The majority of this chapter focuses on Jesus’ teachings, which are offered here in a format different from the parables. Here, Jesus actually says what he means. We don’t often get to read Jesus’ teachings as straight-forward lessons open to interpretation; when this does happen, the teaching usually occurs when he is in a confrontation with the authorities of the day—the Pharisees, scribes, or Sadducees.
The Pharisees were the ancestors of the modern rabbis. They were not considered part of the priesthood but were lay scholars who sought to make it possible for the majority of people to understand what it truly meant to follow the Law. They worked to accomplish this goal through a process of codification—taking all 613 laws given in the Old Testament and putting them in terms that everyday people could understand. Jesus was frustrated by their legalistic mindset, which focused on adherence to the letter of the Law rather than to its spirit.
Following two teaching moments (which can actually be read as two halves of one lesson), we find Jesus and his disciples in the predominantly Gentile area of Tyre and Sidon where a Canaanite woman seeks his help on behalf of her daughter. This interaction is unique in that it is the only time when someone else appears to get the better of Jesus in a verbal discussion. Some commentators believe that Jesus was actually trying to “lose” the sparring match to show the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Kingdom of God.
The chapter concludes with what feels like a retelling of the previous chapter: Jesus gathers a large group around him while offering healing before miraculously feeding them all. Rather than seeing this instance as a second “feeding” event, we should view it as further showing the amazing power and care that Jesus shows to people.