Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?”
- KJV Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
- NKJV Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
- NASB Then the disciples came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”
- NLT Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The disciples report that the Pharisees were offended by Jesus' teaching. It matters because it shows that faithful truth can offend even respected religious authorities.
Overview
The disciples, perhaps unsettled, point out that Jesus' words have scandalized the influential Pharisees. Their concern reveals how much weight these leaders carried in popular opinion. Jesus' response (in the next verses) shows he is unmoved by their offense when truth is at stake. The episode reminds disciples that fidelity to God's word will sometimes provoke those committed to human tradition.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 1 Kgs 22:13–14Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
- 2 Cor 6:3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- Gal 2:5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
- Matt 17:27“But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”
- Jas 3:17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 15:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.