Loading summary

Transcript26 lines

[00:00]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is made for your faith
[00:13]
Steve Schwetz
in his excellent way. The best way to test a Christian is by their pocketbook. How do they handle their money? How do they handle God's money? Welcome to through the Bible. That's just a bit of wisdom Dr. J. Vernon McGee shares in our study of Matthew chapter 15 today. Now, before we plunge in, as Dr. McGee will say at the start of our study, Greg and I want to share a bit about some great partners that we've got helping us fling the seed by radio in Honduras and Guatemala.
[00:43]
Greg
Yes, Steve, and we're excited. Usually every month we like to have a conversation about that month's newsletter article. We have a newsletter. We really encourage you to get it. It is a really, really rich piece. It's beautifully produced, usually has a beaut cover with A quote from Dr. McGee. I know you and I both, we're digital guys, but we get the, we get the physical copy.
[01:08]
Steve Schwetz
I like putting. I like reading the Bible physically and I like reading the newsletter physically. And both of them reside together. Basically. The. The newsletter fits nicely into the inside cover of my Bible.
[01:18]
Greg
Exactly. And it has content, teaching content from Dr. McGee. Usually I, I have a short letter. We have lots of responses. And one of my favorite parts is our global team, which is growing, usually are writing. I think the last month you wrote an article and I enjoyed reading that. You're a very good writer.
[01:38]
Steve Schwetz
Well, thank you.
[01:38]
Greg
Well done. Steve and our other team members are writing about their travels around the world. And so if you don't have our newsletter, just call 1-865 Bible. You could send a request through the app. You can email us BibleBustTB.org all we need is your address. We will never send you a fundraising appeal because we don't do that. We will just send you resources.
[01:59]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. Now, James Rosa, who's our ministry director for Asia and Latin America, wrote the latest article and he titles it. I don't know if that's this the ultimate title, but A legacy of faithful broadcasting.
[02:09]
Greg
Yeah, I love it.
[02:10]
Steve Schwetz
And I think that was so appropriate because although we have been in foreign languages since 1973 with Spanish, that's when we first went into that whole world. Our ministry partners, particularly in South America, were there before then, believe it or not. And you're talking about 1960 is when one ministry in the Honduras started.
[02:30]
Greg
Yes. As soon as Atroves de la Biblia, which is the Spanish version of through the Bible, came along in 10 years later, they started airing it from the Beginning. And so we're now talking about over half a century we've been airing the Spanish in Honduras. Yeah, you talk about a legacy. That's pretty cool.
[02:50]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. And this is also another part of the world, Guatemala and Honduras, where radio potentially makes sense. You know, in a lot of places it doesn't make as much sense as it used to just because people have Internet access and smartphones and. And all of that. And that's still available. But. But radio does provide, particularly in these hard to reach areas, an opportunity to minister to people in depth with a program systematically studying the word of God over five years. And we get great response.
[03:17]
Greg
We do. One of my fav stories that he told wasn't a specific story, but it was a picture of what's happening at this particular station in Honduras. He said it's so much a part of the community that people just walk in off the street and say, hey, you know, our, our daughter's doing really well. Thanks for praying for her. So the, the local station literally becomes like a community center.
[03:41]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah.
[03:41]
Greg
And it's of course it's centered around Christ and centered around the word of God.
[03:44]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. And that was the same thing that I witnessed firsthand in Mexico.
[03:47]
Greg
Yeah. Yeah.
[03:48]
Steve Schwetz
Same opportunities where, where they were translation, I think it was into. Into the sotil language from Spanish, doing it live on the air and the community that was around there. That radio station played a vital part in not just people hearing the program, but in really bringing that community together with. With a Christian message. And through the Bible was a part of that.
[04:08]
Greg
And James also talks about the multi generational impact of through the Bible you have, you have grandparents and then they. They had their kids listen and now their kids are parents and their grandkids are listening and even great grandchildren are listening. And Steve, there' more in this article. I really hope everybody listening will get the newsletter. But right now it's time for our study.
[04:30]
Steve Schwetz
We do. Let me pray for us, Greg, as we begin. Heavenly Father, we are thankful for your faithfulness to us and allowing us from back in 1973 to go into Spanish and the part that it's played in reaching people for Christ in South America, in Guatemala and in Honduras. I pray that it would continue to go out, Lord, that you would continue to bless the people with the teaching of your word in Jesus name.
[04:51]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Amen.
[04:54]
Steve Schwetz
Here's our study of Matthew 15 on through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.
[04:59]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Now we continue in this section of Matthew where we have a movement and the movement is of the King. He's beginning now to move toward the cross. We've already seen his rejection and conflict. And actually this chapter here advances the ministry of Jesus to the very breaking point with the religious rulers. He has an altercation here with them. And you find him denouncing scribes and Pharisees. He rebukes his disciples. He heals the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman and the multitudes and feeds the 4,000. There's a lot of action in this chapter, as you can see, so let's plunge right into it. And first we have the Lord Jesus denouncing the scribes and Pharisees. Then came to Jesus, scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. We have here the scribes and Pharisees have come out from Jerusalem. And you'll recall that back in the last chapter, he was way out in a desert place where the crowd couldn't even get to a hamburger stand. And they had nothing to eat and he fed them. So these religious rulers come all the way out. And you would say, well, my, this is a very wonderful thing that they've come all the way out. Well, frankly, they haven't come all the way out to applaud him or to accept his teaching. They've come out to criticize. And immediately we recognize it was not a friendly visit. They did not, you see, accuse him