Neville Goddard on Matthew 15:21-39 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Matthew 15 in context

Scripture Focus

21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

39And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Matthew 15:21-39

Biblical Context

Jesus journeys to Tyre and Sidon, where a non-Israelite mother begs for mercy for her daughter. Though he initially withholds, her steadfast faith is commended and the daughter is healed; later Jesus feeds 4000 with seven loaves and fishes, proving compassionate provision and the power of faith.

Neville's Inner Vision

To the Neville ear, this narrative shows that the apparent boundaries of Israel and Gentile, the precious bread and the crumbs, are but states of consciousness. The woman is not asking for permission from an outer authority; she is embodying a conviction in the I AM that there is no distance between need and sufficiency. Jesus’ initial response, 'I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' is not a rejection but a disclosure: the outer scene mirrors the inner recognition. When she accepts the crumbs, she demonstrates a rhythm of faith that does not negotiate with lack but feeds the sense of abundance already present in consciousness. When Jesus declares her great faith, he is naming a state of consciousness that anyone may claim. The feeding of the four thousand then becomes the symbol of inner nourishment overflowing from one life to many—seven baskets left over meaning the wholeness of the self shares itself with the world. The miracle is not merely a historical event but the law of mind enacted through faith.

Practice This Now

Imaginative Act: Assume the end and feel it real. Sit quietly, declare, 'I AM whole; my needs are met; my loved one is healed,' and dwell in the feeling of its already being so until it is vivid.