What does Jesus' question in Matthew 15:16 reveal about the disciples' understanding? Setting the Scene Matthew 15 records a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees over ceremonial hand-washing. After exposing the emptiness of man-made traditions, Jesus gathers the crowd and says, “What goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (v. 11). Later, the disciples ask Him to explain, and He responds with the sharp question of verse 16: “Are you still so dull?”. Jesus’ Pointed Question • “Are you still so dull?” literally means “Are you also without understanding?” • The wording assumes they should have grasped the lesson by now. • Jesus highlights a gap between repeated exposure to truth and genuine comprehension. What the Question Reveals about the Disciples’ Understanding • They were slow to move from physical to spiritual categories. – They still thought in terms of external defilement (v. 17), not the heart’s overflow (vv. 18-19). • Familiarity with Jesus did not automatically produce insight (cf. Mark 8:17-18). • Their worldview was still shaped by long-standing traditions of ritual purity. • They underestimated the seriousness of inner sin, focusing instead on outer actions (Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 4:23). • Their dullness foreshadowed later misunderstandings—e.g., the nature of Messiah’s kingdom (Acts 1:6). Why Their Slowness Matters to Us • Scripture’s accuracy shows that even true believers can be spiritually sluggish; we need continual illumination (Ephesians 1:17-18). • External religion is always easier than heart transformation. Jesus exposes that tendency then and now. • The passage warns against assuming that proximity to Bible teaching equals comprehension (Hebrews 5:11-14). Growing in Spiritual Perception • Ask the Spirit to “open the eyes of your heart” (Ephesians 1:18). • Meditate on the Word until it reaches motive level, not merely conduct level (Psalm 119:18). • Compare parallel passages—Mark 7:17-23 reinforces the lesson, deepening understanding. • Replace tradition-based assumptions with Scripture’s clear teaching; let Jesus redefine purity for you. • Keep short accounts with God—confess heart sins quickly so that dullness does not accumulate (1 John 1:9). Takeaway Jesus’ question in Matthew 15:16 exposes the disciples’ lingering attachment to externalism and challenges every follower to seek heart-level insight. True understanding comes when we allow Scripture to penetrate beyond rituals to the very springs of thought and desire. |
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