Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” Matthew 15:15
“And Peter, having answered, he said to Him, ‘You expound to us this parable’” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that if the blind-conductors are also blind, they will both fall into a pit. Having finished His words, Matthew notes, “And Peter, having answered, he said to Him.”
Peter heard something that needed clarification from Jesus’ words. Therefore, he continues, “You expound to us this parable.”
Here is a new word, phrazó. It is found only here in the New Testament. It means to indicate by word or act. Thus, it is rightly defined as “expound,” which signifies to explain the meaning in a detailed manner. Peter goes back to Jesus’ words of verse 15:11, not knowing the meaning of the parable –
“Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”
The problem with Peter’s words is that Jesus wasn’t speaking in a parable at that time. Hence, he misunderstood the intent of Jesus’ words. For this, he will receive a rather stern rebuke, followed by a more detailed explanation of Jesus’ intent.
Life application: It is not always easy to know when something in the Bible is being spoken literally, metaphorically, in parable, or in some other way. It is also difficult to determine if what is being spoken of is one thing rather than another.
A good example of this is found in Joshua –
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
Translations generally assume that Joshua’s words indicate that the sun and moon literally stood still in the heavens. This is then bolstered by the words of verses 13 and 14. However, the words are poetic, having been included in the Book of Jasher. The way it properly reads and what is happening is as follows –
“Then, he will speak, Joshua to Yehovah, in day gave Yehovah the Amorite to faces sons Israel, and he said to eyes Israel:
‘Sun, in Gibeon, you must be silent.
And moon in depth Aijalon.’
And is muted, the sun.
And moon stood.
Until he will avenge nation – his hatings.
Not it written upon scroll the Upright (One)? And it stood, the sun, in the half the heavens and not it hastened to go, according to day complete. And not it was according to day, the it, to its faces and after it, to hearken, Yehovah, in voice man, for Yehovah being fought to Israel.” (CG)
Notice the structure:
V.12 – [Then, he will speak, Joshua to Yehovah, in day gave Yehovah the Amorite to faces sons Israel, and he said to eyes Israel].
V.13 Until he will avenge nation [Israel] – his hatings.
V.15 - And not it was according to day, the it, to its faces and after it, [to hearken, Yehovah, in voice man, for Yehovah being fought to Israel].
The bracketing thoughts explain what the exceptional thing was. It wasn’t that the sun and moon stood still in the skies. Rather, it was that the Lord listened to the voice of a man and fought for Israel.
As you read the Bible, understand that what you are reading has been translated by man. A translator comes to the text with biases and presuppositions. If he is only a translator, he is also trying to make sense out of very difficult language. Therefore, it is natural to make assumptions based on a lack of study.
Even scholars will start with presuppositions, reading a translation first and then working with that picture in their minds. Because of this, be careful to stop and contemplate what you are reading from other perspectives. You may find that what you thought was correct was not.
In the end, you will get out of the word as much as you put in.
O God, may we be willing to carefully consider all things Your word tells us. Help us not to get caught up in sensationalism or “going with the pack” mentality. May we first and foremost consider what You are telling us and why. Help us in this so that our time of study will be methodical and filled with proper insights concerning Your word. Amen.
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