Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 15:31
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
Verse 31. The multitude wondered] And well they might, when they had such proofs of the miraculous power and love of God before their eyes. Blessed be God! the same miracles are continued in their spiritual reference. All the disorders of the soul are still cured by the power of Jesus.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark gives us an account of this motion of our Saviours, Mar 7:31-37, and mentions a particular miracle which our Lord wrought, either in the way, or when he came to the place where he rested; which not being mentioned by our evangelist, I shall consider when I come to that chapter in Mark. Matthew only tells us in general that he healed many, some lame, some that were blind, some that were dumb, &c. Such a general account of the miracles wrought by our Saviour we had Mat 4:24; 8:16; 11:5; the evangelist not largely setting down every particular miracle wrought by our Saviour. And they glorified the Lord God of Israel. The Pharisees ascribed these operations to the devils power, but the poor people owned them as the works of God, and gave praise unto God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Insomuch that the multitude wondered,…. The multitude of the spectators, who, though they came in expectation of seeing miracles wrought, yet these were so much beyond what they could have imagined, that they were amazed and surprised to see cures so instantly performed, in such a miraculous manner: these were such glaring proofs and evidences of the wonderful power of God, that they were astonished
when they saw the dumb to speak; that is, such who before were dumb, now spoke; and the same is to be observed in the other following instances: some copies have also, “the deaf to hear”, and so the Arabic version: “the maimed to be whole”. This is left out in some copies; nor is it in the Arabic, Ethiopic, and Vulgate Latin versions, nor in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel; but the Syriac has it, and most Greek copies, and seems necessary; since these are particularly mentioned among the persons brought to be cured; and a wonderful cure this was, that persons who had not only lost the use of their limbs, but such who had lost the limbs themselves, should have them restored perfect; for doubtless, the power of our Lord was able to do this, and which was amazing to behold:
the lame to walk, and the blind to see; as was prophesied of the times of the Messiah, and as things to be effected by him,
Isa 35:5
and they glorified the God of Israel. The Ethiopic version adds, “which had given such power to the son of man”, or “unto men”, which seems to be taken out of Mt 9:8. This must be understood both of the multitude that saw these miraculous operations, and the persons on whom they were wrought; who were both affected with them, and gave God the praise and glory of them, by whose power alone such things could be done, who is the one only and true God: and therefore, to distinguish him from the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, he is here styled the God of Israel, of the people of Israel, so called from Jacob their ancestor, whose name was Israel; by whom God was known, and worshipped, and was their Covenant God, and Father.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
31. Glorified the God of Israel The same God who had performed such wonders for ancient Israel in the days of the Old Testament. They were feeling as if the days of wonders from his hand were now returning.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Insomuch that the crowd wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, and lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.’
And once these crowds saw the wonderful things that He was doing, the dumb speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking and the blind seeing (Isa 35:5-6), ‘they glorified the God of Israel’ (compare Psa 72:18, but there it is accompanied by God’s Name. Similarly had this been intended to be seen on the lips of Jews we would have expected, ‘the LORD, the God of Israel’. See Luk 1:68). This last expression, which is unique as far as the Gospels is concerned, suggests, in context, the response of Gentiles. Like the Canaanite woman they had come to feed at His table. Thus Matthew, having in mind Jesus’ words that He has come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, emphasises that these people acknowledged the ‘God of Israel’ as their Benefactor. The crowds must therefore probably be seen as a combination of both Jews from areas outside Galilee, and of Gentiles. In view of this it must therefore be seen as quite significant that for those who have come and have been with Him there for ‘three days’ He now provides ‘bread from Heaven’. He is ready and willing to feed this mixed crowd who have proved so responsive to His teaching as He fed the Jewish gathering earlier (Mat 14:13-21), and the initiative comes from Him. (It was not likely to come from the disciples who probably at first saw the number of Gentiles gathered there with disapproval).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
Ver. 31. They glorified the God of Israel ] They saw God in those miraculous cures and gave him his due praise. He is content that we should have the comfort of his benefits, so he may have the glory of them; that’s all the rent and return he looks for. All the fee Christ required for his cures was, “Go and tell what God hath done for thee; go show thyself to the priest, and offer,” &c. But we, instead of being temples of God’s praise, become many times graves of his benefits. This made good David so often to put the thorn to his breast, Psa 103:1-3 ; and King Alphonsus not so much to wonder at his courtiers’ ingratitude to him, as at his own to God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
31. ] Mark ( Mar 7:32-37 ) gives an instance of .
. ] Perhaps this last word is added as an expression of the joy of the disciples themselves, who contrasted the fulness and abundance of the acts of mercy now before them with the instance which they had just seen of the difficulty with which the faith of a Gentile had prevailed to obtain help.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 15:31 . : this and the following participles are used substantively as objects of the verb , the action denoted by the participles being that which was seen. . . . The expression suggests a non-Israelite crowd and seems to hint that after all for our evangelist Jesus is on the east side and in heathen territory. But it may point back to Mat 15:24 and mean the God who conferred such favours on Israel as distinct from the heathen (Weiss-Meyer).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
to speak = speaking.
to be whole = sound.
to walk = walking.
to see = seeing.
the God of Israel. See Isa 29:23.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
31.] Mark (Mar 7:32-37) gives an instance of .
. ] Perhaps this last word is added as an expression of the joy of the disciples themselves, who contrasted the fulness and abundance of the acts of mercy now before them with the instance which they had just seen of the difficulty with which the faith of a Gentile had prevailed to obtain help.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
the dumb: Mat 9:33, Mar 7:37
the maimed: Mat 18:8, Mar 9:43, Luk 14:13, Luk 14:21
the lame: Mat 21:14, Act 3:2-11, Act 14:8-10
and they: Mat 9:8, Psa 50:15, Psa 50:23, Mar 2:12, Luk 7:16, Luk 17:15-18, Luk 18:43, Joh 9:24
God: Gen 32:28, Gen 33:20, *marg. Exo 24:10
Reciprocal: Isa 35:6 – shall the lame Mat 4:23 – healing Mat 8:27 – General Mat 11:5 – the lame Mat 12:23 – the people Mat 19:2 – General Mar 1:27 – they were Luk 5:15 – great Luk 7:22 – the lame Joh 6:2 – General Act 4:21 – for all Act 5:16 – bringing Act 8:7 – lame
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mat 15:31. Wondered. Comp. Mar 7:37. The people had probably heard of, but never witnessed, His power.
The dumb speaking, etc. This is the form of the original.
They glorified the God of Israel. They were not heathen, but Jews. Yet living on the borders, they seem to have been affected by heathen nations, and half recognized other gods.