21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Jesus Heals Many
29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15: 21-31 ESV
Matthew 15: 21-31 Little Dogs
23All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.” 24 Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. 25Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet.… Mark 7: 23-25
Withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon - Tyre and Sidon are in gentile country, what would be present day Lebanon, Tyre is the seaport and Sidon the sister city. In it's hay day, Tyre was a coastal city of two parts, one part on the mainland and the other on an island offshore. It was a well fortified Vegas on the water, where many merchants came to do business. It was a vulgar place, a proud kingdom, full of offense towards God, and so I would imagine the disciples were every bit as thrilled as Jonah when he was told to go to Nineveh. In Mark 7, above, we see in verse 24 that Jesus was once again looking for solitude, a break from the crowds. He has also just come off of explaining to the disciples, again, that sin comes from the heart. People aren't inherently good because of the region they are born in, who they are related to, no one is good, all come to God guilty because of the sin in their heart that no one is without, it defiles everyone. It would nevertheless be a cultural shock even for a Jew from Capernaum, Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities that went above and beyond the sort of superstition that the disciples had grown accustomed to, it was the epitome of paganism, worshiping all sorts of creatures and idols.
…11It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” 12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”…
…14How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”… Romans 10: 11-16
And behold, a Canaanite woman - Behold is like, "well looky here, how about that or this, wow, can you believe it, be astonished, pay attention." Canaanite would indicate an ancient reference, she was a descendent of the people who God sent Israel to displace in the land, a people who worshiped other gods. Matthew is indicating that this woman comes from a line of people who were enemies of the Jews, a woman that any self respecting Pharisee of that time would see as unclean, though it was not her lineage that defiled her, nor did the Pharisees' lineage prevent them from being defiled. This is Jesus's furthest excursion into gentile lands, and it comes after much rejection from the religious elite in His own land, His brothers and other Nazarenes in His own home town. He came for some peace and quiet, sometimes it's nice to go where you are not known, those places are easier to find solitude, but not for Him, He is too well known.
…5And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength— 6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” 7Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”… Isaiah 49: 5-7
12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.… Luke 10: 12-14
Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David - The religious elite of Jerusalem, those with the law and the testimonies, those with the prophecies about Him, cannot see Him standing in front of Him. They have the Book, but they have held their traditions above it. Meanwhile, this gentile, approaches the Son of God asking for mercy, and this is better than any modern day sinner's prayer that evangelicals teach, for what is grace, but mercy undeserved. She doesn't invite Him into her heart, doesn't offer up a fist bump, why? Because He needs nothing from her, all the need is on her side. "O Lord", she says, for this is Who He is by right, the God of the Universe, the One through Whom all thing were created, herself included. "Son of David", she says, that is His Messianic title. The Messiah is identified by a pagan woman and a physically blind man, what does this say about the Pharisees and Sadducees?
…9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.… Philippians 2: 9-11
35As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.…
…37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. 38So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”… Luke 18: 35-39
My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon - She lets Jesus know her issue.
But He did not answer her - This is the first obstacle that He gives the woman; He does not answer her straight away. How many people pray once about a matter and never go back to check on the status of it with God? He is testing her faith, faith is perseverant, and His silence doesn't stop the woman. Remember the rich young ruler, and the man who wanted to follow Christ as soon as he received his inheritance? Jesus tested their faith as well, and it didn't hold up, they walked away. "I will follow You anywhere, oh no, never mind, I take that back."
And His disciples came and begged Him - Her persistence is getting her noticed, now others are going to Christ on her behalf, agitated, but nevertheless inquiring. One way or another Jesus will know who she is, she will get an audience with the King.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18: 1-8
I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel - Another obstacle, and again not what she wanted to hear. A gentile coming to the God of Israel was not unheard of, for Rahab was a gentile harlot who converted, Naaman came and was healed by finally consenting to the orders of Elisha to bathe in the Jordan. He was from the land which includes present day Syria, and he was a fierce military commander, a heathen, a dangerous man. God healed Him of leprosy.
