15:1-9 What was the scribes and Pharisees' purpose in saying to their parents, "it is a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me"?
15:1-9 What was the scribes and Pharisees’ purpose in saying to their parents, “it is a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me”? The scribes and Pharisees would say this to their parents to avoid having to materially support them. They used the excuse that whatever material possessions they had was a gift dedicated to God and therefore not able to be used for their parent’s benefit, even though their parents may have been in need. This was a gross deception of the scribes and Pharisees and Jesus rebuked them for it. It was not required by God but was a device of men to circumvent their duty to their parents. This dishonoured the parents and nullified God’s commandment that parents are to be honoured by their children (cp Mk 7:5-13). This helps us to better understand Mt 15:1-9.
Although what Jesus said here was in response to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, it is also an admonition for professing Christians (cp Pr 4:23; Mk 7:14-15, 20-23; Lk 6:45). Heart is used figuratively in this context to represent the seat, or source of human motives, desires, feelings, affections, passions, impulses, thoughts etc. While we must always outwardly be seen to be conforming to the image of God, we must always inwardly – in the deepest recesses of our heart – also conform. We are not to be like the Pharisees, outwardly righteous, but inwardly morally defiled (cp Mt 23:23-33). The root cause of unanswered prayer is cherishing iniquity in our heart (cp Job 27:8-9; Psa 66:18; Pr 15:29; 28:9; Isa 1:15; Jn 9:31; Jas 4:3). Christians must constantly examine themselves and ensure that they are in the place in God where their prayers will be answered (cp 2Cor 13:5).
(cp also Mk 7:24-28) The children referred to in these passages are the Jews – “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”; bread symbolizes healing, deliverance and all the other salvation benefits God has provided in Christ; dogs is a euphemism Jesus uses here for Gentiles – non-Jews. In this context it is not a harsh word, but refers to little dogs or puppies; not meet (KJV) means not fair or not right. So in effect what Jesus is saying is that His first responsibility is to the Jews, and it is not fair to take of their blessings and share them with the Gentiles. It is not the Gentile’s turn yet. But the woman persisted – she wanted the blessing regardless. Even though she may not be entitled to the full blessing, she would be satisfied with a fragment of the blessing – a crumb. As far as she was concerned that was enough to heal her daughter, and on the strength of that confession of faith her daughter was healed.