Jesus and the Canaanite Woman (2)
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21 When Jesus left there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon.
22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.”
23 Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.”
24 He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But she came, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, help me!”
26 He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.
I. A desperate Plea
I. A desperate Plea
22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.”
Once again, we can’t help but notice that demonic activity was rampant. It often manifested itself in tendencies toward aggression, self-harm, mental illness, and sometimes disease. That is not to say that anyone of these maladies is always caused by a demon but demonic activity should not be automatically ruled out.
In our western way of thinking it is if we somehow believe that demons have decided to reform and not be as bad anymore. They no longer are do these types of things anymore. I would tell you this is not a correct way of thinking. This subject isn’t something we consider often but it is still a reality in today's world.
So this poor mother was in a desperate situation. Her daughter has been possessed by a demon. I can’t imagine the distress this must have caused her. This is stuff of nightmares, to have a child being controlled by an evil spirit.
Matthew uses the term Canaanite woman - which speaks to her heritage as an enemy of Isreal. This idea will be important in helping us understand this passage later on.
In her desperation, she is not taking no for an answer. The scripture tell us that she continued to cry out after them. But notice the “thematic address” . This gentile woman
To the point the disciples themselves begin to ask Jesus to intervene.
Which brings us to two strange reactions
II. A Strange reaction
II. A Strange reaction
Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.”
A. Disciples - Send her away.
Now at first glance this seems like an awfully cold response. I mean can anyone really blame this woman for her actions. She was desperate to see her precious child restored. However the phrase used for “send her away” is used elsewhere in scripture and in these instances it is used in a way that means send them(or in this case her) away satisfied. In other words, the Disciples were not acting out of prejudice due to her heritage, but most likely were asking Jesus to intervene on her behalf.
This idea is evidenced by the fact that after hearing this discussion between Jesus and his disciples , she became even more bold. Matthew 15:25
25 But she came, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, help me!”
The word used for “knelt” in this passage is also the same word used elsewhere for “worship”.
Matthew F. The King Finds Faith in a Gentile Woman (15:21–28)
This is true worship in its most basic form—to cast ourselves on God in helplessness, acknowledging the Lord’s power, love, and wisdom as our only source of help.
When we become desperate for God, we worship him. It is in this hour of desperation that Jesus often responds. How often does Jesus bring us to a desperate state so that we will be willing to except his Love. Think about it. We only know what was recorded but one should ask this question. Had she not had this hardship, would she have ever felt her desperate enough to come to Jesus.
Maybe today your going through a trial of some sort. In trials we often look at our circumstance as a punishment or at the very least we view the reason for the trial as God’s indifference. But what if its the opposite? What if in God’s love he is creating with in you a desperation for himself? Not because he punishing you or is indifferent but quite the opposite. He loves you and wants you to recognize your need for him.
Next We see Jesus reaction
B. Jesus
24 He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
We see a similar sentiment expressed in Matthew 10:5-6
5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town.
6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This isn’t the first time we see Jesus make a statement that is confusing unless you know the old testament.
6 “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
Jesus came as the messiah to restore to Israel the position of being a light to the nations. The nation of Israel was to be a light to the gentile world leading them all to be redeemed and become one in Messiah, through the gospel. Israel was to fulfill that purpose. Israel was to point the world to the law of God, a law none of us including Israel have been able to keep. So that all would see their need for salvation through Christ Jesus. This is why Jesus's ministry was spent preaching and teaching primarily to the Jews. But Because of the hardness of their hearts, they rejected the messiah and subsequently their great privilege to carry the gospel to the world. Out of this, the church was born. Different path, but same result, The light of the world, the gospel would be taken to the ends of the earth through the gentile church.
The next statement we see made by Jesus makes us scratch our heads a little bit.
26 He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Was Jesus calling this woman a dog? Yes and no.
It was common for the Jewish people to refer to gentiles especially ones that were considered their enemies as dogs. The Jewish people were highly predjudiced against gentiles. Most wouldn’t even enter into the house of a gentile neighbor for fear of being considered unclean.
Jesus was responding to this woman in a way that she might have expected to be treated by a leader in Israel. It wasn’t that Jesus validating Jewish prejudicial sentiment but rather Jesus was making a point. Let’s see what happens next.
C. The woman's response.
27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
She admitted that she was not worthy of Jesus attention or mercy. She say’s “yes, Lord”. She agrees with Jesus, that he is the Messiah promised to the Jews, but what an amazing amount of perception this woman has. She realized that even the “dogs/gentiles” would benefit from the messiahs work.
Notice the “thematic address” she uses for Jesus. She calls Him “Lord, Son of David. “ This is a messianic term. She a gentile woman has come to believe in the Messiah.
You see Jesus was making a point to those that were watching this unfold. The Jewish leaders just finished attacking Jesus and his disciples regarding hand washing. The completely ignored all the messianic signs. Yet a woman , an enemy of Isreal. An ethnic line seen by the Jews as animals recognized her need for the messiah when those who enjoyed the privilege of having the word of God failed to recognize Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t insulting her. He was proving a point that those who were the enemies of God were coming to him , when God’s people were not willing. The table was prepared for the nation of Israel yet no one came yet the dogs were eager to devour whatever bits of God’s mercy would fall to them.
And to drive home the point even greater. Jesus says,
28 Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.
III. A Great Faith
III. A Great Faith
Jesus used this term of great faith twice during his earthly ministry and both times it was the faith of gentiles. The other was the centurion, in which Jesus exclaimed there wasn’t faith like his found in all of Israel. Both of these occurrences were request of faith made on the behalf of someone else. So here Jesus was driving home the point. The woman the Jews would have considered a worthless dog understood the nature of Christ better than they. For she came assuming that a great God would have compassion on all people despite their nationality.
The Jews who had experienced God’s compassion and mercy seemed to know nothing of it.
So what is worse those who know the law and have no faith in it or those who know little but believe and follow.