Matthew 15

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:22

Verse 22 Matthew 15:22.Have compassion on me, O Lord. Though this woman was an alien, and did not belong to the Lord’s flock, yet she had acquired some taste of piety; (416) for, without some knowledge of the promises, she would not have called Christ the Son of David. The Jews indeed had almost entirely departed, or at least had greatly turned aside, from the pure and sound doctrine of the Gospel; but a report of the promised redemption was extensively prevalent. As the restoration of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:23

Verse 23 23.But he made no reply to her. In various ways the Evangelists bestow commendation on the faith of this woman. Here they bring before us her unshaken constancy; for the silence of Christ was a sort of refusal, and there is reason to wonder that she was not cast down by this trial, but her continuance in prayer was a proof of her perseverance. This appears, however, to be inconsistent with the nature of faith and of calling upon God, as it is described by Paul, who assures us that no... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:24

Verse 24 24.I am not sent. He informs the Apostles that his reason for refusing the woman of Canaan arises out of his desire to devote himself entirely to the Jews to whom alone he was appointed to be a minister of the grace of God. He argues from the call and the command of the Father, that he must not yield any assistance to strangers; not that the power of Christ was always confined within so narrow limits, but because present circumstances rendered it necessary that he should begin with the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:25

Verse 25 25.And she came and worshipped him. We might be apt to think that this woman contends with some measure of obstinacy, as if she would extort something from Christ in spite of him; but there is no reason to doubt that she was animated by the conviction which she entertained as to the kindness of the Messiah. When Christ expressly declared that it did not belong to his office, she was not intimidated by that refusal, and did not desist from her purpose. The reason was, that she adhered... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:26

Verse 26 26.It is not seemly. Christ’s reply is harsher than ever, and one would think that he intended by it to cut off all hope; for not only does he declare that all the grace which he has received from the Father belongs to the Jews, and must be bestowed on them, otherwise they will be defrauded of their just rights; but he disdainfully compares the woman herself to a dog, thus implying that she is unworthy of being a partaker of his grace. To make the meaning plain to us, it must be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:27

Verse 27 27.Certainly, Lord. The woman’s reply showed that she was not hurried along by a blind or thoughtless impulse to offer a flat contradiction (420) to what Christ had said. As God preferred the Jews to other nations, she does not dispute with them the honor of adoption, and declares, that she has no objection whatever that Christ should satisfy them according to the order which God had prescribed. She only asks that some crumbs — falling, as it were, accidentally — should come within the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:28

Verse 28 28.Great is thy faith. He first applauds the woman’s faith, and next declares, that on account of her faith he grants her prayer. The greatness of her faith appeared chiefly in this respect, that by the aid of nothing more than a feeble spark of doctrine, she not only recognized the actual office of Christ, and ascribed to him heavenly power, but pursued her course steadily through formidable opposition; suffered herself to be annihilated, provided that she held by her conviction that... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:29

Verse 29 Matthew 15:29.And Jesus departing thence. Though it is unquestionably the same journey of Christ, on his return from the neighborhood of Sidon, that is related by Matthew and by Mark, yet in some points they do not quite agree. It is of little moment that the one says he came to the borders of Magdala, and the other, that he came to the coasts of Dalmanutha; for the cities were adjacent, being situated on the lake of Gennesareth, and we need not wonder that the district which lay... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:32

Verse 32 Matthew 15:32.I have compassion on the multitude. Here a miracle is related not unlike another which we have lately explained. The only difference is, that on the former occasion Christ satisfied five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, while, on the present occasion,four thousand men are fed with seven loaves and a few small fishes; and that twelve baskets were then filled with fragments, while out of a greater abundance a smaller portion is left. Let us learn from this,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:33

Verse 33 33.Whence shall we obtain so many loaves in a solitary place? The disciples manifest excessive stupidity in not remembering, at least, that earlier proof of the power and grace of Christ, which they might have applied to the case in hand. As if they had never seen any thing of the same sort, they forget to apply to him for relief. There is not a day on which a similar indifference does not steal upon us; and we ought to be the more careful not to allow our minds to be drawn away from... read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:22

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:23

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:24

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:25

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:26

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:27

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:28

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:29

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:32

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 15:33

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands