Matthew Chapters 15-16

1) The Pharisees asked Jesus a question and His reply got to the heart of the matter (see 15:8-9).  What is the bottom line when it comes to our relationship with God (see 15:18-19)?

2) The feeding of the crowd in Chapter 15 is a different setting than what we read in Chapter 14.  So, since they had already witnessed this miracle, how could the disciples ask where to find bread (see also 16:9-11)?  What about you?  Haven’t you seen enough of what God can do to fully trust Him in all things?

3) In one of Peter’s boldest statements, he testifies to Who Jesus is (see 16:16).  Why is understanding this so important?

4) How does Jesus’ call to follow in 16:24-25 compare to what we read in 4:18-22?  How does this translate for us today?

The heart of the issue is the issue of our heart.  While the Pharisees focused on following man-made rules and regulations, God was interested in the status of the heart.  We saw this same truth at work in the Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7).

I used to think that Jesus feeding the crowd in Chapter 15 was a repeat of what we find in Chapter 14.  But they are not.  They are two separate events.  Yet even though the disciples had already seen a miracle like this, they asked Jesus how they were supposed to feed the people.  God has already proven Himself faithful.  We can live forward trusting in Him.

Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, puts to rest any notion that Jesus was only a man.  We know Him as fully man and fully God (see Philippians 2:5-11).  This is crucial to our faith.  As a man, He can fully identify with us.  As God, He can do something about it.

Jesus call to follow at the end of Chapter 16 comes right after He spoke about His impending death (see 16:21).  It was clear that Jesus was calling His disciples to more fully understand what it means to follow Him.  We must recognize that in our lives, He continually calls us upward as we follow Him.