really of breaking the scriptures, but the tradition, which they considered to be on a par with the Scriptures. And they want to know why that they didn't wash their hands. Well, that's a very interesting thing. Because a great many people feel like if you go through some sort of an outward ceremony and clean up the outside some way, that that is all that's necessary. And they wonder why now that they have not washed their hands. It was ceremonial cleansing, actually, and was not really what we would consider physical or sanitary reason. But he answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? These men now he accuses of breaking the commandment of God with their tradition. Their tradition, you see, permitted a man to disobey the law. That's an amazing thing. And they had a very clever way of doing it. Verse 4. For God commanded, saying, honor thy father and mother. And he that curseth father, mother, let him die the death. But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father, his mother, it's a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by it and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Now, he says, you honor your father and mother by supporting them. And the way that they got around it in that day was to dedicate it to the temple. They would contribute as a gift to God, and that would relieve them of the responsibility of supporting their parents. Now, this gives a very pious way out for a man to break the Mosaic Law. And very frankly, I still believe that the best way to test a Christian is by his pocketbook. That is the barometer of the Christian. Even today, that's the real test. How does he handle his money? How does he handle God's money? I actually believe that God would have you put your very close personal responsibilities first. I'm of the opinion that God wants you to pay your honest debt before you give to him. I think that he wants you to support your family before you give to him. Now, I had a man, he had a wild idea he would come on payday. He wanted to give half his income. And actually his family went hungry. When we found that out, we had quite a little talk with him. And my he was offended at first, but finally he saw the light in the sense that he saw that he neglected his own family. And that's a tragic thing to do. It's amazing how people tried in many ways to escape a responsibility in a very pious way. Notice here what he says in verse seven. Ye hypocrites. And this is the most frightful word in the scripture. Nothing quite corresponds to it, but it doesn't have quite the connotation of at that time that it does now. It's a scorching word today. And it actually was a word used for an actor in a play. It means that one would receive a cue and then answer back. That's what it means to answer back. In other words, the Lord Jesus accused them of playing at religion. And he quotes now Isaiah, ye hypocrites. Well, did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, the people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. That is the important thing. They were very eager to have you go through a ceremony of washing your hands. But the important thing was the condition of the heart. Here they were doing something breaking really the Mosaic Law in a very pious way. My, how we can rationalize today and we do the same thing. How many parents say to their children, you wash your hands before you come to the table. But they pay no attention to what they're seeing on television. And it's this thing that is the damaging thing to the heart. Of course they should wash their hands. But that's not final, by the way. It's what's on the inside that is the important thing. Now we find him here, verse 10. And he called a multitude and said unto them, hear and understand. Now he enlarges upon this. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples and said unto him, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? My, they were amazed that he would offend the Pharisees. This actually is the real break between them up to this point. There's been a conflict, but now we've come to the breaking point. And here it is. Listen to him. But he answered and said, every plant, and you could almost say the word would mean system. Every system which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Every system. It's not, I think, too broad to interpret Jesus as saying, every religious system which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Now we read on in verse 14. Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. And I think this is a humorous statement that he made at this point. It's certainly biting sarcasm. If a blind man leads a blind man, they both will fall into a ditch. And the Pharisees were blind leaders. Then answered Peter and said unto him, declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, are ye also yet without understanding? Now he's been speaking to them in parables, and they don't seem to have gotten the point yet. And Jesus said, are ye yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the valley and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile a man. Now here is a great principle. It's not what goes in the mouth, it's what comes out of the mouth. And by the way, what's in the well of the heart is going to come up in the bucket of the mouth sooner or later, because listen to him. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man. But to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. We are seeing that working out in our contemporary culture today. We've come to a period of what's known as new morality. We've reached the day that Isaiah talked about. He said the day is coming when they'll call evil good and good evil. And they're doing that today. You and I are a square if we believe the Bible. And this sort of thing is entirely wrong, and we're entirely wrong. But if you engage in these things, what do we have in this day of freedom now that the lid has been taken off and man today can express what's in his heart, what comes out? New morality? No, same old thing. Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries. We hear a great deal about sex today. That's what you expect. Fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, great day of freedom. But my friend, if you don't put the lid on the bucket, you've opened really a Pandora's box and we're in trouble. Man has to be controlled. Man's the most vicious animal on this earth and we put other animals in cages. And yet we're talking today. Man must be free to do his thing. Well, here's what he'll do. It's not new morality at all. And our Lord said this sort of thing was evil. And these things defile the man. About us today, all of this emphasis upon sex in our schools now, in our churches, everywhere, on television, radio today, it stares at you from the billboards and the front page of magazines and the headlines on papers. My friend, these things defile you. Don't tell me that you are immune to this type of thing. No one's immune to it. And these are the things that are defiling young people. And yet it's all being done in the high lofty sounding terminology of freedom of speech. And that today we must express ourselves. And this is the way we're doing it. The thing that's in the heart is now coming out. This is a tremendous statement. Now, verse 21. Then Jesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Now he's left the land for the first time, and that's interesting. He has come as king. You remember, he sent his own. Go to the cities of this nation. Go not beyond the boundaries of the nation. Israel. He sent them out and he was rejected. There was the conflict and now there's the open break. The breaking point has come. What happens? He steps over the boundary himself for the first time to put down another great principle. And that Is he'll receive Gentiles. His invitation is a sincere one. