Jesus Revealed, Yet Often Rejected

13:53 Now when Jesus finished these parables, he moved on from there. 13:54 Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? 13:55 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother named Mary? And aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 13:56 And aren't all his sisters here with us? Where did he get all this?" 13:57 And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house." 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard reports about Jesus, 14:2 and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him." 14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 14:4 because John had repeatedly told him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 14:5 Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. 14:6 But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 14:7 so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 14:8 Instructed by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." 14:9 Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 14:10 So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 14:11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 14:12 Then John's disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus. 14:13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14:14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 14:15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, "This is an isolated place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 14:16 But he replied, "They don't need to go. You give them something to eat." 14:17 They said to him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 14:18 "Bring them here to me," he replied. 14:19 Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full. 14:21 Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate. 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. 14:23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 14:24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. 14:25 As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. 14:26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" and cried out with fear. 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." 14:28 Peter said to him, "Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water." 14:29 So he said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 14:30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 14:32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." 14:34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 14:35 When the people there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. 14:36 They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. 15:1 Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, 15:2 "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat." 15:3 He answered them, "And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15:4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.' 15:5 But you say, 'If someone tells his father or mother, "Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God," 15:6 he does not need to honor his father.' You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, 15:8 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, 15:9 and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" 15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person." 15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this saying they were offended?" 15:13 And he replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit." 15:15 But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." 15:16 Jesus said, "Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 15:17 Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 15:19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person."

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Matthew 13:53-15:20 shows that the main barrier to receiving Jesus is not a lack of proof, but a wrong heart. Jesus teaches with wisdom, works miracles, feeds the crowd, rules the sea, heals the sick, and exposes false religion. Still, people respond with offense, fear, weak faith, or hypocritical tradition.

After Jesus finishes the kingdom parables, he returns to Nazareth. The people are amazed by his wisdom and mighty works, but they refuse to accept him. They know his family, so they take offense at him. Jesus says that a prophet is not honored in his hometown, and Matthew explains that Jesus did few miracles there because of their unbelief. This does not mean Jesus had lost power. It shows that unbelief shaped their response to him.

The next scene shows Herod. When he hears about Jesus, he thinks John the Baptist has come back to life. Matthew then explains why Herod thinks this way. Herod had arrested and killed John because John told him his marriage was unlawful. Herod feared the crowd, wanted to avoid shame, and followed through with a wicked oath. John had been a true prophet, and Herod’s guilt now distorts how he sees Jesus.

When Jesus hears about John’s death, he goes to a lonely place. But the crowd follows him, and he has compassion on them. He heals their sick and then feeds them. The disciples have only five loaves and two fish, but Jesus tells them to bring the food to him. He gives thanks, breaks the bread, and the disciples distribute it to the crowd. All eat and are satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers remain. Matthew says about five thousand men ate, besides women and children. Jesus shows both mercy and great power.

Then Jesus sends the disciples ahead by boat while he prays alone on the mountain. The wind rises and the boat is beaten by the waves. Jesus comes to them walking on the sea. The disciples are frightened, but Jesus says, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Peter asks to come to Jesus on the water, and Jesus says, “Come.” Peter walks toward him, but when he sees the wind, he becomes afraid and begins to sink. He cries, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately rescues him and rebukes him for little faith. When Jesus gets into the boat, the wind stops. The disciples worship him and say, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

After they cross over, people in Gennesaret recognize Jesus and bring their sick to him. All who touch even the edge of his cloak are healed. Unlike Nazareth, these people come to him in faith and receive help.

Then Pharisees and scribes come from Jerusalem and complain that Jesus’ disciples do not follow the tradition of the elders about washing before meals. Jesus answers by showing that they break God’s command while protecting their tradition. He points to the command to honor father and mother and shows how their tradition could excuse people from helping their parents. He says they have made the word of God powerless through their tradition. He then quotes Isaiah to show that their worship is empty because their hearts are far from God.

Jesus then teaches the crowd that what defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth, but what comes out. When the disciples say the Pharisees were offended, Jesus calls them blind guides and says they will be uprooted. Peter asks for an explanation, and Jesus says food goes into the stomach and out of the body, but evil things come from the heart. He lists evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander. These are what defile a person.

This whole section shows the same truth in many ways. Jesus is revealed clearly, but people still reject him for different reasons. Some are offended. Some are guilty. Some are afraid. Some trust tradition more than God’s word. True purity is not outward only. God looks at the heart.

• Familiarity with Jesus is not the same as faith in Jesus.
• Unbelief does not mean Jesus lacks power; it shows a refusal to trust him.
• Herod shows how guilt, compromise, and fear of people can distort judgment.
• Jesus is compassionate and able to provide more than human resources can.
• Peter’s sinking shows that real faith can weaken under pressure, but Jesus still rescues.
• The sea miracle leads the disciples to worship Jesus as the Son of God.
• Tradition is sinful when it cancels the clear command of God.
• True defilement comes from the heart and shows itself in evil words and deeds.

• Do not read Jesus’ few miracles in Nazareth as if unbelief removed his divine power.
• Do not reduce the sea-walking scene to a lesson about courage; the center is Jesus’ identity and saving presence.
• Do not treat Matthew 15 as a blanket rejection of all tradition; Jesus condemns tradition that overrides God’s word.
• Do not detach Matthew 15 from the handwashing controversy, but do not stop there either.
• Do not use religious language to excuse disobedience to God’s clear commands.
• Do not follow blind guides who lead people away from obedience to God.

Matthew shows Jesus as the promised one who reveals God’s kingdom, provides for his people, rules the sea, and exposes false religion. The pattern of rejection, rescue, and worship moves the reader toward a right response to the Son of God.

Do not assume that being around Jesus, church, or Christian words means you truly believe. Bring your need to Jesus instead of giving up in fear. Test traditions by Scripture. Pay attention to your heart, because sin begins there and shows itself in speech and actions.

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