Matthew 15 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Tradition versus the commandment of God 15:1–9

vv. 1–2 — the Jerusalem delegation and the charge

Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying:independent — historic present προσέρχονται — the official inquiry arrives from the capital; Τότε, Matthew's scene-opener

'Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?content — the charge — παραβαίνω, 'step beyond'; the norm violated is oral tradition, not written Law

For they do not wash their handscause — the evidence — γάρ grounds the accusation in one observed omission

when they eat bread.'conditional — temporal ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — ἄρτον ἐσθίειν, to take a meal; the chapter's bread-thread begins

vv. 3–6 — the counter-charge: God said, but you say

But he answered and said to them:independent — Semitic 'answered and said' — the speech-frame for the whole reply (vv. 3–9)

'Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?content — the counter-question — their own verb παραβαίνω thrown back; ἐντολὴ τοῦ θεοῦ against παράδοσις ὑμῶν

For God said:cause — the scriptural ground — 'God said' (Byzantine: 'commanded, saying'); set against 'you say' (v. 5)

'Honor your father and mother,'content — Exod 20:12 — the fifth commandment; τιμᾶν includes material support

and, 'The one who speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.'content — Exod 21:17 LXX — the capital sanction; θανάτῳ τελευτάτω renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute

But you say:content — the antithesis — emphatic ὑμεῖς against ὁ θεός: their counter-ruling

'Whoever says to his father or mother,conditional — indefinite-relative protasis inside quoted speech — leans forward across the vow-words to the apodosis (v. 6)

'A gift to Godcontent — the vow-formula itself — Matthew gives only the gloss where Mark 7:11 transliterates Κορβᾶν; the thing is dedicated and withheld

is whatever help you might have had from me' —relative — the thing vowed away — precisely the support the parent would have received

he need by no means honor his father.'content — the apodosis — emphatic οὐ μή + future: the ruling releases the son from the very τιμᾶν God commanded (v. 4); many witnesses add 'or his mother'

And so you have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition.content — the verdict — ἀκυρόω, stripping God's word of authority; τὸν λόγον read (rivals: τὸν νόμον, τὴν ἐντολήν); the refrain of v. 3 closes the ring

vv. 7–9 — Isaiah's indictment

Hypocrites!content — vocative — ὑποκριτής, the play-actor: the outward role masking the heart

Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:content — καλῶς — bitingly apt; the citation formula for Isa 29:13

'This people honors me with their lips,content — Isa 29:13 LXX — τιμᾷ, the honor-word of vv. 4–6 emptied to lip-motion; the shorter critical text (Byzantine prefixes 'draws near with their mouth')

but their heart is far distant from me;content — καρδία — the chapter's key term enters: the far heart behind the near lips (vv. 8, 18, 19)

and in vain do they worship me,content — the citation's verdict — worship voided

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'participial — the manner that empties the worship — human ἐντάλματα dignified as διδασκαλίαι: the korban case in Isaiah's words

What truly defiles — out of the heart 15:10–20

vv. 10–11 — the maxim to the crowd

And calling the crowd to him,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν; the audience widens beyond the delegation

he said to them:independent — the public pronouncement — speech-frame

'Hear and understand:content — the double summons — συνίημι, the understanding the disciples will be shown to lack (ἀσύνετοι, v. 16)

it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person,content — the negative half of the maxim — κοινόω, the cultic defilement-verb that frames the unit (vv. 11, 18, 20); Matthew specifies the mouth

but what comes out of the mouth — this defiles a person.'content — the positive half — εἰσερχόμενον answered by ἐκπορευόμενον; resumptive τοῦτο lands the emphasis

vv. 12–14 — the offended Pharisees: plants and blind guides

Then the disciples came and say to him:independent — historic present λέγουσιν — προσέρχομαι, the verb of v. 1, now of the disciples

'Do you knowcontent — the anxious question — the frame for the report

that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?'content — ὅτι-content — σκανδαλίζω, the trap-stick verb: the maxim of v. 11 has scandalized the experts

But he answered:independent — the unconcerned reply — speech-frame

'Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.content — the planting metaphor (cf. Isa 60:21) — divine-passive ἐκριζωθήσεται: eschatological removal of what God did not plant

