Theophylact Bulgarian. Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 15:12. Then His disciples, approaching, said to Him, Do you know that the Pharisees, hearing this word, were offended?
The disciples say about the Pharisees that they were offended. Moreover, they themselves were embarrassed. This is evident from the fact that Peter approached and asked about it. So, hearing that the Pharisees were offended, Jesus says the following.
Matthew 15:13. He answered and said: Every plant that My Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted;
Matthew 15:14. leave them: they are the blind leaders of the blind; but if a blind man leads a blind man, then both will fall into the pit.
He says that the traditions of the elders and the Jewish commandments should be eradicated, and not the law, as the Manicheans think, for the law is the plant of God. So this is not to be eradicated. For his root remains, that is, the hidden spirit. The leaves, that is, the visible letter, fall away: we understand the law no longer by the letter, but by the spirit. Since the Pharisees were beside themselves and incurable, He said: 'Leave them.' From this we learn that if someone is voluntarily seduced and incurable, then this does not harm us. The Lord calls them blind teachers of the blind. He does this with the aim of distracting the people from them.
Matthew 15:15. And Peter, answering, said to him: Explain to us the parable this very.
Although Peter knew that the law forbids eating everything, he is afraid to say to Jesus: “I am tempted by what You said, because Your words seem to be illegal,” he does not seem to understand Him and asks.
Matthew 15:16. Jesus said: Do you not understand yet?
Matthew 15:17. Do you not yet understand that everything that enters the mouth passes into the womb and is vomited out?
Matthew 15:18. but what comes out of the mouth comes out of the heart - this defiles a person,
Matthew 15:19. for evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, blasphemy come from the heart -
Matthew 15:20. it defiles a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.
The Savior denounces the disciples and reproaches them for their foolishness, either because they were tempted or because they did not understand the clear. So, He says: have you not comprehended what is clear to everyone and more than clear? the fact that food does not remain inside, but comes out, not in the least defiling the soul of a person, for it does not remain inside? Thoughts are born inside and remain there, leaving, that is, passing into deed and action, defile a person. For the thought of fornication, remaining inside, rages on, but, passing into deed and action, defiles a person.
Matthew 15:21. And leaving there, Jesus withdrew to the countries of Tire and Sidon.
Why, forbidding disciples to follow the path of the Gentiles, Himself going to Tire and Sidon, the Gentile cities? Find out that He did not come there with a sermon, because, as Mark says, 'He hid Himself.' Otherwise: since He saw that the Pharisees did not accept His teachings regarding food, then it goes to the pagans.
