Matthew – Chapter 15

New Testament39 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:" — so begins Matthew 15. The chapter centers on Isaiah, David and Peter. Across its 39 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and healing. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:

2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:

4Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.

5But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.

6And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.

7Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:

8This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.

9And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.

10And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them: Hear ye and understand.

11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

12Then came his disciples, and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?

13But he answering, said: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

14Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit.

15And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.

16But he said: Are you also yet without understanding?

17Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?

18But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man.

19For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.

20These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man.

21And Jesus went from thence, and retired into the coast of Tyre and Sidon.

22And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil.

23Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: Send her away, for she crieth after us:

24And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep, that are lost of the house of Israel.

25But she came and adored him, saying: Lord, help me.

26Who answering, said: It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs.

27But she said: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.

28Then Jesus answering, said to her: O woman, great is thy faith: be it done to thee as thou wilt: and her daughter was cured from that hour.

29And when Jesus had passed away from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee: and going up into a mountain, he sat there.

30And there came to him great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others: and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them:

31So that the multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude?

34And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes.

35And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground.

36And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the people.

37And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.

38And they that did eat, were four thousand men, beside children and women.

39And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan.

Important Verses in Matthew 15

Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:

Matthew 15:1

And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.

Matthew 15:6

And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil.

Matthew 15:22

But she came and adored him, saying: Lord, help me.

Matthew 15:25

Historical Context

Matthew addresses jewish Christians, shown that Jesus fulfills the Scriptures of Israel within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 15 of 28 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 39 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Isaiah, David and Peter appear at the center of the events recorded here. The chapter begins: "Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:" The final verse reads: "And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan. " The wider setting of Matthew is this: Matthew wrote for Jewish Christians, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets—the Son of David, the new Moses who delivers the Sermon on the Mount. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians.

Who Wrote It

The Apostle Matthew (Levi), the former tax collector, according to unanimous early tradition

When It Was Written

About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, Matthew 15 delivers commandments and ritual instructions given under the old covenant. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:" The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

Catholic exegesis reads Matthew 15 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Matthew shows Christ as the new Moses and true Israel (CIC 577). St. Basil the Great and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 2340).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.
  • From the manna to the Last Supper, God feeds His people — fully in the Eucharist.

People in This Chapter

Isaiah1 mentionDavid1 mentionPeter1 mention

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches Matthew Chapter 15 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish hopes is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing justice, charity, and the common good.

Consider praying with this chapter again at day's end, offering God gratitude for one insight received. The Church encourages daily contact with Scripture (CIC 1032) so that Christ's mind may be formed in us.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Matthew Chapter 15 about?

Matthew 15 contains 39 verses. It opens with "Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:" and closes with "And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan. ". The book as a whole is gospel.

What is a key verse in Matthew 15?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Matthew Chapter 15?

This chapter mentions Isaiah, David, Peter.

Who wrote Matthew and when?

The Apostle Matthew (Levi), the former tax collector, according to unanimous early tradition. About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians.

Deepen your understanding with these related articles