MOT YUMAT (the one cursing his father and mother to die he must die, SHEMOT 21:17; VAYIKRA 20:9).

But you say, Whoever says to his abba or his em, whatever support you might have had from me, [it is] a gift [i.e., korban, dedicated to G-d].

By no means does [anyone who says this] honor his abba or em. And you nullify the Dvar Hashem on account of your masoros.

You tzevuim, well did Yeshayah give a dvar hanevuah concerning you, saying,

YAAN KI NIGASH HAAM HAZEH BEFIV UVISHFATAV KI-BDUNI VLIBO RICHAK MIMENI VATEHI YIRATAM OTI MITZVAT ANASHIM MELUMADAH (This people with their lips honor me, but their heart is far away from me,

and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the mitzvot of [mere] men, YESHAYAH 29:13.)

10 And having summoned the multitude, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Listen and understand!

11 It is not the thing entering into the mouth that makes the man tameh (unclean), but the thing going out from the mouth this makes the man tameh.

12 Then Moshiach’s talmidim approached and say to him, Do you know that the Perushim took offense when they heard [this] dvar?

13 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, in reply, said, Every plant which Avi shbaShomayim did not plant will be uprooted.

14 Leave them. They are blind morei derech (guides, teachers) of [the] blind. And if the ivver (blind man) leads the ivrim (blind), both will fall into a pit.

15 And Kefa said in reply to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Explain to us the mashal.

16 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Are you still devoid of binah (understanding)?

17 Do you not have daas that everything which enters into the mouth goes into the stomach and passes into a latrine?

18 But the things coming out from the mouth come out from the lev (heart), which makes tameh.

19 For out of the lev comes evil machshavot (thoughts): retzichot (murders), niufim (adulteries), zenunim (fornications), genevot (thefts), eduyot sheker (false testimonies), giddufim (revilements).

20 These are the things making the man tameh, but eating with hands lacking the netilat yadayim (ritual of the washing of the hands, see Mt 27:24), this does not make the man tameh.

21 And having gone from that place, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach withdrew into the districts of Tzor and Tzidon.

22 And a woman from Canaan came out from those regions, and was shouting, Have mercy on me, Adoni, Ben Dovid! My bat is in torment possessed by shedim.

23 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach did not answer her a word. And Moshiach’s talmidim having approached, were asking him, saying, Send her away; she shouts after us.

24 But, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply, I was not sent except to the Seh Oveid Beis Yisroel (the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel).

25 But she came and fell down before him, saying, Adoni, azreini (L-rd, help me).

26 But, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply, It is not good to take the lechem of the Banim and throw it to the kelevim (dogs).

27 But she said, Ken, Adoni, but even the kelevim eat the crumbs falling from the tish (table) of their masters.

28 Then, in reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to her, O woman, great [is] your emunah. Let it be done for you as you wish. And the bat (daughter) of her was given refuah (healing) at that very hour.

29 And having passed over from that place, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came beside Lake Kinneret, and having gone up the mountain, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was sitting there.

30 And great multitudes approached Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, having with them pisechim (lame), ivrim (blind), the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they laid them at Moshiach’s feet, and Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave the cholim (sick persons) refuah (healing).

31 The result was that the multitude was astounded, witnessing mute people speaking, cripples made whole, the pisechim (lame) walking, and the ivrim (blind people) seeing, and they gave kavod to Elohei Yisroel.

32 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, having summoned his talmidim, said, I have rachmei shomayim for the multitudes, for already shloshah yamim (three days) they remain with me and they do not have anything they may eat, and I do not want to send them away famished, lest they might faint on the way.

33 And Moshiach’s talmidim say to him, From where bamidbar (in the wilderness) is there enough lechem for us to feed such a vast multitude?

34 And he says to them, How much lechem, how many loaves do you have? And they said, Sheva, and a few dagim.

35 And when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave the command for the multitude to recline on the ground,

36 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach took the loaves numbering sheva and the dagim, and, making a bracha, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach offered the betziat halechem (the breaking of the bread) and served them to the talmidim, and Moshiach’s talmidim served them to the multitudes.

37 And everyone ate and they were satisfied, and the Rebbe’s farbrengen shirayim were numbering sheva baskets full.

38 And the ones eating were arbaat elafim (four thousand) men, not counting nashim and yeladim.

39 And having sent away the multitudes, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach embarked in the sirah (boat), and came to the region of Magadan.

That Which Defiles(A)

15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”(B)

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a](C) and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b](D) But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.(E)[c](F)

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them,(G) but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”(H)

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

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted(I) will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.[d](J) If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”(K)

15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”(L)

16 “Are you still so dull?”(M) Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart,(N) and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.(O) 20 These are what defile a person;(P) but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman(Q)

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.(R) 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David,(S) have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”(T)

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”(U)

25 The woman came and knelt before him.(V) “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith!(W) Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand(X)(Y)(Z)

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.(AA) 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.(AB)

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people;(AC) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them(AD) and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.(AE) 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  2. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
  3. Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13
  4. Matthew 15:14 Some manuscripts blind guides of the blind