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 suffering terribly from demon-possession."
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 their dogs."
27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Hope you guys have great days in Jesus Chirst.
I see Jesus showed people including his disciples that even non-Israel people can be saved with their great faith like the Canaanite woman had. I believe that this is what Jesus intended from the first place. Showing God's mercy for those Gentile people, Jesus might have intended to teach his disciples and Israel people that the judgement is not by their ethnicity but by their faith.
Our great faith will transform ourselves from the dogs to the children of God.
So grateful for this granted right of becoming His children.
4 comments:
Sungeun, thanks for sharing your insight with us. When I read this story, I thought the woman was very clever and showed she had great wisdom than great faith. As I sought to understand what is this faith that Jesus saw in her, I realized there are many ways that show the woman's great faith. First, she had faith to recognize Jesus as her Master and Lord of all. She accepted what Jesus said of being sent to the Israelites but also recognized her place under His authority- as a master would be over a household. My hopes would have been crushed by being considered as a lowly dog. What rights and what privileges would a dog have?
The woman not only humbly accepted what Jesus said of her lowly position but she also had faith to claim what even the dogs would be entitled to. She had great faith to see how precious and how great it is to have even the crumbs that fall from the Master's table. What a way to see the glass half full! What a way to have a positive perspective on life! -to see God's power and greatness even in the little and lowly things that belong to Him. I guess this is what it means to have great faith- like the bleeding woman who had faith to believe that just by touching the hem of Jesus' cloak, she would be healed. And, she was.
hello Sungeun... you are missed!
thank you for the thoughtful reflection... h
thanks for your insight, sungeun. this story is such a great reminder never to give up in our prayers to the Lord. by His silence, or by adverse circumstances, His answer often seems to be "NO" to our pleadings.
in this story, Jesus seems to deny the canaanite woman's request 3 times: verse 23, 24 and 26. yet this woman persisted in her request--arguing, reasoning, and begging, until the Lord relented and granted the full healing of her daughter. i think you're right sungeun that He always intended to heal the daughter but was testing the woman's faith. the Lord's answers seemed to imply "NO", but she did not give up. somehow this poor woman knew that He was merciful and kind and powerful and "would not turn away anyone who came to Him".
may He grant us all the kind of faith this woman had, that we might earnestly seek as she did and not give up until we receive what we ask. may we come to know in fuller and deeper measure how merciful and kind and powerful our Jesus really is.
thanks for your post Sungeun :) this passage and your insight was a great reminder to me that i must not give up or lose faith in our God. He knows our every thought and hears our prayers. Thanks again for this valuable reminder.
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