Matthew 15:21 kjv
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:21 nkjv
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:21 niv
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:21 esv
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:21 nlt
Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:13 | ...Joseph...warned in a dream to flee to Egypt... | Jesus' earlier strategic withdrawal to avoid danger |
| Matt 2:22 | ...being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee. | Another early strategic withdrawal for safety |
| Matt 4:12 | When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. | Jesus' withdrawal from perceived threat of persecution |
| Matt 12:15 | Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed Him... | Jesus' withdrawal from increasing opposition and crowds |
| Matt 14:13 | When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately... | Jesus seeking solitude after the death of John the Baptist |
| Mark 3:7 | Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the lake... | Withdrawal from mounting scrutiny and intense crowds |
| Luke 10:13-14 | Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles... | Jesus contrasts unrepentant Jewish cities with more receptive Tyre & Sidon |
| Isa 23:1-18 | A prophecy concerning Tyre. | OT prophecies often portray Tyre as a powerful pagan city subject to judgment |
| Ezek 26:1-28:26 | Prophecies against Tyre, detailing its downfall due to pride and idolatry. | OT judgment on Tyre as a symbol of worldly pride and wickedness |
| Joel 3:4 | Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon, and all you regions... | God's condemnation of Tyre and Sidon for injustice against His people |
| Amos 1:9-10 | This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Tyre... | Divine judgment on Tyre for treachery and covenant breaking |
| Acts 10:34-35 | Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God shows no partiality..." | God's universal acceptance shown through Peter's ministry to Cornelius |
| Acts 10:45 | The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. | Holy Spirit affirmation of Gentile inclusion into the church |
| Acts 11:18 | When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance..." | Affirmation of God granting repentance leading to life even to Gentiles |
| Acts 14:27 | ...they reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. | Apostolic confirmation of the open door for Gentiles in the Gospel |
| Acts 21:3-7 | We sighted Cyprus, and passing to the north, we sailed to Syria, landing at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. | Paul's later visit to Tyre, illustrating the gospel's spread to former pagan regions |
| Matt 8:11 | I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast... | Jesus prophesies Gentile inclusion in the kingdom feast |
| Isa 49:6 | I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. | Old Testament prophecy of universal salvation through God's Servant |
| Rom 15:9-12 | ...and the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy... | Paul quotes OT scriptures to establish the rightful place of Gentiles in worship |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Unity in Christ transcends all societal and ethnic distinctions |
| Col 3:11 | Here there is no Gentile or Jew... | The new identity in Christ renders former ethnic divisions irrelevant |
| John 4:1-42 | Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman and stays in a Samaritan village. | Jesus breaks cultural and ethnic barriers to minister to outsiders |
Matthew 15 verses
Matthew 15 21 Meaning
Jesus deliberately left the Jewish populated area of Galilee after a challenging encounter with religious leaders and purposefully journeyed into the pagan, Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon. This movement served both as a tactical retreat from intensifying opposition and as a profound symbolic step toward the future expansion of the gospel mission to the Gentiles.
Matthew 15 21 Context
Matthew 15:21 directly follows Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees and scribes who came from Jerusalem (Matthew 15:1-20). In that highly significant encounter, Jesus condemned their empty adherence to human traditions, prioritizing outward observances over the true heart of God's commandments. He unequivocally declared that defilement comes from what emerges from the heart, not from what enters the mouth. This teaching was a profound challenge to the very foundation of the Jewish religious establishment. Jesus' subsequent departure to the region of Tyre and Sidon can be understood as a strategic retreat from the escalating spiritual and physical tensions with these powerful religious adversaries. Historically and culturally, Tyre and Sidon were ancient, wealthy Phoenician city-states located to the northwest of Galilee on the Mediterranean coast. These were distinctively Gentile, pagan territories, deeply rooted in idolatry and contrasting sharply with Jewish identity and practice. Throughout Old Testament history, they were often depicted as hostile or corrupt nations in contrast to Israel. This geographical shift from the heartland of Jewish Galilee to a foreign, non-Jewish region subtly but powerfully prefigures the eventual universal scope of Jesus' mission, signaling that God's grace and salvation are not confined by national or religious boundaries.
Matthew 15 21 Word analysis
- And Jesus (Kai Iesous - Greek): The connective "And" (kai) smoothly transitions the narrative, directly linking Jesus' departure to the preceding discourse. "Jesus" emphasizes His central and intentional role in this significant movement.
- went forth (Exelthōn - Greek): This is a present active participle, implying an immediate action of "having gone out" or "departing." It marks a decisive and clear physical separation from the place where the intense debate had occurred.
- from thence (Ekeis - Greek): Literally "from there," referring to the specific locale from which Jesus departed, understood to be the area of Capernaum or Gennesaret where He last taught and contended with the Pharisees. It signifies a move away from the immediate scene of religious conflict.
- and departed / withdrew (Anechōrēsen - Greek): The Aorist active indicative verb from anachoreo, meaning "to retire," "to pull back," or "to withdraw." This verb is crucial as it suggests a deliberate, strategic, and often tactical retreat. In Matthew's Gospel, it frequently describes Jesus avoiding danger (Matt 2:13, 14:13), seeking privacy (Matt 14:13), or disengaging from intense opposition or overzealous crowds. Here, it denotes a purposeful disengagement from the contentious religious leadership in Galilee, potentially to lessen tension or find space for unhindered ministry.
- to the region of (eis ta merē - Greek): Means "into the parts" or "into the districts." This specifies that Jesus was entering the broader geographical territory associated with, or under the influence of, these cities, rather than necessarily the bustling cities themselves at this immediate point.
- Tyre and Sidon (Turou kai Sidōnos - Greek): These were major Phoenician cities, ancient coastal trade centers northwest of Galilee. They were entirely Gentile and notorious for their pagan religious practices, especially Baal worship. Their mention here is profoundly symbolic, marking Jesus' first venture into distinctively non-Jewish territory. This choice of destination, immediately after a heated debate over Jewish tradition, serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the gospel's universal reach beyond the confines of Israel, signaling a readiness to extend His ministry to those considered outsiders.
Matthew 15 21 Bonus section
This deliberate move into a distinctly Gentile region, documented in the Synoptic Gospels only here and parallel accounts (Mark 7:24), emphasizes the inclusive trajectory of Jesus' mission, challenging the exclusive mindsets prevalent in much of Jewish society. It implies that true faith and understanding of God’s kingdom can flourish even in places long condemned by the prophets of old. Jesus' actions implicitly critique the spiritual blindness of some within Israel who, despite direct encounters with Him, rejected the essence of God’s law for human tradition, in stark contrast to the responsiveness of a Gentile woman shortly thereafter.
Matthew 15 21 Commentary
Matthew 15:21, though brief, serves as a critical narrative transition, strategically positioning Jesus for the subsequent encounter with the Canaanite woman. Jesus' withdrawal into the region of Tyre and Sidon after his profound teachings on defilement and his rebuke of the Pharisees underscores His independence from rigid Jewish traditionalism. This act highlights both His wisdom in discerning when to retreat from unproductive conflict and His prophetic anticipation of the universal reach of God's kingdom. By venturing into notorious pagan territory, Jesus breaks conventional ethnic and religious boundaries, demonstrating that God's compassion and salvation are not confined to Israel alone, but extend to all who would seek Him, even those from traditionally despised nations. This moment, then, is a subtle but significant pre-figuration of the Great Commission and the expansive nature of the Gospel message that would ultimately go out to every nation.