Primary Text: Matthew 15:1-39
Memory Verse: “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.” Matthew 15:17-18
Introduction:
Bread has been an important part of life throughout the ages. One reason was nutrition. Even in Jesus’s day bread was a main staple of a meal and there were a variety of types. Authors of the time describe bread made with honey, raisins, egg, oil, poppyseed, wheat, and barley.
Bread also is a reference to the general necessities of life. It is understood to mean more than just a “loaf of bread” in the Lord’s Prayer. When the phrase “daily bread” appears, it refers to God’s ability to meet all of our needs, both spiritual and physical.
In modern times, bread has come to be a slang term for money. This reference began in Israel around the 1950s. This graphic synonym comes from the Yiddish “lekhem, avoda,” —loosely translated, “If you want bread: work.” To be a “breadwinner” carried the idea of working to provide for the needs of a family, not just for bread to feed the family.
In John’s gospel, Jesus refers to Himself metaphorically as bread. A metaphor is a comparison between two items. In this scripture, Jesus is comparing himself to the physical significance of bread and the symbolism of it.
In its physical sense, the bread which we eat to sustain our lives comes from God, the Father above. Just as God provided the Israelites manna, God provides food for us. The manna He provided was a salvation for the Israelites. The manna was a type of salvation and a foreshadowing of the provision God would make to save His people—Jesus.
God’s provision of bread shows that He will provide the basic necessities for our lives in all ways—food, clothing, shelter, protection, acceptance, and love. Bread represents all that is needed to sustain physical life. In the spiritual sense, bread refers to the Word of God, salvation, and the spiritual nourishment that is needed to grow to maturity in the Lord. As the bread of life, Jesus fulfills our needs for all eternity.
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- Why does Jesus caution His disciples to not follow the religious traditions? Matthew 15:1-11; Mark 7:1-16.
- Explain the interpretation of the teaching Jesus relates in Matthew 15:10-11 and Mark 7:14-23.
- What qualities, characteristics, and requirements does the Bible describe are true of the heart of man? Proverbs 27:19; Matthew 12:34; 15:18-19; 1 Peter 3:3-4.
- What does the woman’s persistence show about her faith? Matthew 15:22-28; Mark 7:24-30.
- What type of faith does God expect us to have? Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 11:8-10; Jude 1:3.
- Is God limited in what ailments He can heal? Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:3.
- What do the miracles in the Tyre, Sidon, and Decapolis regions prove about who Jesus came to minister to? Matthew 15:21-31; Mark 7:24-37.