Matthew 15: 21–28
21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” 23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep — the people of Israel.” 25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” 26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” 28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
In Jesus’ time, many Jews would refer to Gentiles as dogs. The Greek word is “kuon,” meaning “wild cur.” They considered Gentiles to be unclean, unspiritual. They even thought being in their presence could defile them ceremonially. However, against the grain of His contemporaries’ belief, Jesus entered into a Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon area. Jesus apparently had totally different view of Gentiles from His contemporaries, His disciples included.
In this passage, Jesus used metaphorical “dog” to refer to Canaanite woman. However, this “dog” is another Greek word “kunarion” which means “small dog” or “pet dog.” Jesus used it to indicate that she did not belong to the household of God like the Jews. He wanted to stress priority of His mission to the Jews as given by His Father. Disciples who were previously annoyed and asked Jesus to send her away, could not miss hearing His choice word “kunarion.” They might wonder why He did not use “kuon.”
On the other hand, the woman understood that she was asking a favor from a Jewish king, who would rightly prioritize His own people. Moreover, in her sociocultural milieu, she surely understood that Jews’ exclusive claim of worship of one God had a great influence on how they viewed and related to other nations. With these wall barriers of priority and sociocultural one, could she still continue to trust and hope for Jesus’ kindness? To her, it was a challenge to her faith in His person and character. With her wit, she fully recognized that though she was not a family member of Israel, nevertheless was a pet dog in same household. Her faith was such that she believed in crumbs of Jesus’ power and grace as enough to heal her daughter. Her great faith narrative became a satire to previous episode.
Put into its larger storyline, this episode came right after confrontation between Jesus and Pharisees and teachers of the law. Rejection by Jewish leaders led to Jesus’ departure to Gentile nation. This was foreshadowed by Elijah who was rejected by his own people, and went to a woman in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. This set a pattern of ministry for disciples after Jesus’ ascension. Obviously apart from Judas, and except for James being martyred in Jerusalem, the rest of His disciples died in Gentiles’ area. Rejection of Jesus by majority of Jews brought good news and blessings to Gentiles.
As a prophet anointed and sent by God, i.e. Messiah, Jesus’ action was a rebuke, forthtelling Jewish leaders, and those who rejected Him that they had rejected God who sent Him and His Kingdom’s Gospel. His action was also foretelling as it set pattern for His disciples to preach Gospel to uttermost of earth as commanded in last chapter of Gospel of Matthew.
The narrative has been an invitation for every Jew to reconsider Jesus and His Gospel. Likewise, it is an invitation for non Jews to receive and rejoice with Him in Kingdom of Heaven where those who once had been identified as “not My people” have now been adopted as “My people.”
Come, you all people of all nations, receive Jesus and His Gospel, and stay joyful in your fellowship with King of Heaven.