Wiersbe - Keep in mind that our Lord responded to this woman as He did, not to destroy her faith, but to develop it. Her own replies showed that she was growing in faith and unwilling to let Him go without getting an answer. Godly Samuel Rutherford stated this principle perfectly: “It is faith’s work to claim and challenge loving-kindness out of all the roughest strokes of God.”
Henry Morris on the lost sheep of the house of Israel - The Lord Jesus had come into the world to die for the sin of the whole world, but He had also come as Israel's promised Messiah. His seeming harshness to the Canaanite woman is best understood as not only a test of her faith in the God of Israel, but also as a means to show His disciples that Gentiles also were included in God's plan, and that they too could have saving faith. - Precept Austin
But she came and knelt before Him - This is a mom's mom, making her child's issue her own, and how many would have shown different colors at this point, got up and left cursing? She kneels before Him, and this is a sign of worship. His disciples later will not be able to last an hour at his bequest for prayer, and on the worse night of His life. I wonder how many times they pondered this rare woman later in their ministries? I would tell this story over and over again.
Lord, help me - A simple prayer, and sometimes simple is the best, sometimes it fits the speed of the moment or the emptiness of sorrow, sometimes it is all of the last breath.
It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs - Ouch! The Jews called the gentiles dogs, not as a term of endearment, but the word used here is of a household pet, which is a bit better, but not very hopeful. She has so far overcome being ignored which those upon their knees would take as not being heard. She has brought others into it, has overcome being told you are not a Jew. She has overcome her own pride, her daughter is worth more to her than that, and so she has humbled herself before Him, Who she is convinced is able to supply what she needs. Where else can she go? You think she hasn't already been to the witch doctors, snake oil salesmen, mediums and all else from her Satanic culture? That is where the problem probably came from to begin with, the occult, but here is a Man Who has power even over the Devil.
Chuck Smith on dogs - wild scavenger dogs that were hated by everybody. They would run in packs; they would attack sheep, they would attack children. And they were ferocious, vicious, hated animals. And it was very common for the Jews to call the Gentile Gentile dogs. And the word is equivalent to our English word bitch where it is a derogatory term. And so, they would use it, the word dog like a person would use the other word today, in a very derisive, derogatory way....There is another Greek word for dog, which is the word that Jesus used. It is that little household pet that"s always under the table, that little pet of the family. And most of the Jewish homes had their little pet dogs, which were domesticated and lovable little animals under the table. - Precept Austin
Yes Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table - This is faith, it will not take it's eyes from the object. She has found the Messiah, Lord, Creator, and she knows this logically because of the miracles, the testimony about Him, but she has been tested spiritually, and still knows this. There is no other way, no one else to look to, to hope in, all else has been a sham, a scandal, demonic up until Him. He is the object of her faith, as the disciples will contend, "where else can we go, you have the words of life." I am not asking for what the children's loaf, not even a slice, just the crumbs that fall onto the ground, so contrite, so beautiful, an offering fit for the King. He calls her a dog and she not only accepts this but runs with the analogy. I am a sinner, the worst sort, but you know what, God saves sinners.
Oh woman, great is your faith - Jesus doesn't throw a lot of compliments out there. Nathaniel probably cherished the words of Jesus, calling him a true Israelite, a man in whom there is no deceit. Jesus loved Peter, but also called him Satan, and all His disciples He called slow of hearing, slow, slow learners. This woman and another gentile, a centurion, in those two Jesus found the kind of faith that was worth mention. She held on like Jacob, refusing to let go until He blessed her. Her faith held up to His testing, it grew under adversity.
…8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.” 9When Jesus heard this, He marveled at the centurion. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” 10And when the messengers returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.… Luke 7: 8-10
…25When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. 26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied.…
28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.” 29And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.… Genesis 32: 25-29
Mute, crippled, lame, blind - Who can speak to such things?
…4Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.” 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.… Isaiah 35: 4-6
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