New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 15:31

Clean and Unclean

The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Matthew 15:31, in plain English

The crowd was amazed to see the mute speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. They praised the God of Israel.

Why it's here

When God moves, it's unmistakable. The evidence of His power leads people to worship. Real transformation always points back to Him.

Who's speaking

Matthew describes the crowd's worshipful response to the miracles.

Where it sits in the story

The mountain echoes with praise as people witness transformation after transformation. God's power on display moves hearts to worship.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The crowd's response of wonder (thaumasai) at the healings and their glorification of the theon tou Israēl ('God of Israel') may suggest a partially Gentile audience, since Jews would typically say simply 'God' rather than 'the God of Israel.'

Language and setting

The phrase 'God of Israel' is unusual for a Jewish crowd and may indicate the Decapolis setting (cf. Mark 7:31) where Gentile populations would use this specific designation.

Voice

The narrator describes the crowd's amazed response to the healings.

Significance

The healings provoke wonder and worship. The specific praise of 'the God of Israel' hints that God's glory is being witnessed beyond Israel's borders.

In context

Matthew 15:29–33

29Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.

30Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them.

31The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”

33The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”

Read all of Matthew 15 — Jesus dismantles the purity codes the Pharisees have built and shows that what defiles a person comes from within, not without.

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