Matthew 15:21-28 21And when Jesus had gone from there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region after coming out cried out saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her a word. And after coming, his disciples asked him, saying, “Send her away, because she is crying out after us.” 24But answering he said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But as she came, she knelt before him saying, “Lord, help me.” 26And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27But she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then in answering Jesus said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
The story of Jesus shifts topics from the struggling faith of the disciples to the exceptional faith of a Canaanite woman from the area of Tyre and Sidon. Matthew has recorded two major views about Jesus. The Jewish leaders have refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and rejected his authority. The disciples show confusion but growing faith. There is an implied comparison between these two responses and the response of faith in this story. Matthew describes the woman as a foreigner of Israel and even a descendant of Israel’s ancient enemies, the Canaanites. Her plea reveals her faith in Israel’s Messiah. Jesus is in the position of authority to grant mercy and cast out the demon from her daughter. He is Lord and master. There may be more implied in this word that title of honor and respect. He is Son of David, a description for the expected Messiah. This woman saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
An interesting dialogue ensues after this as Jesus tests the extent of her faith. Was she simply giving “lip service” or trying to manipulate Jesus so he would do as she asked? His intentional pause in verse 23 gave the disciples the opportunity to get involved in the situation. Their request implies their frustration, ignorance, and self-focused thinking. They interpret her crying as somehow being directed to them (after us). Jesus’ response in verse 24 is a test for both the disciples and the woman, but it is the woman who responds in faith. The disciples remain silent for the rest of this story. Their statement reveals the way the average Jew might typically respond to a Gentile woman: send her away.
Verse 24 reveals Jesus’ ministry as to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus focused his ministry on Israel for several possible reasons. One reason is implied in the mission statement in Exodus 19:5-6: God’s intent for Israel was for it to be the catalyst to reach the rest of the world. Jesus did not go to the other major cities of the world of that time but to Jerusalem and the many small towns of Galilee. The term sheep has the connotation of animals that easily get lost without a shepherd. Jesus came as the Good Shepherd to guide the lost sheep to salvation (John 10). This verse stands in sharp contrast to other passages in Matthew that give a more universal mission, such as the closing in Matthew 28:19-20. The woman’s plea in verse 25 highlights her desperate faith. She knew from where her help comes and who could make a difference in the situation.
Jesus answers in verse 26 with a difficult proverb. There is more to this story than we can see on the surface. We do not know how Jesus spoke to the woman, what his tone or facial features were. We only get the very basic words of the conversation remembered by the disciples. Children need food, and this food should not be given as scraps to the dogs waiting for it. They are a priority and deserve to be cared for. The woman answers in verse 27 with her own bit of wisdom. She appears to be an alert and thoughtful person who reads through the situation. Her faith is accompanied by wit. Dogs had a place in the family home as the ones who ate the scraps and leftovers. They were important in the family life. The possible meaning behind this saying is that the master or leader of the home represents God, and the children represent Jews who are God’s family. The dogs represent Gentiles who are in the house but not in the position of children. The bread and crumbs represent access to God’s blessings and healing power.
The woman saw in Jesus the source of this healing power from God. Jesus was amazed at the faith of this woman who had great insight into God’s larger purposes for humanity. Even though she was a Gentile, she believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Even though she was not part of the Jews, she still believed in God’s universal family. Jesus saw in the woman someone who was not there for selfish reasons but in desperate need for a miracle for her daughter. God’s offer of healing is available to all who come in faith in Jesus.
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