Faith Where Least Expected
“O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” (Matt. 5:28, NASB)
One day Jesus was out in “the district of Tyre and Sidon” (v. 21), which was an area heavily populated by gentiles, and there came a gentile woman crying out to Him to heal her daughter who had suffered from demon-possessed (v. 22). Mark identifies as coming from Syrophoenicia (Mk. 7:26); however, Matthew attributes to her the name “Canaanite.” The sinful and detestable people God had driven out of the promise land (Exod. 34:11-17; cf. Deut. 18:9-14). No one could expect such a woman to have any faith in God.
The woman was an outside; yet, she appealed to Jesus using titles of utmost respect. She cried, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David” (v. 22).” Did she understand the significance of the title “Son of David?” Jesus was indeed the long awaited Messiah spoken of by the Old Testament prophets; yet, could a Gentile grasp the significance?
Jesus, however, did not respond (v. 23a).
The disciples, perhaps agitated by the woman’s pleas, began to implore, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us” (v. 23b).
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” Jesus responded (v. 24). Here the Lord reminds them that the mission was not to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6). It is not that there would be no ministry to Gentiles, Israel was to be a light to the nations; rather, the focus of Christ’s ministry at that moment would be calling the Jewish people to repentance.
Yet, the woman still persisted, prostrating herself and saying, “Lord, help me!” (v .25).
“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” Jesus replied (v. 26). Why call her a “dog?” Was Jesus simply responding with the typical response a Jewish person would have given to a Gentile in need? Whether dog refers to the wild scavenging pariahs lurking about or a domesticated household pet, the term does not have the semblance of anything flattering to modern readers. There is, however, something more here than meets the eye. Christ’s resistance brings to surface the special quality of this woman’s character. She does not give up, but takes the Lord’s analogy one step further, saying, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (v. 27.)
Jesus finally responds, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish,” and the woman’s daughter was immediately healed (v.28a).
The initial resistance by Jesus truly brings to surface the quality of the woman’s faith. She believed that Jesus could make her daughter well, and no matter whatever roadblocks came about, she continued to seek after the Lord. She was the very antithesis to the Jewish religious leaders who rejected their Messiah. They were blessed with the Law of Moses. They had the very Word of God. Nevertheless, their own religious traditions, such as Corban (things given to god), led them to transgress the law, namely God’s command to honor their parents.
The Syrophoenician woman was faithful with what little truth she possessed, but the Jewish religious leaders were faithless to the Law which would have pointed them to the Messiah they rejected.
One day Jesus was out in “the district of Tyre and Sidon” (v. 21), which was an area heavily populated by gentiles, and there came a gentile woman crying out to Him to heal her daughter who had suffered from demon-possessed (v. 22). Mark identifies as coming from Syrophoenicia (Mk. 7:26); however, Matthew attributes to her the name “Canaanite.” The sinful and detestable people God had driven out of the promise land (Exod. 34:11-17; cf. Deut. 18:9-14). No one could expect such a woman to have any faith in God.
The woman was an outside; yet, she appealed to Jesus using titles of utmost respect. She cried, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David” (v. 22).” Did she understand the significance of the title “Son of David?” Jesus was indeed the long awaited Messiah spoken of by the Old Testament prophets; yet, could a Gentile grasp the significance?
Jesus, however, did not respond (v. 23a).
The disciples, perhaps agitated by the woman’s pleas, began to implore, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us” (v. 23b).
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” Jesus responded (v. 24). Here the Lord reminds them that the mission was not to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6). It is not that there would be no ministry to Gentiles, Israel was to be a light to the nations; rather, the focus of Christ’s ministry at that moment would be calling the Jewish people to repentance.
Yet, the woman still persisted, prostrating herself and saying, “Lord, help me!” (v .25).
“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” Jesus replied (v. 26). Why call her a “dog?” Was Jesus simply responding with the typical response a Jewish person would have given to a Gentile in need? Whether dog refers to the wild scavenging pariahs lurking about or a domesticated household pet, the term does not have the semblance of anything flattering to modern readers. There is, however, something more here than meets the eye. Christ’s resistance brings to surface the special quality of this woman’s character. She does not give up, but takes the Lord’s analogy one step further, saying, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (v. 27.)
Jesus finally responds, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish,” and the woman’s daughter was immediately healed (v.28a).
The initial resistance by Jesus truly brings to surface the quality of the woman’s faith. She believed that Jesus could make her daughter well, and no matter whatever roadblocks came about, she continued to seek after the Lord. She was the very antithesis to the Jewish religious leaders who rejected their Messiah. They were blessed with the Law of Moses. They had the very Word of God. Nevertheless, their own religious traditions, such as Corban (things given to god), led them to transgress the law, namely God’s command to honor their parents.
The Syrophoenician woman was faithful with what little truth she possessed, but the Jewish religious leaders were faithless to the Law which would have pointed them to the Messiah they rejected.
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