Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 15:12

"Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?" — Matthew 15:12 (ASV)

Then came his disciples, and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?

The wonder was that they were not offended before. It certainly was not a matter of concern to Christ whether they were offended or not; he would not tone down the truth in order to please them.

Then came his disciples, and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?

They thought a very great deal of the opinion of the Pharisees; and they were greatly concerned because their Master had offended them. These Pharisees set themselves up as the judges of everything that was correct and proper in religion; yet Christ offended them by his plain speaking.

The disciples evidently thought more of offending the Pharisees than their Master did. He knew that they would be offended and thought it no calamity that they should be. He placed His remarkable aphorism in their way so that they might find themselves balked and confounded by it.

They had come to Him in a fawning manner, desiring to catch Him in His speech. He was disgusted with their hypocrisy and by this staggering statement He unmasked them, and they came out in their true colors. They could not further conceal their hate. From then on, they could not entrap the disciples by their professions of friendliness.

Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

Some very kind friends are very concerned for the preacher, for fear that he might offend anyone, and they will come in all tenderness of spirit and say, "Knowest thou, that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?"