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come to the waters. Now. Wait, that's in the Old Testament. But he said, come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden I'll rest you now notice the incident that took place. Behold a woman of Canaan. She was a Canaanite, came out of the same coast and cried unto him, saying, have mercy on me, O Lord. Thou son of David. Now she had no claim on him as son of David. My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. But he answered her, not a word. Why? Well, she has no claim on him. He answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, send her away, for she crieth after us. She was causing a disturbance, probably a little embarrassment. And he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now you mark that down. That is the primary issue that had to be settled. And he died with this superscription written over him, the King of the Jews. Now listen to her. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, lord, help me before son of David. He said, I'm just sent to the lost sheep, the house of Israel. She had no claim upon him as son of David. Now she comes and worships him, and she calls him Lord, and she asks for help, and she's going to get it. And he answered and said, it's not meet to take the children's bread. Cast it to dogs. And that's a very strong statement. That rebuff would have driven many of us away, while we would have walked away and said, you can't talk to us like that. Well, listen. Verse 27. She said, Truth, Lord. Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. You remember the poor man that ate the crumbs that fell from a rich man's table. And the dogs licked his sowers. Now, verse 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith. Marveled really at the faith of this woman, be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. So when he said, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. I'll help you, I'll lift the burden. That's what he's doing, even for a Canaanite. Her answer, I tell you, revealed a great faith. And on that our Lord responded. Now, verse 29. Jesus departed from thence, came nigh unto the Sea of Galilee. And Went up into a mountain, sat down there, and great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus feet. And he healed them. And again, my friend, I call your attention to multitudes were healed. Not just a few little isolated cases that, after all, you can't really substantiate. But there were too many in that day. Nobody denied he performed the miracles insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to behold, the lame to walk, and the blind to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way. Now again, his compassion on the multitude. And his disciples say unto him, when should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multitude? Now, don't miss this, because very frankly, when you read this incident here, you feel like that it's just a rerun of the feeding of the 5,000. It's just a repetition. And you wonder why Matthew included it here. Because it doesn't seem to add any further advancement of the Messianic claims of the Lord Jesus. However, we are in the section where the emphasis is not on Jesus pressing his Messianic claims any longer, but the rejection of his claims. And this miracle shows how slowly the disciples were to learn. Now, they've already witnessed the feeding of the 5,000. And I don't think it took place but just a few days before this. But here they raise the same old objections of unbelief. Same thing that they say here. His disciples say unto him, whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to feed so great a multitude? And Jesus said unto them, how many loaves have ye? And they said, seven and a few little fishes. He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and fishes and gave thanks. And you have here feeding the multitudes. Now it reveals that his disciples hadn't really learned the lesson. And their reluctance to believe actually constitutes a form of rejection. You remember, unbelief is sin. Paul in Romans 14:23 said, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And I think laying aside every weight. What is every weight? Well, I think it's unbelief. And the sin sin of unbelief. You and I today just don't believe him. If you want me to make a confession. And I'm willing to make a confession. And it is just simply this. I wish I believed him more. He can be believed. I ought to believe him. But the problem is with me. And I'm of the opinion that the problem is with you also. He fed the multitude. Now we are told verse 38, and they that did eat were 4,000 men beside women and children. And again it's 4,000 plus. And I'm sure that you'd have to put one woman with a man, one child with the man and the woman the family, so that you would have here four multiplied by three and that would be 12,000 were fed at this time. He sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coast of Magdala. And that place is on the Sea of Galilee today, in ruins. Now, this chapter reveals that his disciples were just not keeping up. They were slow to believe and understand. And actually this is hindering the Lord. Jesus would seem at this point that since he's reached the breaking point with the religious rulers, that he's having a real problem with his disciples. And he's just marking time now until they catch up. Very frankly today, he's very patient with you and me also that we might catch up. I'm afraid a great many of us need to catch up with him today. Oh, that we might believe him. May God richly bless you. I, beloved,
[25:11]
Steve Schwetz
To learn what it means to live your life for God, get our app or go to ttb.org and download Dr. McGee's free digital booklet, Living the Christian Life, God's Way. I'm Steve Schwetz and I'll meet you back here next time as together we go through the Bible.
[25:26]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Jesus made it home all to be my home Sin had left a crimson save.
[25:51]
Steve Schwetz
Through the Bible exists to take God's whole word to the whole world. And we invite you to stand with us with your faithful prayer and financial support. Where will God's word go today?

