Matthew 15:16 Meaning and Explanation
“And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus gently challenges the disciples for still lacking understanding.
What Does Matthew 15:16 Mean?
Jesus responds to Peter's request with a searching question: are you also yet without understanding? The word also gently sets the disciples alongside the crowd and even the leaders; He had hoped those closest to Him would have perceived more. The question is not harsh dismissal but a loving prod, meant to stir them toward the insight that should be growing in them.
There is patience in this challenge. Jesus does not abandon the slow of heart; He continues to teach, even as He invites them to rise higher. Nearness to Christ is meant to ripen into understanding. The verse reminds us that the Lord expects His followers to grow, and that His questions, even when they probe our dullness, are an invitation to see more clearly than we have.
Matthew 15:16 in the Original Language
asunetos (ἀσύνετος), 'without understanding' -- lacking the capacity to put things together and perceive, spiritually undiscerning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 15:16
What does Matthew 15:16 mean?
Jesus gently challenges the disciples for still lacking understanding.