Faith of a Canaanite

April 28, 2024 Background Scripture: Matthew 15:21 - 28 Lesson Passage: Matthew 15:21 - 28 Our Lesson Passage describes an incident that occurred during the time when Jesus' ministry in Galilee was growing rapidly. Large crowds quickly gathered when they learned of His whereabouts. They brought the sick from throughout the area to be healed by Him. Matthew and Mark record that as many as touched the hem of His garment were healed. During that same time, Jesus was constantly confronted and challenged by the Jewish religious leaders concerning His personal claims and teachings. They even complained about His disciples not washing their hands before eating. In what appears to be an effort to leave the area and get some physical rest, Jesus and His disciples went to the Phoenician coast away from Galilee. The Gospel recorded by Mark states that He did not want it to be known that He was in Phoenicia, so He entered a house. However, even in Phoenicia His reputation preceded Him, and some residents were aware that He was there in the house. A Gentile woman came to Him and begged Him that He might cast a demonic spirit out of her daughter. Although the woman is identified as a Gentile, she addressed Him using the Jewish messianic title, Son of David. It is worth noting that many of the Jews He encountered were not addressing Jesus as such. Many Jews believed Jesus was a prophet sent by God because of the miracles. However, not many acknowledged that they believed He was Israel's promised Messiah. That makes the title the Gentile woman used to address Jesus even stranger. How would she have known about a promised Jewish Messiah? Despite her reference to Him as Messiah, Jesus ignored her. His disciples asked Him to send the woman away because she agitated them by following and begging Jesus. (I always chuckle when I read this passage of scripture. The disciples were following Jesus and yet they were agitated that this Gentile woman began to follow Him.) Jesus rebuked her by stating that His ministry was first and foremost to the Jews. He said it was not right to give what was intended for the Jews to the Gentiles. Jesus used the analogy of taking the children's food and throwing it to the dogs. The woman, using Jesus' analogy, said that even little dogs under the table eat crumbs that are being dropped by the children. Her response to Jesus is unmistakable. She was not there to take away the blessings God was sending the Jews. The Jews were being blessed to overflow, and she wanted some of the overflow that was not important to them. Now, that's faith! In fact, Jesus said the woman had great faith. As a result of her faith, He said she was granted the petition she desired. When she returned home, she found her daughter healed. How did she know Jesus was descended through the lineage of King David? How did she know the significance of that? Being a prophet of God does not require one to be a descendant of David. Somehow, she knew things about Jesus that were beyond the miracles. Apparently, she was aware of what Jesus was teaching the multitudes. Even the disciples who followed Jesus daily didn't understand He was the Messiah until after His resurrection. The scriptures teach that faith comes from hearing the word of God. Somehow, this Canaanite woman heard the word of God that Jesus taught the multitudes and believed. When she came to Him begging for relief for her daughter, she was acting on what she already believed. Her actions revealed her faith. Because she asked the Lord in faith, she received the petition she desired. Robert C. Hudson April 17, 2024