Leave them alone;content — the dismissal — no appeasement of the offended

they are blind guides of the blind.content — the longer reading printed ('blind guides of the blind'; rival: 'they are blind guides') — the irony of self-appointed ὁδηγοί

And if a blind man guides a blind man,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — leans forward on the apodosis; the proverb generalizes

both will fall into a pit.'content — the apodosis — ἀμφότεροι: guide and guided share one ruin

vv. 15–20 — Peter's request and the explanation

And Peter answered and said to him:independent — Peter as spokesman — Matthew's characteristic foregrounding of Peter

'Explain this parable to us.'content — the maxim of v. 11 is a παραβολή to them — a riddle; 'this parable' printed (some witnesses: 'the parable')

And he said:independent — the explanation begins with a rebuke — speech-frame for vv. 16–20

'Are you also still without understanding?content — the rebuke — ἀκμήν, 'even yet'; ἀσύνετοι answers the συνίετε of v. 10

Do you not perceivecontent — the second question — dullness pressed

that everything entering the mouth passes into the stomachcontent — the digestion argument — food's path is merely bodily, never reaching the καρδία

and is expelled into the latrine?content — the blunt terminus — ἀφεδρών; Matthew keeps Mark's physical candor but not his foods-clean verdict

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart,content — the contrast — mouth traced back to heart: the far heart of Isa 29:13 (v. 8) is the wellspring

and these things defile a person.content — the thesis restated — crasis κἀκεῖνα: those, emphatically, are the defilers

For out of the heart come evil thoughts:cause — the ground — διαλογισμοί, the deliberations from which the deeds spring

murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders.phrase modifier — the vice catalogue — shorter than Mark's thirteen and ordered on the Decalogue's second table (commandments 6–9)

These are the things that defile a person;content — the summary verdict — the participle gathers the list

but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.'content — only Matthew — the conclusion returns exactly to the charge of v. 2 (ἀνίπτοις): the tradition annulled, the food laws untouched; the redactional crux against Mark 7:19

The Canaanite woman's faith 15:21–28

vv. 21–23 — the cry, the silence, and the disciples' impatience

And going out from there,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀνεχώρησεν

Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.independent — ἀναχωρέω — Matthew's verb of strategic withdrawal; into Gentile territory

And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and kept crying,independent — ἰδού presents her — Χαναναία, the archaic enemy-name (Mark: Syrophoenician); iterative imperfect ἔκραζεν, the persistent cry

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for her plea

'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!content — the Kyrie eleison of the Gospel — υἱὸς Δαυίδ, Israel's messianic title on Canaanite lips, only in Matthew

My daughter is severely demon-possessed.'content — the need — she pleads the mercy for herself (Ἐλέησόν με): the daughter's torment is hers

But he answered her not a word.independent — the silence — the scene's one speechless main clause; the first of three barriers her faith will pass

And his disciples, coming to him,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἠρώτουν

kept asking him,independent — iterative imperfect — her crying wears on them

saying:participial — speech-participle — the frame for their request

'Send her away,content — ἀπόλυσον — dismiss her, perhaps 'grant it and be rid of her'; the second barrier

for she keeps crying out after us.'cause — their reason — the annoyance, not the need

vv. 24–28 — lost sheep, children's bread, and great faith

But he answered:independent — the reply — addressed to the disciples, over her head

'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'content — the mission's scope (cf. 10:6) — divine passive ἀπεστάλην; Israel as God's scattered flock (Ezek 34); the third barrier

But she, coming,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on προσεκύνει; she breaks through the exchange about her

knelt before him,independent — inceptive imperfect προσκυνέω — prostrate homage, Matthew's worship-verb

saying:participial — speech-participle — the frame for the plea stripped bare

'Lord, help me!'content — three words — the cry reduced to its core; present imperative βοήθει, urgent

But he answered:independent — the testing answer — speech-frame

'It is not rightcontent — the proverb's judgment — Matthew omits Mark's πρῶτον ('let the children FIRST be fed'), sharpening the test

to take the children's breadcontent — subject infinitive — ἄρτος again: the covenant blessings as Israel's portion (the bread-thread: vv. 2, 26, 33–37)

and throw it to the dogs.'content — the saying's edge — κυνάριον, the house-dog diminutive, softens but does not erase the insult; the offense left standing as a test