Summary5 min read

Thru the Bible Daily – Matthew 15

Host: Jason Collins (with Dr. J. Vernon McGee)
Air Date: August 4, 2026
Episode Theme: Exploring Matthew 15—the breaking point between Jesus and the religious rulers, the heart of true faith versus outward tradition, Jesus’ openness to Gentiles, and the lessons of provision and belief.

Episode Overview

In this episode of Thru the Bible Daily, Dr. J. Vernon McGee leads a study of Matthew 15, examining pivotal confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees, lessons about the heart versus tradition, compassion for the multitudes, and an encounter with a faith-filled Gentile woman. The episode weaves together historical insights, practical applications for today’s Christians, and Dr. McGee’s characteristic wit and wisdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Conflict with the Religious Leaders (04:59 – 13:00)

Pharisees confront Jesus: They accuse Jesus' disciples of neglecting the "tradition of the elders" by eating with unwashed hands—a ceremonial violation, not a hygienic one.
Jesus’ response: He turns the accusation back, exposing how their traditions actually undermine God's commandments, especially regarding honoring parents.

"They did not, you see, accuse him really of breaking the Scriptures, but the tradition, which they considered to be on a par with the Scriptures." – Dr. McGee (06:00)
Tradition vs. True Faith: Tradition had been manipulated to justify neglecting personal responsibilities in the name of religious piety.

"It's amazing how people tried in many ways to escape a responsibility in a very pious way." – Dr. McGee (08:23)
Monetary responsibility as a spiritual test:

"I still believe that the best way to test a Christian is by his pocketbook. That is the barometer of the Christian." – Dr. McGee (07:56)

2. True Defilement Comes from Within (13:01 – 19:26)

Outward ritual vs. inward reality: Jesus emphasizes that it’s not what goes into a person that defiles but what comes out, highlighting issues of the heart.

"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." – Dr. McGee quoting Jesus (13:50)
Hypocrisy exposed: Jesus calls the Pharisees "hypocrites," likening them to actors in a play—focused on appearance over authenticity.

"Ye hypocrites... The people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." – Dr. McGee quoting Isaiah (09:33)
Contemporary parallels: Dr. McGee draws links between Jesus’ warning and modern obsessions with morality and expression, warning about the dangers of unchecked desires.

"What’s in the well of the heart is going to come up in the bucket of the mouth sooner or later." – Dr. McGee (16:40)
Cultural critique: He addresses the so-called "new morality," arguing it’s simply age-old sin dressed up in modern terms.

"If you don’t put the lid on the bucket, you’ve opened really a Pandora’s box and we’re in trouble. Man has to be controlled. Man's the most vicious animal on this earth." – Dr. McGee (18:02)

3. Jesus Ministers Beyond Israel—The Syrophoenician Woman (19:27 – 23:05)

Jesus steps into Gentile territory: For the first time, Jesus moves beyond the boundaries of Israel, signaling a major shift.
Encounter with the Canaanite woman: She requests healing for her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus initially denies her, citing his mission to Israel.
Persistence and Faith: The woman switches her approach from “Son of David” (a Jewish claim) to “Lord”—a personal act of faith.

