Saturday, October 12, 2024  

---

Today's Scripture
Matthew 15:21–28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (NRSV)

---

Reflection

I have always struggled with this passage, if for no other reason than it seems wildly discordant with the rest of the Gospel. Matthew adds Jesus’ statement that he was “sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 14:24) to Mark’s version of this text — which, in turn, directly contradicts other passages from Matthew in which Jesus heals those “outside” of Israel (Matthew 8:5–13) and shows a clear interest in expanding God’s kingdom to all the earth (Matthew 8:11, 22:9, 26:13, 28:19 — to name a few). Beyond that, Jesus seems almost cruelly dismissive of this woman by referring to her and other Gentiles as “dogs” — which carried as negative a connotation back then as it would today.

Yet for all of its challenges, there is nonetheless hope that arises from it. By the end, Jesus has changed his mind — recognizing that whatever human bias he might hold is at odds with his divine mission. The biblical scholar Wil Gaffney writes about this encounter with the Canaanite woman: “Jesus left that place walking towards a whole new understanding of his ministry. The closing words of this gospel, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,’ teach us that Jesus has made room at the table for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, because, I believe, of this woman.”

It is a beautiful thing to follow a leader who is willing to grow and change — and in some ways, this passage serves as the ultimate testament to both Jesus’ humanity and Jesus’ divinity. If Christ was able to expand his heart beyond what had culturally been handed down to him, perhaps we too can do the same!

---

Prayer
God of all compassion, open my heart and mind so that I might be someone who tears down walls rather than raising them. I pray this in Christ’s name — and seek to follow Christ’s example. Amen.

---

Written by Matt Helms, Associate Pastor for Children, Family, and Welcoming Ministries

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email