Matthew 15:21-28
Daily Scripture:
Matthew 15:21 Yeshua left that place and went off to the region of Tzor and Tzidon. 22 A woman from Kena‘an who was living there came to him, pleading, “Sir, have pity on me. Son of David! My daughter is cruelly held under the power of demons!” 23 But Yeshua did not say a word to her. Then his talmidim came to him and urged him, “Send her away, because she is following us and keeps pestering us with her crying.” 24 He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el.” 25 But she came, fell at his feet and said, “Sir, help me!” 26 He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s food and toss it to their pet dogs.” 27 She said, “That is true, sir, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Yeshua answered her, “Lady, you are a person of great trust. Let your desire be granted.” And her daughter was healed at that very moment. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:
“The regions of Tyre and Sidon” were Gentile territory, not Jewish. As in Samaria, the disciples were no doubt nervous, wondering “What are we doing here?” It appears that Jesus went there, at least in part, to teach them a lesson. His seemingly rude answers to the woman in need were like parodies of the disciples’ biased attitude. But the woman cleverly pressed her case, and Jesus honored her faith.
Lord Jesus, you weren’t about to let national or gender prejudice keep you from responding to this mother’s heartfelt plea. Give me a willingness to do all I can to respond to pleas for help, even from beyond my comfort zone. Amen.
Matthew 15:21 Yeshua left that place and went off to the region of Tzor and Tzidon. 22 A woman from Kena‘an who was living there came to him, pleading, “Sir, have pity on me. Son of David! My daughter is cruelly held under the power of demons!” 23 But Yeshua did not say a word to her. Then his talmidim came to him and urged him, “Send her away, because she is following us and keeps pestering us with her crying.” 24 He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el.” 25 But she came, fell at his feet and said, “Sir, help me!” 26 He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s food and toss it to their pet dogs.” 27 She said, “That is true, sir, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Yeshua answered her, “Lady, you are a person of great trust. Let your desire be granted.” And her daughter was healed at that very moment. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:
“The regions of Tyre and Sidon” were Gentile territory, not Jewish. As in Samaria, the disciples were no doubt nervous, wondering “What are we doing here?” It appears that Jesus went there, at least in part, to teach them a lesson. His seemingly rude answers to the woman in need were like parodies of the disciples’ biased attitude. But the woman cleverly pressed her case, and Jesus honored her faith.
- Written words can’t show tone of voice or expression. If verses 24 and 26 showed Jesus’ true feelings about this desperate mother, his action and words in verse 28 don’t make sense. Might we understand the story better if we imagine Jesus with an ironic edge to his voice, and a bit of a twinkle in his eye? Clearly, in the end, Jesus chose to honor the mother’s plea. How did his behavior seek to change the disciples’ outlook from verse 23?
- Matthew’s Gospel seems to have spoken particularly to Christians of Jewish background, some of whom struggled to accept Gentiles in the church (cf. Acts 15). How would this story have spoken to the ethnic, cultural and gender divisions the early church faced? How does it speak to divisions today, including between those who wish to silence and “send away” women who’ve faced abuse and those who demand we take them seriously?
Lord Jesus, you weren’t about to let national or gender prejudice keep you from responding to this mother’s heartfelt plea. Give me a willingness to do all I can to respond to pleas for help, even from beyond my comfort zone. Amen.
Read today's Insight by Jennifer CreagarJennifer Creagar is the Financial Care Program Director in Congregational Care at Resurrection Leawood. She is married and loves spending time with her family, and she enjoys writing and photography.
When I first entered the “working world” at the ripe old age of 20, it was not that far removed from the set of Mad Men. I entered the workforce as part of the “typing pool,” a group of women sitting at identical desks in the middle of a large room.
All around the perimeter of this room were the offices of various account executives, company officers, etc. They were all men. When they wanted something typed or transcribed, a phone call made, or lunch ordered, the polite ones walked to one of the desks and asked the “girl” sitting at that desk for whatever he needed. The not so polite ones hollered out their office doors.
There was one man who never bothered to learn anyone’s name. He just stood in his doorway and yelled, “Hey, girl in the red sweater,” or “Blonde girl…,” or “You – flower pot,” describing one typist who kept a potted plant on her desk. When the now-nameless employee responded, he would hand her a note or a list on paper and turn back to his desk without ever having looked at her or actually spoken to her. The women sitting in the middle weren’t people to him. They were typewriters with red sweaters or blonde hair or flower pots sitting in front of them.
Working in that environment was depressing and demeaning, and no one stayed for too long.
I think this experience may be at least one reason that the way Jesus speaks to women in the gospel accounts of his ministry really grabs my heart. As you look at the GPS lessons this week and read about Jesus' interactions with women, you might see it, too. Jesus always speaks directly to the women he encounters. He doesn’t speak to others about them. He doesn’t say, “tell the woman…” He doesn’t treat them as objects or annoyances. He speaks directly to them. He sees them and they know they have been seen.
In today’s story we find a mother fiercely determined to gain healing for her daughter, a woman who was one of “the other,” the non-Jews. She calls to Jesus for help. His disciples wanted “that woman” to be sent away. They didn’t know anything about her, and they didn’t really seem to care much. They just wanted her to go away and do what she was supposed to be doing, which was not bothering strange men who had important things to do.
Jesus stopped and spoke directly to her. He looked at her, and then he did something else that is remarkable. He let the woman explain to the disciples, and anyone else who was listening, why she had every right to make her request in faith. He gave voice to the thoughts and attitudes he knew were in the hearts and minds of the men surrounding him, and he let her give the answers. He honored her faith by not only giving her the healing she asked for her daughter, but by giving her a voice, a chance to be heard and treated like the faithful, intelligent, determined person that she was.
One of the worst parts about being marginalized and dehumanized is the feeling that no one really sees you or hears you when you speak, that you don’t exist as a unique person with thoughts and feelings. The gospel descriptions of Jesus’ ministry show us that God never considers anyone to be invisible, unimportant, or without a voice. God is always there to see and hear and touch, and know our true selves and love us no matter what.
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- Or download this week's printable GPS.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
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