During the time of Jesus, He was known far and wide for his teachings and miraculous healings. However, not everyone agreed with His practices, leading to disagreements and confrontations within Jerusalem. Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus one day, questioning His disciples’ breach of traditional customs by not washing their hands before meals. In response, Jesus questioned their hypocrisy, asking why they invalidate God’s commands for their traditions, pointing out their self-serving practices that left their hearts far from genuine love and reverence for God.

Despite their constant public service and ritualistic devotions, the Pharisees had neglected the true essence of service and love for God, leading Jesus to label them as hypocrites. He even pointed out Isaiah’s prophecy that describes such people honoring God with their words but not reflecting the same in their hearts.

As they continued to quarrel over what defined cleanliness – whether it was hand-washing or pure thoughts – Jesus used a parable to prove that it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of it. His disciples, worried about the reaction of the Pharisees, sought clarification. In response, Jesus explained that it is what is born of the human heart – evil thoughts, lies, adultery, and other sin that defiles a person, not the food consumed without washing hands.

Shifting the scene, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon where He encountered a Canaanite woman desperately seeking His help for her demon-possessed daughter. Despite His initial silence and the disciples urging Him to send her away, the woman’s persistent faith and humility moved Him. Although He expressed His primary mission was to the lost sheep of Israel, her great faith prevailed, leading him to heal her daughter instantly.

Then, Jesus headed towards the Sea of Galilee, retreating to a mountaintop where He was once again surrounded by multitudes seeking His healing touch. He cured many who were lame, blind, mute, deformed, and those afflicted with other diseases, causing the crowd to marvel and glorify the God of Israel.

Seeing their hunger after remaining with Him for three days, Jesus showed compassion and called His disciples to feed the multitude of four thousand men, excluding women and children, with just seven loaves of bread and a few small fishes. Commanding the crowd to sit, He took the bread and fishes, gave thanks to God, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute. Miraculously, everyone was fed to their fill, and seven baskets full of leftovers were gathered.

After this astonishing event, Jesus, along with His disciples, sent the satisfied multitudes away. They then boarded a boat and sailed to the borders of Magadan, marking the end of an eventful series of interactions that revealed Jesus’s wisdom, power, and compassionate love for humanity.