But she said:independent — the riposte — speech-frame

'Yes, Lord,content — she grants the premise — Ναί: no protest, no self-defense; κύριε for the third time

yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.'content — the turn — καὶ γάρ, 'for even': she argues from inside his image; ψιχία the crumb-diminutive, κυρίων echoing her own κύριε

Then Jesus answered and said to her:independent — τότε — the pivot: at last he speaks to her

'O woman, great is your faith!content — verbless exclamation — μεγάλη ἡ πίστις: the only 'great faith' in Matthew (against the disciples' ὀλιγόπιστοι); Ὦ of admiration

Let it be done for youcontent — the performative grant — γενηθήτω, the word that works the cure

as you wish.'comparative — ὡς θέλεις — her will given the measure of the gift

And her daughter was healed from that hour.independent — healing at a distance — divine passive ἰάθη; ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης, Matthew's healing-formula (8:13; 9:22; 17:18)

Healings on the mountain by the sea 15:29–31

And going on from there, Jesusparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἦλθεν; the return from Gentile Phoenicia

came alongside the Sea of Galilee,independent — back to the sea — where Mark 7:31 routes through the Decapolis, Matthew simply arrives

and going up on the mountain,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐκάθητο; τὸ ὄρος, Matthew's mountain of revelation (5:1; 17:1; 28:16)

he sat down there.independent — durative imperfect — the seated posture of the teacher and healer; Matthew generalizes Mark's single deaf-mute cure into a summary

And great crowds came to him,independent — προσέρχομαι again — the crowds do what the Jerusalem delegation did (v. 1), to opposite ends

bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others,participial — the affliction-list (order varies among witnesses) — the same four the healed catalogue of v. 31 will reverse

and they laid them at his feet,independent — ἔρριψαν — cast them down in urgent trust at the feet of the seated one

and he healed them,independent — one verb for the mass of cures — the compassion of v. 32 already at work

so that the crowd marveledpurpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key)

when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing;participial — the Isaianic catalogue (Isa 35:5–6) — the signs of the age of restoration, each affliction of v. 30 undone

and they glorified the God of Israel.independent — τὸν θεὸν Ἰσραήλ — covenant language suggesting Gentile voices in the crowd (cf. Isa 29:23): the Canaanite's crumbs multiplying

The feeding of the four thousand 15:32–39

vv. 32–34 — the compassion stated and the inventory taken

Then Jesus, summoning his disciples, said:independent — the initiative is his — unlike the five thousand (14:15), no one asks; the speech-frame

'I have compassion on the crowd,content — σπλαγχνίζομαι — the visceral compassion-verb, in the Gospels used only of Jesus and the God-figures of his parables

because they have already remained with me three dayscause — the ground — προσμένω: three days' perseverance, the crowd's own quiet fidelity

and have nothing to eat;cause — coordinate ground — deliberative subjunctive φάγωσιν retained in the indirect frame

and I am unwilling to send them away hungry,content — ἀπολῦσαι — the disciples' verb for the Canaanite (v. 23) refused here: he will not dismiss the hungry

lest they faint on the way.'purpose — μήποτε — negative purpose/apprehension: ἐκλύομαι, giving out on the road

And the disciples say to him:independent — historic present — the perplexity, undimmed by chapter 14

'Where would we get so many loaves in a desolate placecontent — verbless question — Πόθεν: the wilderness question of Israel (Num 11:13), asked again after the five thousand

as to satisfy so great a crowd?'purpose — ὥστε + infinitive of result (typed pur; no result key) — χορτάζω, the satisfaction-verb v. 37 will answer

And Jesus says to them:independent — historic present — the counter-question

'How many loaves do you have?'content — the inventory demanded — he begins from what they hold

