Matthew 15:21-31 A Gentile Shows Her Faith
“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs (puppies).” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs (puppies) eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”
Talk about nuisances! All the disciples are trying to do is to protect Jesus as he goes about ministering to the Jews scattered throughout the area; meanwhile, here’s this pestilential woman who refuses to stop annoying them. So what if her daughter is severely demon-possessed? There are lots of demon-possessed people running around, throwing themselves on the ground and into fire and water. Why is this woman bothering? She isn’t even Jewish, for goodness’ sake. Obviously, Jesus doesn’t want to bother with this lady or he would already have granted her request and healed her daughter.
But this desperate lady refuses to shut up or give up. Jesus has healed other demoniacs, and surely, he can also help her daughter. Finally, the disciples go to Jesus, demanding that he get rid of this lady so they can have some peace. That’s when the lady makes it through the crowd of gate-keeping disciples to Jesus. Initially, Jesus also tells her that he was only sent to the Jews; however, this lady is persistent. When Jesus quotes a local saying about not giving the children’s bread to the dogs, she swiftly responds by reminding him that puppies still allowed to sit under the table to eat any crumbs dropped by the children. Jesus throws back his head and laughs as he assures this woman that her daughter is being healed that instant because of her faith.
Why does Matthew tell this story? Nowhere else do we read that Jesus ever limits himself to working miracles for the Jews. Many of the people of Gennesaret are not Jewish; yet, Jesus heals everybody who touches the tassels of his talith. In the story that follows next, Jesus never makes any racial distinctions as he heals all those who come to him. Perhaps Matthew tells this story just because Jesus tries this lady’s faith to demonstrate the depth of her belief to the disciples and to expand their vision. The One True Living God never intended that He would only limit himself to the Jews, but that Israel was to become a shining light to the nations of what could happen if a people would believe in Him and honor and worship Him. But the Jews failed in their assignment as they wandered into idolatry, resulting in the Babylonians and Assyrians killing them or carrying them off into captivity. Through the years, the Jews have become proud of being true worshipers of Yahweh without considering why God has chosen Israel in the first place.
When Jesus speaks with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son.” If that is the case, why is Jesus telling this woman that he has only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? Is Jesus saying this to test the faith of the woman or to echo what the disciples are already thinking or both? Perhaps Jesus has allowed this particular incident to take place so that after his death and resurrection, the disciples will come to realize that the scope of their ministry is far broader than they have imagined. Jesus also wants the disciples to know that they cannot schedule ministry but that ministry will simply happen as God brings people to them, whether or not it is convenient or fits their prejudices. If the disciples are bothered by this woman, they won’t believe what’s about to happen.
Jesus Heals Great Multitudes
“Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”
All Jesus wants is some quiet time to pray and to instruct his disciples, so he leaves for a deserted place on one of the small mountains overlooking the Sea of Galilee. But at this point, Jesus can’t go anywhere without people tracing his path and following him.
As soon as Jesus sits down on a rocky elevation, hordes of people swarm the area. The noise of their voices sounds louder than a storm on the lake. The disciples look helplessly at Jesus, asking what they should do. Jesus looks at the crowd and orders the disciples to have people pass by one by one. As people pass, Jesus heals them. Whether the need is physical, spiritual, or both, Jesus heals all who are coming to him. As the healings commence, now cries of joy and gratitude echo off the mountainside while those watching are cheering, entranced by what they are witnessing. It’s a wild scene as tongues that have never worked from birth are loosened, causing their owners to shout and sing, shriveled limbs are restored while their owners wave them around, previously lame people are jumping and dancing, and previously blind people are shouting, “I can see! I can see! I can see!” Praise swells from the multitude as they cry out, “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam!” “Blessed be the God of Israel! Blessed be the Lord God of the Universe who heals all our diseases!”
Peter shouts in Jesus’ ear, “Master, are you going to try to teach anything today?” Jesus smiles and shouts back, “How can I? Today is a day for healing and deliverance and rejoicing and celebration! I’ll teach some other time.” Jesus knows what the disciples do not, namely, that ministry happens in God’s timing and not in man’s.
My husband Bob was once entering a restaurant, intent on collecting a cup of coffee and going on to other errands when he encountered a friend who needed to talk. Bob turned around, sat down with the man, and began counseling him. That was the day that man entered the Kingdom as a new believer. Bob could have ignored the nudge of the Holy Spirit and could have gone on about his business… but it wouldn’t have been God’s business.
As disciples, our time is not our own, no matter how we might wish it to be. Being a disciple means being available to God whether or not you feel like it or whether or not it fits your agenda. A pastor friend once told us about being in a hospital elevator when he learned a community member had died. He left the hospital, intent on going to his car, when the Holy Spirit ordered him to return to the hospital and pray for that person. The pastor obeyed, laying hands on the man as they were sending his body to the morgue. Nobody was more shocked than that pastor when the man sat up, literally rising from the dead. The man lived for several more years, rejoicing in his salvation.
May God help us so that we are sensitive to His leading and His guidance and we respond to the Holy Spirit when He wants us to minister, rather than to our own sense of urgency about our schedules. When we do our will in God’s Name, nothing happens. But when we do God’s will in God’s Name, the results will be astounding.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen so closely to You that we will always minister when and where and to whom You want us to. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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