A Mothers Day

A Mothers Day Matthew 15:21-31

I can only imagine Jesus and the disciples, very Jewish fyi, walking the 20-30 miles from Capernaum, up to Tyre/Sidon where very nervous, being in a predominately gentile area, still inhabited by Canaanites. Then I want to ask, is this a snapshot of the typical healing or miraculous encounter with Christ? Or is this just an encounter with a gentile and a woman to teach us about faith? Lets see what the text tells us.

Matthew 15:21–28

“ Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Matthew 15:29–31

“ Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. 31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

Lets look at The Encounter 15:21-28 & The Encounters 29-31

The Encounter 15:21-28

Matthew 15:21  NKJV  “ Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.”

Map: Jesus Visits The Coast you can see from the lines where he goes during this, Tyre & Sidon on the coast of what Israel called the HaYam HaGadol, which eventually shortened to, HaYam, The Great Sea.

Matthew 15:22–23a  NKJV  “ And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23a But He answered her not a word.””

Ok, this is a Canaanite woman from the area. Mark 7:26  says  “ The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician which was the area by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.”

Lets look at the three things Matthews has her calling out, that are very jewish and shows she is at least a Lover of God and very familiar with not just scriptures, but the teachings and works of Christ.

She first, recognizes that she needs his grace/mercy.

Secondly, she knows he is Lord. Kyrios in the Greek it referred in the OT to Yahweh. The unique, one true name of God. First use in Gen 2:4

Son of David. A title for the Messiah, hold your place and look with me real quick at Matt. 1:1; 22:41, 42 where we see that Messiah is born and is the Son of David. Which when Jesus enters into Jerusalem as King they cry it, Matthew 21:9 “ Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!””

Her child is inhabited by a superintelligent, born knowing everything it needed to carry out its service to God, but now, malevolent, violent evil, a spirit that hates anything likened to or representative of The Image or image bearers of God. Thats us. Thats Jesus. And he has complete authority in heaven and in earth, to cast them out of people and places. Her being set free from this spirit, Matthew says is healing. Being demon possessed doesn't make you a vampire or super powered human like in movies & animes, it makes you a tool of the evil one. And she knows it. And his response? NOTHING. Not even a grunt.

Matthew 15:23b–24  “And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.””

She's driving us crazy, she just won’t stop.

What this isn’t saying. Its not saying that Jesus didn't come to save us all. But for this particular time and purpose, He is come for his own. And they reject Him. John 1:11 “ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” Romans 15:8  tells us  “ Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,” He came to Israel to establish that the Word is true, he is Christ of Israel and we can be saved in Him.

Matthew 15:25  NKJV  “ Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!””

Worship - proskyneo - to prostrate, place the forehead on the ground in submission = to kneel in prayer/worship - entreating God.

Jesus pushes

Matthew 15:26–27  NKJV  “ But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.””

Now believe it or not, this is controversial section - watch this video

But shouldn't be. He is not cursing or using as a pejorative but an parable or analogy. Bread was a healthy and big part of many diets of the time - bread was more than white or wheat. It was life. Jesus compared himself to bread - and here he compares the deliverance to, you don’t just throw bread to the house puppies.

Yes uses the word KYNARIOS little dogs/pets. only used here and parallel in Mk -

Jesus is not saying wont eventually go greek - after all Romans 1:16  NKJV  “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

The woman's response is amazing, I will take whatever is dropped or unwanted. Puppies get Puppy Chow now, then they got the scraps. A crumb, would suffice. Even as small as a mustard seed…

Matthew 15:28  NKJV  “ Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Jesus doesn't say to a lot of people great is your faith in Matt. 8:5–13 he praise the centurion (another Gentile) for his faith.

She hasnt just heard, she understands, Faith crosses all ethnic and gender boundries. One does not have to be a man or woman to experience Salvation. Galatians 3:26–29 “26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

The Encounters 29-31

Matthew 15:29–30  NKJV  “ Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.”

Jesus Visits The Coast Map

Great multitudes. Multitudes flock to many so called healing meetings where more are not healed than healed. Where fakes happen and lies are told.

But with Jesus even those with impossible ailments, missing limbs, rotted flesh, etc. Are completly and utterly healed.

Jesus can heal any and all but choses to interact with each person, they are laying these folks at Jesus feet and its where we should place them as well. Why? Because when its real, its real. And the results are incredible.

Matthew 15:31  NKJV  “ So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

When real miracles happen, we glorify God, not the man, not the ministry. Yes Jesus was God, but thats not us. We need to know these things happened.

People set free from powerful spirits they couldn't defeat. Mute spoke, crippled walked, blind saw, and they all gave glory to GOD.

Lets give glory. Praise Him for the miracle of what we have been given in Him. Praise the Lord.

Let us be like the proverb, Proverbs 4:1  NKJV  “ Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;”

The two examples of Gentiles exercising great faith given, is when they come on behalf of others and show a great understanding of the Authority and Power of Jesus called Christ. And see their great faith, because true faith leads to true acts. Like James said, James 2:18–20  NKJV  “ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”

This woman of Canaan, a woman of great faith, had the best testimony of A Mothers Day.