"She comes and worships him, and she calls him Lord, and she asks for help, and she’s going to get it." – Dr. McGee (21:41)

"O woman, great is thy faith... Be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." – Dr. McGee quoting Jesus (22:18)
Universal invitation: Jesus’ compassion is shown to those outside Israel, foreshadowing the gospel’s reach to all peoples.

"Her answer, I tell you, revealed a great faith. And on that, our Lord responded." – Dr. McGee (22:30)

4. Feeding the 4,000—Doubts and Divine Provision (23:06 – 24:40)

Miracle repeated: After the previous feeding of the 5,000, Jesus again feeds a multitude—this time 4,000 men, plus women and children, total likely 12,000.
Disciples' slow understanding: Despite prior miracles, the disciples still doubt, revealing their ongoing struggle with unbelief.

"It reveals that his disciples hadn’t really learned the lesson. And their reluctance to believe actually constitutes a form of rejection. You remember, unbelief is sin." – Dr. McGee (24:06)
Personal confession: Dr. McGee humbly admits his own need to grow in faith—inviting listeners to reflect likewise.

"I wish I believed him more. He can be believed. I ought to believe him. But the problem is with me. And I’m of the opinion that the problem is with you also." – Dr. McGee (24:23)

5. Reflections and Applications (24:41 – 25:11)

Patience of Christ: Jesus waits for the disciples (and us) to catch up in understanding and faith.
Encouragement: Dr. McGee exhorts listeners to deepen their trust in God’s word.

"Oh, that we might believe him. May God richly bless you, beloved." – Dr. McGee (25:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On tradition versus true faith:
"They were very eager to have you go through a ceremony of washing your hands. But the important thing was the condition of the heart." – Dr. McGee (10:25)
On modern morality:
"New morality? No, same old thing. Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries... What do we have in this day of freedom now that the lid has been taken off?" – Dr. McGee (17:42)
On faith and doubt:
"I wish I believed him more... the problem is with me. And I’m of the opinion that the problem is with you also." – Dr. McGee (24:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 – 04:50: Ministry updates and global impact (skip non-content section)
04:59: Introduction to Matthew 15; conflict with Pharisees begins
07:56: The test of a Christian: handling of money and responsibilities
09:33: Jesus calls out hypocrisy using Isaiah
13:50: Jesus’s teaching on inner vs. outer defilement
18:02: Dr. McGee on the “new morality” and the human heart
19:27: Jesus’ journey to Gentile territory and encounter with the Canaanite woman
22:18: Jesus honors the Syrophoenician woman’s faith
23:06: Feeding the 4,000 and lessons about learning and faith
24:23: Dr. McGee’s personal reflection on faith

Conclusion

This episode powerfully explores the heart issues behind religious practice, Christ’s challenge to hypocrisy, and the radical inclusivity of the gospel message. With practical applications about belief, finances, and tradition, Dr. McGee’s study of Matthew 15 offers deep insight and gentle encouragement for listeners to examine their own hearts, responsibilities, and faith.

For more resources, listeners are invited to visit ttb.org or access Dr. McGee’s teachings via the Thru the Bible app.

