My Walk Through the Book of Matthew by Annette Godtland

Jesus Heals Great Multitudes (Matthew 15:29-31)

29Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. 31So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

The footnotes of my Bible indicate that this is in Gentile country. After making this big deal about helping this Gentile woman, Jesus sat down and healed all the Gentiles who came to Him. To me this is another indication that in the last verses, Jesus wasn't trying to say He didn't have the time to help the Gentiles. Helping the Gentiles was also part of what He came to do. He came here purposely. He stayed and helped them too.

But the Gentiles came to Him, He did not seek them out. He went up on a mountain and sat down there. He waited for them and the multitudes came to Him. They brought all who were afflicted and Jesus healed them all.

And what was their reaction as Jesus healed them? They marveled and glorified God. When the Pharisees and Scribes had seen Jesus heal people, they questioned where Jesus got these powers, and tried to find wrong in what Jesus did. These Gentiles didn't simply thank Jesus, but glorified God. They knew there was much more here than the work of a man. They knew this work was the work of the God of Israel.

But that is another interesting point. What did these people think of the God of Israel before this? The God of Israel, who they heard had brought His chosen people to their promised land, who was not their God, who according to the Pharisees had so many laws, laws which they didn't observe, that they would not possibly be seen with favor in His eyes. Here is this God who they did not understand, who they felt was not their God, helping them. And they glorified Him. I can only imagine that they would want to be learning more about the God of Israel and how He could become their God too.

Jesus is inviting everyone to be Children of God. He has time for all of us. He is waiting for us. He will help us. There are none who are more important than us, who get His higher priority. We do not simply get the crumbs of what is left over from the Children of Israel, but we get His best too. He will heal all. And when we see His great love for us, we will glorify Him too.