2/16/12: Jesus & The Gentile Woman

Matthew 15:21-28

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

 ²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

 ²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

 ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

 ²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

 ²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

 ²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

 ²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

A lot of us are afraid to ask Jesus for things. Sure, it’s easy to pray for a good attitude, or for travel mercies, or even for healing for a sickness or disease. But here we see a woman who, culturally, had no right even speaking to Jesus ask him for something with no shame.

When I look at this passage, I see a woman at the end of her rope. Her daughter is terribly afflicted with demon possession and this woman has nowhere else to turn. For a woman to approach Jesus in this fashion was terribly uncouth in this day-and-age, but the confines of society were cast aside as her desperation took over.

Is Jesus’ response surprising to anyone else? The first time I read this verse, I was very taken aback by Jesus’ attitude toward the woman. He seems cold, unfeeling, emotionless.

When I studied this passage in college, it seemed to be a strong example of Jesus’ kenosis. (How Jesus emptied himself to become a servant, as described in Philippians 2) His first reaction to her is to ignore her in favor of paying attention to the nation of Israel, of which she was not. But as his interaction with her plays out, Jesus seems to change his mind based on her display of faith. She calls him, “master.” This was not normal behavior for non-Israelites. He heals her daughter on the spot.

I believe that the Holy Spirit, which descended on Jesus during his baptism, prompted Him to heal the woman’s daughter. Part of Jesus emptying himself (kenosis) was his severing the connection between himself and the rest of the Godhead; this means that he relied on daily meditative time with his Abba Father for spiritual nourishment. Where Jesus may have kept walking, the Holy Spirit urged him to heal the woman’s daughter; we may have felt this same urging while passing by a begging homeless person. Your plan is to continue walking, but you feel the draw and call of Christ’s compassion pulling you back to them.

So how can this apply to us?

1)    This verse is a beautiful reminder of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and the results of listening to it. When you feel the prompting of the Spirit in your life, is it your first instinct to ignore it and move on with your previously set plans? Are you more concerned with your day going “as planned,” or are you willing and open for God to take you where He will at any given moment?

2)    This woman is an example to us all these years later. This speaks two things to us:

a.     The power of stepping out in faith can be an inspiration to millions of people, even if you never hear about your impact on them. By being bold in your faith, you benefit not only yourself but potentially many others.

b.     Our God is not a small God, nor is He one who is “bothered” by requests made by those who love Him. How often are we asking Jesus for good things? What holds us back? Afraid He will say “no?” If He does, Scripture says He is trustworthy, and that means His “no” is also trustworthy. God is honored and pleased when we ask for things in His name.

                                               i.     Side point: Try asking for something sinful or selfish in God’s name sometime. No simple task, and for good reason. Asking for a million dollars in God’s name because you really want a million dollars for yourself is not a request God is likely to honor. Asking for wealth so you can bless others is the kind of request God loves.

Reflection Questions:

1)    Read through Matthew 15:21-28 again.

2)    What stands out to you in this verse?

3)    Do you find yourself more like the disciples, Jesus, or the gentile woman?

4)    Are you afraid to ask God for good things sometimes? Why or why not?

5)    Are you open to the prompting of the Spirit in your daily life, or do you find yourself ignoring it in favor of your previous plans?

6)    Pray for something good, for the good of others in your life. (Bonus points: make it something only God could do!)