Psalm 67, Matthew 15:21-28, and Romans 11: 1-2a, 29-32
When you think of Jesus, what image of Him do you have? We have numerous images of Jesus’ ministry, such as Jesus with his disciples, performing miracles, healing people, teaching many people on a hill, entering Jerusalem riding a donkey, being crucified, resurrecting and visiting his disciples, and ascending to heaven. The message of the Gospel of Matthew today is a little unfamiliar. This is because it differs from the image of Jesus, who always embraces others and holds their hands. Jesus gives priority value to Israel’s lost sheep. Therefore, He strictly excludes the remaining outsiders. Generally, the dogs mentioned in the Bible are mostly fierce wild dogs or dogs similar to wolves. However, the original term recorded here refers to a dog raised at home. Of course, pets are precious family members, but I think I would be a little upset if I were compared to a pet or treated as having less value. In that case, we can ask: Why did Jesus say this to her?
First, it was because of the priorities of Jesus’ ministry. At that time, Jesus and his disciples were being rejected by the Jewish leaders. To the disciples who had not yet completely abandoned their Jewish habits, the regions of Tyre and Sidon were Gentile lands and unclean places. Conversely, it was a region where many Israelites were reluctant to find Jesus. So, it was a place where Jesus and his disciples could find quieter rest and recharge. Right there, the Canaanite woman cried out and earnestly and persistently asked Jesus for help. However, Jesus wanted to use the time to train the lost sheep of Israel and his disciples. Other nations and foreigners were a secondary priority for Jesus.
Secondly, many scholars believe it was to test her faith. If you look at Matthew 15:1-20, you will see the behavior of people who pride themselves on keeping God’s laws and commandments well. They distorted the interpretation of the law. The Bible and the commandments say to honor your father and mother, but they begrudged giving to their parents and claimed to have given to God, so they did not honor their parents. They also displayed double standards, using the law as a weapon to violate the commandments. Now, they use the law as a weapon to criticize Jesus and the disciples. The Pharisees and scribes, who prided themselves on knowing God best, rejected Jesus. However, it is actually the Canaanite woman, who was mistreated by the Jews, who confesses Jesus as the Messiah. This is an event in itself.
From the time she met Jesus, she called Him “Lord, Son of David.” This confession acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah. Although this woman was a Gentile, she had a sound faith that the Jewish religious leaders did not. And she requested Jesus. “Have mercy on me. My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” It was a simple but earnest request. At the same time, she had faith that Jesus could heal her daughter. She kept requesting. Let’s look at Jesus’ actual reaction to her. In verse 23, Jesus did not answer a word. In verse 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” In verse 26, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” He refused as many as three times. No one likes being rejected by others. Sometimes, whether because of discrimination or economic hardship, it is not easy to remain resilient in the face of such exclusion. However, the woman did her best and humbly pleaded and pleaded again. Even though she was lower in priority than the people of Israel, she trusted and expected Jesus’ mercy and grace. Finally, Jesus praises her faith and speaks declaratively. “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”
Consequently, it foreshadows that the gospel will be extended to the Gentiles as well. We can interpret Jesus’ specific use of the phrase “dog raised in a house” as an indication that there is a place for Gentiles to dwell in the Kingdom of God as well. However, no matter how much a dog is raised in the house, Jesus deliberately contrasts ‘children’ and ‘dogs’ to remind us of this point. What we must note here is that this means the priority regarding the Gospel belongs to the Jews, but it certainly does not mean that Gentiles cannot join the ranks of the Gospel. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that Jesus did not refuse the Canaanite woman’s plea but healed her daughter’s illness, and later gave his disciples the Great Commission to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, thereby opening the door of the gospel to the Gentiles.
Lastly, God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. God’s mercy and grace are directed toward all people. Therefore, He invites us every day to live as the people of the Kingdom of God. Even though the people of Israel sometimes failed to trust God’s promises and worshipped foreign gods, God’s promise of salvation did not fall to the ground. The Creator’s compassion has no limits toward us, to the extent that God even used the extreme method of sending Jesus to this earth. Presbyterian doctrine emphasizes God’s sovereign election and justification more than other denominations. Even though humans are full of mistakes, even if we lose our way, even if we are lacking and commit sins, God has chosen us. The Creator decided to make us righteous. Therefore, God conveyed the righteousness of Jesus to us and elevated our status to that of children of God. All of this is due to faith in God and God’s grace and mercy. Let us spend this week giving thanks to God, who predestined our salvation and guides us. Because of this, we are always guided by God and can humbly make requests every day. I pray that God’s mercy be with you. Amen.