Loading summary

Transcript26 lines

[00:00]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is made for your faith
[00:13]
Steve Schwetz
in his excellent way. The best way to test a Christian is by their pocketbook. How do they handle their money? How do they handle God's money? Welcome to through the Bible. That's just a bit of wisdom Dr. J. Vernon McGee shares in our study of Matthew chapter 15 today. Now, before we plunge in, as Dr. McGee will say at the start of our study, Greg and I want to share a bit about some great partners that we've got helping us fling the seed by radio in Honduras and Guatemala.
[00:43]
Greg
Yes, Steve, and we're excited. Usually every month we like to have a conversation about that month's newsletter article. We have a newsletter. We really encourage you to get it. It is a really, really rich piece. It's beautifully produced, usually has a beaut cover with A quote from Dr. McGee. I know you and I both, we're digital guys, but we get the, we get the physical copy.
[01:08]
Steve Schwetz
I like putting. I like reading the Bible physically and I like reading the newsletter physically. And both of them reside together. Basically. The. The newsletter fits nicely into the inside cover of my Bible.
[01:18]
Greg
Exactly. And it has content, teaching content from Dr. McGee. Usually I, I have a short letter. We have lots of responses. And one of my favorite parts is our global team, which is growing, usually are writing. I think the last month you wrote an article and I enjoyed reading that. You're a very good writer.
[01:38]
Steve Schwetz
Well, thank you.
[01:38]
Greg
Well done. Steve and our other team members are writing about their travels around the world. And so if you don't have our newsletter, just call 1-865 Bible. You could send a request through the app. You can email us BibleBustTB.org all we need is your address. We will never send you a fundraising appeal because we don't do that. We will just send you resources.
[01:59]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. Now, James Rosa, who's our ministry director for Asia and Latin America, wrote the latest article and he titles it. I don't know if that's this the ultimate title, but A legacy of faithful broadcasting.
[02:09]
Greg
Yeah, I love it.
[02:10]
Steve Schwetz
And I think that was so appropriate because although we have been in foreign languages since 1973 with Spanish, that's when we first went into that whole world. Our ministry partners, particularly in South America, were there before then, believe it or not. And you're talking about 1960 is when one ministry in the Honduras started.
[02:30]
Greg
Yes. As soon as Atroves de la Biblia, which is the Spanish version of through the Bible, came along in 10 years later, they started airing it from the Beginning. And so we're now talking about over half a century we've been airing the Spanish in Honduras. Yeah, you talk about a legacy. That's pretty cool.
[02:50]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. And this is also another part of the world, Guatemala and Honduras, where radio potentially makes sense. You know, in a lot of places it doesn't make as much sense as it used to just because people have Internet access and smartphones and. And all of that. And that's still available. But. But radio does provide, particularly in these hard to reach areas, an opportunity to minister to people in depth with a program systematically studying the word of God over five years. And we get great response.
[03:17]
Greg
We do. One of my fav stories that he told wasn't a specific story, but it was a picture of what's happening at this particular station in Honduras. He said it's so much a part of the community that people just walk in off the street and say, hey, you know, our, our daughter's doing really well. Thanks for praying for her. So the, the local station literally becomes like a community center.
[03:41]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah.
[03:41]
Greg
And it's of course it's centered around Christ and centered around the word of God.
[03:44]
Steve Schwetz
Yeah. And that was the same thing that I witnessed firsthand in Mexico.
[03:47]
Greg
Yeah. Yeah.
[03:48]
Steve Schwetz
Same opportunities where, where they were translation, I think it was into. Into the sotil language from Spanish, doing it live on the air and the community that was around there. That radio station played a vital part in not just people hearing the program, but in really bringing that community together with. With a Christian message. And through the Bible was a part of that.
[04:08]
Greg
And James also talks about the multi generational impact of through the Bible you have, you have grandparents and then they. They had their kids listen and now their kids are parents and their grandkids are listening and even great grandchildren are listening. And Steve, there' more in this article. I really hope everybody listening will get the newsletter. But right now it's time for our study.
[04:30]
Steve Schwetz
We do. Let me pray for us, Greg, as we begin. Heavenly Father, we are thankful for your faithfulness to us and allowing us from back in 1973 to go into Spanish and the part that it's played in reaching people for Christ in South America, in Guatemala and in Honduras. I pray that it would continue to go out, Lord, that you would continue to bless the people with the teaching of your word in Jesus name.
[04:51]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Amen.
[04:54]
Steve Schwetz
Here's our study of Matthew 15 on through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.
[04:59]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Now we continue in this section of Matthew where we have a movement and the movement is of the King. He's beginning now to move toward the cross. We've already seen his rejection and conflict. And actually this chapter here advances the ministry of Jesus to the very breaking point with the religious rulers. He has an altercation here with them. And you find him denouncing scribes and Pharisees. He rebukes his disciples. He heals the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman and the multitudes and feeds the 4,000. There's a lot of action in this chapter, as you can see, so let's plunge right into it. And first we have the Lord Jesus denouncing the scribes and Pharisees. Then came to Jesus, scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. We have here the scribes and Pharisees have come out from Jerusalem. And you'll recall that back in the last chapter, he was way out in a desert place where the crowd couldn't even get to a hamburger stand. And they had nothing to eat and he fed them. So these religious rulers come all the way out. And you would say, well, my, this is a very wonderful thing that they've come all the way out. Well, frankly, they haven't come all the way out to applaud him or to accept his teaching. They've come out to criticize. And immediately we recognize it was not a friendly visit. They did not, you see, accuse him really of breaking the