Here also is an opportunity for Jesus to prove His
previously made point, which was that if Tyre and Sidon were able to see the
miracles that had been seen by the denizens of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and
Capernaum, that they would respond in an appropriate manner. However,
given this opportunity, it is to be noted that Jesus says that He “was sent
only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Undeterred by Jesus’
seeming aversion to Gentile outreach, this woman that had made her initial
messianic proclamation, and who had followed and continued to cry out after
Jesus, bows down before Jesus and says simply, “Lord, help me!” (Matthew 15:25b)
Surely now one would expect Jesus to respond in the way to which His observers have
grown accustomed. He again disappoints
expectations by saying “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw
it to the dogs” (15:26). Undaunted, the desperate woman offers her reply,
saying “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their
masters’ table” (15:27).
Putting aside the apparently
problematic use of “dogs,” which has not yet been on offer from Jesus in His
previous dealings with Gentiles, and so apparently is meant to play a
rhetorical role in a conversation that has taken the appearance of a rabbinic
debate (thereby, in point of fact, elevating this woman---is this encounter
taking place at a meal, amplifying Jesus’ point and removing the possibility of
insult from His comment?), rather than being used as a demeaning and blanket
statement (considering the possibility that Jesus already has in mind what He
is going to do for this woman and how He is ultimately going to respond to
her), she has taken up the words of Jesus, accepted His statement without
challenge, and then added “master” to the fact of her already referring to Him
as “Lord” and “Son of David.” Finally, this is productive of what would
be expected from Jesus from the beginning, as He answers her with “Woman, your
faith is great! Let what you want be done for you” (15:28a). The
closing report is that “her daughter was healed from that hour” (15:28b).
When stepping back from this for
a moment and viewing the exchange as a whole, one can find tremendous
similarities between the encounter between Jesus and the centurion in
Capernaum, and between Jesus and the Canaanite woman in the region of Tyre and
Sidon. While viewing the similarities, one must also consider Jesus’
statement about Tyre and Sidon and their potential response to the miracles
that He performed. As indicated, Matthew neatly introduces this story
into the narrative of Jesus that he is telling, and both ends---Jesus’
statement about Tyre and Sidon juxtaposed against the “woes” He pronounced and
what takes place here in Tyre and Sidon with this woman---are heavily
suggestive when it comes to considering the prescribed treatment of an erring member
of the new covenant community as a Gentile or tax collector.
In the previous story, the
centurion comes to Jesus with a request. The Canaanite woman does
likewise. Jesus responds positively to the centurion, but does not
respond to the Canaanite woman (perhaps the Roman commander, as part of the Gentile,
tax collecting, oppressive force, would be looked upon as a greater enemy by
the majority of Jesus’ and Matthew’s audience, therefore Jesus offers greater
compassion and praise to Him, whereas the Canaanite woman would merely be
considered a nuisance?). Upon Jesus’ response, the centurion, even though
his request has been granted, says “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come
under my roof.” The audience then goes on to find out the reasoning
behind these words, as well as the way that He perceives Jesus’ power and
authority, as he says “For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under
me. I say to this one, ‘Go,” and he goes, and to another “Come’ and he
comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (8:9)
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