And they said:independent — the answer — speech-frame

'Seven, and a few small fish.'content — verbless tally — seven loaves, matched by the seven baskets of v. 37; ἰχθύδια, the fish-diminutive

vv. 35–39 — took, gave thanks, broke, gave: all satisfied

And commanding the crowd to recline on the ground,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἔλαβεν; ἀναπεσεῖν, the meal-posture, on bare ground (no green grass, unlike 14:19)

he took the seven loaves and the fish,independent — ἔλαβεν — the first of the eucharistic verbs (cf. 26:26)

and having given thanks,participial — preposed aorist participle — εὐχαριστέω here where 14:19 has εὐλογέω; leans on ἔκλασεν

he broke themindependent — ἔκλασεν — the breaking, one bare verb

and kept giving them to the disciples,independent — iterative imperfect ἐδίδου after the aorists — the distribution pictured in motion

and the disciples to the crowds.independent — elliptical — ἐδίδουν supplied: the disciples relay the bread they could not supply (v. 33)

And they all ateindependent — πάντες — no one passed over

and were satisfied,independent — ἐχορτάσθησαν — the disciples' χορτάσαι (v. 33) answered to the full

and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces,independent — the surplus — abundance beyond satisfaction, from seven loaves

seven baskets full.phrase modifier — apposition of measure — σπυρίδες, large hampers, against the κόφινοι of the five thousand: the distinction 16:9–10 turns on

Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.independent — the tally — χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων, Matthew's enlarging note (as at 14:21)

And having sent away the crowds,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐνέβη; now, fed, they may be dismissed (against v. 32)

he got into the boatindependent — the embarkation — the scene closes on the water

and came to the region of Magadan.independent — Μαγαδάν — the best-attested and hardest reading (many witnesses: Μαγδαλά; Mark 8:10: Δαλμανουθά); site unknown, western shore

Analysis. Matthew 15 runs Mark 7 through Matthew's tighter loom, and the layout shows both the narrative spine and the argument hung on it. The flush-left purple column carries Matthew's connectives — Τότε twice opening scenes (vv. 1, 12), δέ trading the dialogue back and forth, καί stringing the mountain healings and the feeding — with the historic presents (προσέρχονται, λέγουσιν, λέγει) flagged as they land. All speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, and this chapter is mostly speech: the Pharisees' charge under λέγοντες with its γάρ-evidence one step deeper; Jesus' counter-question under εἶπεν, grounded by ὁ γὰρ θεὸς εἶπεν (Exod 20:12; 21:17) set antithetically against ὑμεῖς δὲ λέγετε, whose korban ruling runs as a protasis chain inside quoted speech — Ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ leaning forward, the bare vow-word Δῶρον hanging under εἴπῃ with its relative beneath, and the emphatic apodosis οὐ μὴ τιμήσει landing two levels up (Matthew drops Mark's Κορβᾶν transliteration and keeps only the gloss); then the Isa 29:13 LXX citation under Ἠσαΐας's λέγων. The defilement teaching keeps Matthew's focus on the mouth and the heart — note that Matthew's vice list (v. 19) follows the order of the second table of the Decalogue, and that v. 20 returns the whole argument to the original charge, 'to eat with unwashed hands' — where Mark's editorial 'cleansing all foods' verdict is conspicuously absent: Matthew's conclusion annuls the tradition, not the food laws, a redactional crux the tags name. In the Canaanite woman's scene the exchanges alternate rapidly at the margin — her cry, his silence (the one speechless main clause), the disciples' Ἀπόλυσον, the lost-sheep saying, her προσεκύνει, the children's-bread proverb with its subject infinitives under καλόν, her Ναί, κύριε riposte — until the exclamation Ὦ γύναι, μεγάλη σου ἡ πίστις (verbless, dashed) reverses the οὐκ ἀπεστάλην: Matthew alone has the woman address Jesus as υἱὸς Δαυίδ and alone has faith named as what wins. The healing summary rises to the Isaianic catalogue (Isa 35:5–6) under the crowd's marveling, closing on 'the God of Israel' glorified — likely by Gentile lips. The feeding of the four thousand runs the eucharistic verbs flush left (ἔλαβεν, ἔκλασεν, ἐδίδου) with the two preposed participles (παραγγείλας, εὐχαριστήσας) leaning forward anchor-less, the disciples' relay an elliptical dashed line, and the seven baskets (σπυρίδες, not the κόφινοι of the five thousand — the distinction 16:9–10 will trade on) hung as verbless apposition beneath ἦραν; Μαγαδάν, the best-attested and hardest place-name, closes the chapter.