scriptures, but the tradition, which they considered to be on a par with the Scriptures. And they want to know why that they didn't wash their hands. Well, that's a very interesting thing. Because a great many people feel like if you go through some sort of an outward ceremony and clean up the outside some way, that that is all that's necessary. And they wonder why now that they have not washed their hands. It was ceremonial cleansing, actually, and was not really what we would consider physical or sanitary reason. But he answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? These men now he accuses of breaking the commandment of God with their tradition. Their tradition, you see, permitted a man to disobey the law. That's an amazing thing. And they had a very clever way of doing it. Verse 4. For God commanded, saying, honor thy father and mother. And he that curseth father, mother, let him die the death. But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father, his mother, it's a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by it and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Now, he says, you honor your father and mother by supporting them. And the way that they got around it in that day was to dedicate it to the temple. They would contribute as a gift to God, and that would relieve them of the responsibility of supporting their parents. Now, this gives a very pious way out for a man to break the Mosaic Law. And very frankly, I still believe that the best way to test a Christian is by his pocketbook. That is the barometer of the Christian. Even today, that's the real test. How does he handle his money? How does he handle God's money? I actually believe that God would have you put your very close personal responsibilities first. I'm of the opinion that God wants you to pay your honest debt before you give to him. I think that he wants you to support your family before you give to him. Now, I had a man, he had a wild idea he would come on payday. He wanted to give half his income. And actually his family went hungry. When we found that out, we had quite a little talk with him. And my he was offended at first, but finally he saw the light in the sense that he saw that he neglected his own family. And that's a tragic thing to do. It's amazing how people tried in many ways to escape a responsibility in a very pious way. Notice here what he says in verse seven. Ye hypocrites. And this is the most frightful word in the scripture. Nothing quite corresponds to it, but it doesn't have quite the connotation of at that time that it does now. It's a scorching word today. And it actually was a word used for an actor in a play. It means that one would receive a cue and then answer back. That's what it means to answer back. In other words, the Lord Jesus accused them of playing at religion. And he quotes now Isaiah, ye hypocrites. Well, did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, the people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. That is the important thing. They were very eager to have you go through a ceremony of washing your hands. But the important thing was the condition of the heart. Here they were doing something breaking really the Mosaic Law in a very pious way. My, how we can rationalize today and we do the same thing. How many parents say to their children, you wash your hands before you come to the table. But they pay no attention to what they're seeing on television. And it's this thing that is the damaging thing to the heart. Of course they should wash their hands. But that's not final, by the way. It's what's on the inside that is the important thing. Now we find him here, verse 10. And he called a multitude and said unto them, hear and understand. Now he enlarges upon this. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples and said unto him, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? My, they were amazed that he would offend the Pharisees. This actually is the real break between them up to this point. There's been a conflict, but now we've come to the breaking point. And here it is. Listen to him. But he answered and said, every plant, and you could almost say the word would mean system. Every system which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Every system. It's not, I think, too broad to interpret Jesus as saying, every religious system which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Now we read on in verse 14. Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. And I think this is a humorous statement that he made at this point. It's certainly biting sarcasm. If a blind man leads a blind man, they both will fall into a ditch. And the Pharisees were blind leaders. Then answered Peter and said unto him, declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, are ye also yet without understanding? Now he's been speaking to them in parables, and they don't seem to have gotten the point yet. And Jesus said, are ye yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the valley and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile a man. Now here is a great principle. It's not what goes in the mouth, it's what comes out of the mouth. And by the way, what's in the well of the heart is going to come up in the bucket of the mouth sooner or later, because listen to him. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man. But to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. We are seeing that working out in our contemporary culture today. We've come to a period of what's known as new morality. We've reached the day that Isaiah talked about. He said the day is coming when they'll call evil good and good evil. And they're doing that today. You and I are a square if we believe the Bible. And this sort of thing is entirely wrong, and we're entirely wrong. But if you engage in these things, what do we have in this day of freedom now that the lid has been taken off and man today can express what's in his heart, what comes out? New morality? No, same old thing. Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries. We hear a great deal about sex today. That's what you expect. Fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, great day of freedom. But my friend, if you don't put the lid on the bucket, you've opened really a Pandora's box and we're in trouble. Man has to be controlled. Man's the most vicious animal on this earth and we put other animals in cages. And yet we're talking today. Man must be free to do his thing. Well, here's what he'll do. It's not new morality at all. And our Lord said this sort of thing was evil. And these things defile the man. About us today, all of this emphasis upon sex in our schools now, in our churches, everywhere, on television, radio today, it stares at you from the billboards and the front page of magazines and the headlines on papers. My friend, these things defile you. Don't tell me that you are immune to this type of thing. No one's immune to it. And these are the things that are defiling young people. And yet it's all being done in the high lofty sounding terminology of freedom of speech. And that today we must express ourselves. And this is the way we're doing it. The thing that's in the heart is now coming out. This is a tremendous statement. Now, verse 21. Then Jesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Now he's left the land for the first time, and that's interesting. He has come as king. You remember, he sent his own. Go to the cities of this nation. Go not beyond the boundaries of the nation. Israel. He sent them out and he was rejected. There was the conflict and now there's the open break. The breaking point has come. What happens? He steps over the boundary himself for the first time to put down another great principle. And that Is he'll receive Gentiles. His invitation is a sincere one. