Matthew 15:21-39 study

21 And when Jesus went out from there, He went away to the parts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from those regions came out and cried out saying, “Show mercy to me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples drew near and began asking Him, saying, “Send her away, because she is crying out behind us.” 24 And He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and began worshiping Him, saying, “Lord, come to my aid!” 26But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast it to the little dogs.[1]” 27 But she said, “Yes, it is, Lord, for even the little dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of their lord.” 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it happen for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

29 And Jesus passed over from there and came alongside the Sea of Galilee, and He went up into the mountain and sat down there. 30 And many crowds drew near to Him, having with them mute, blind, crippled, and deformed people, and many others, and they laid them down by His feet, and He healed them. 31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw mute people speaking, deformed people healthy, cripped people walking, and blind people seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

32 And Jesus summoned His disciples to Himself and said, “I feel compassion for the crowd, because they have already remained with Me three days and they do not have anything to eat. And I do not wish to send them away hungry, lest they become weary on the way. 33 And the disciples say to Him, “From where will we get enough loaves of bread in the desert to satisfy such a crowd?” 34 And Jesus says to them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” 35And He commanded the crowd to recline for a meal on the ground 36 and took the seven loaves of bread and the fish, and when He had given thanks, He broke them and began giving them to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. 38And those who ate were four thousand men, apart from women and children. 39And when He had sent away the crowds, He got into the boat, and He came into the regions of Magadan.

[1] This word for dogs refers to “a house-dog or lap-dog in contrast to a dog of the street or farm” (BDAG)