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come to the waters. Now. Wait, that's in the Old Testament. But he said, come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden I'll rest you now notice the incident that took place. Behold a woman of Canaan. She was a Canaanite, came out of the same coast and cried unto him, saying, have mercy on me, O Lord. Thou son of David. Now she had no claim on him as son of David. My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. But he answered her, not a word. Why? Well, she has no claim on him. He answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, send her away, for she crieth after us. She was causing a disturbance, probably a little embarrassment. And he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now you mark that down. That is the primary issue that had to be settled. And he died with this superscription written over him, the King of the Jews. Now listen to her. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, lord, help me before son of David. He said, I'm just sent to the lost sheep, the house of Israel. She had no claim upon him as son of David. Now she comes and worships him, and she calls him Lord, and she asks for help, and she's going to get it. And he answered and said, it's not meet to take the children's bread. Cast it to dogs. And that's a very strong statement. That rebuff would have driven many of us away, while we would have walked away and said, you can't talk to us like that. Well, listen. Verse 27. She said, Truth, Lord. Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. You remember the poor man that ate the crumbs that fell from a rich man's table. And the dogs licked his sowers. Now, verse 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith. Marveled really at the faith of this woman, be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. So when he said, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. I'll help you, I'll lift the burden. That's what he's doing, even for a Canaanite. Her answer, I tell you, revealed a great faith. And on that our Lord responded. Now, verse 29. Jesus departed from thence, came nigh unto the Sea of Galilee. And Went up into a mountain, sat down there, and great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus feet. And he healed them. And again, my friend, I call your attention to multitudes were healed. Not just a few little isolated cases that, after all, you can't really substantiate. But there were too many in that day. Nobody denied he performed the miracles insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to behold, the lame to walk, and the blind to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way. Now again, his compassion on the multitude. And his disciples say unto him, when should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multitude? Now, don't miss this, because very frankly, when you read this incident here, you feel like that it's just a rerun of the feeding of the 5,000. It's just a repetition. And you wonder why Matthew included it here. Because it doesn't seem to add any further advancement of the Messianic claims of the Lord Jesus. However, we are in the section where the emphasis is not on Jesus pressing his Messianic claims any longer, but the rejection of his claims. And this miracle shows how slowly the disciples were to learn. Now, they've already witnessed the feeding of the 5,000. And I don't think it took place but just a few days before this. But here they raise the same old objections of unbelief. Same thing that they say here. His disciples say unto him, whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to feed so great a multitude? And Jesus said unto them, how many loaves have ye? And they said, seven and a few little fishes. He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and fishes and gave thanks. And you have here feeding the multitudes. Now it reveals that his disciples hadn't really learned the lesson. And their reluctance to believe actually constitutes a form of rejection. You remember, unbelief is sin. Paul in Romans 14:23 said, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And I think laying aside every weight. What is every weight? Well, I think it's unbelief. And the sin sin of unbelief. You and I today just don't believe him. If you want me to make a confession. And I'm willing to make a confession. And it is just simply this. I wish I believed him more. He can be believed. I ought to believe him. But the problem is with me. And I'm of the opinion that the problem is with you also. He fed the multitude. Now we are told verse 38, and they that did eat were 4,000 men beside women and children. And again it's 4,000 plus. And I'm sure that you'd have to put one woman with a man, one child with the man and the woman the family, so that you would have here four multiplied by three and that would be 12,000 were fed at this time. He sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coast of Magdala. And that place is on the Sea of Galilee today, in ruins. Now, this chapter reveals that his disciples were just not keeping up. They were slow to believe and understand. And actually this is hindering the Lord. Jesus would seem at this point that since he's reached the breaking point with the religious rulers, that he's having a real problem with his disciples. And he's just marking time now until they catch up. Very frankly today, he's very patient with you and me also that we might catch up. I'm afraid a great many of us need to catch up with him today. Oh, that we might believe him. May God richly bless you. I, beloved,
[25:11]
Steve Schwetz
To learn what it means to live your life for God, get our app or go to ttb.org and download Dr. McGee's free digital booklet, Living the Christian Life, God's Way. I'm Steve Schwetz and I'll meet you back here next time as together we go through the Bible.
[25:26]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Jesus made it home all to be my home Sin had left a crimson save.
[25:51]
Steve Schwetz
Through the Bible exists to take God's whole word to the whole world. And we invite you to stand with us with your faithful prayer and financial support. Where will God's word go today?