I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel

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 of 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." And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs 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.

- Matthew 15:21-28

On Saturday, we read of a confrontation between Jesus and some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem. They asked Jesus why His disciples do not wash ceremonially before eating, a tradition of the elders. But Jesus told them that they used the traditions of men (developed through commentary on Scripture) over the commandments of God. As an example, He cited the capacity to dedicate property to the temple, and thereby keep it from needy elderly parents. He told them, "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' " Later, He taught the crowds: "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Afterward, His disciples told Him: "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Peter said, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

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 of me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." Throughout the Old Testament, the people of Israel are in a kind of conflict with the surrounding peoples, and especially the differing types of religion and religious practice. Jesus is now in Gentile territory on the coastline. First of all, we need to understand also that it wasn't customary for a woman to approach a Jewish man directly, let alone a Gentile woman. But Matthew is careful to add "Son of David" to the title she gives Jesus; she clearly recognizes a kingly lineage. The message is clear: she desperately wants to save her daughter, and is willing to give Christ the correct dignity that is appropriate to Him; she recognizes something true about Him although she is a Gentile. "Lord have mercy!" is the cry of the world, the refrain continually heard in all churches.

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." At first, Jesus will not speak to her, a response which perhaps customarily would be expected. The disciples then complain to Him. Here, Matthew, writing for a Jewish audience, has Jesus' reply very clearly that first He was sent to the Jews, or more particularly the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." As kingly inheritor of the title "Son of David," this makes great sense. But my study bible says that this should not be seen as an insult to the woman, rather it is "a way to reveal the treasure of the woman's faith. In her can be envisioned the future Gentile Church, the true Israel, coming to Christ." Again, as we've seen in recent readings, Jesus' rather "salty" human character; He's quick with a retort, sometimes sharp with His disciples, chiding, full of humor and much irony! This is a Savior who is down to earth with us. So, it would not be out of character for Jesus to be prodding her, engaging her with this remark, even testing her response and prompting faith.

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." This sounds like a terrible insult! To put it into context, the "little dogs" would be house dogs, puppies. Generally speaking, in the Middle East to this day, dogs are mostly working animals for outside, and not pets. But this "little dog" would be one under the table, underfoot in the household, while still a puppy. Yet, there is more to it. In a general way of referencing, even in Scriptural language, outsiders may be referred to as dogs. As He indirectly references her as a little pup inside the house, she's nominally an outsider but one in the home, who is crying for the food on offer to the children, and being raised up under the same roof of the children. In keeping with the Old Testament Scriptures, one perhaps not traditionally seen as an equal to the children, but one nevertheless who is in the same region.

And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs 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. Her great desire, and her own "salty" or witty retort, creates a great movement of the heart in Jesus. Her faith is great - and this cements the request, and His response.

Let us understand the importance of dialogue in faith. In the Greek, "dialogue" can be another word for prayer. In the context of the Old Testament Scriptures, Jacob wrestling with the angel, struggling for a blessing, is a positive image, one of struggle with God. Above all, God wants our engagement. In some sense, the great battle for faith that may go on within us, even in the best sense possible of faithfulness, is one of struggle with God. As children, even like the "little dogs," there are so many things that are beyond us, above our heads, and so alien to us -- different from our worldly nature. In this lies our struggle with God, not only to understand God but even to feel understood and especially to come to a reconciliation and growth. In an encounter with God there are the heavenly energies of grace, and they may contain for us new ways to know ourselves, to understand ourselves, things with which we have to reconcile, which may ask repentance and change of mind. Here, her continual response to Christ is to seek to engage, to struggle in faith with Him -- and we can see a parallel to our own lives. When prayers are not answered, there may be something more God is asking from us, to seek within, and dig even deeper for a response, to come to terms with our own true desires. I have experienced this many times, surprising myself with the depth of faith I didn't realize was there. But, let's not lose sight of our reading, the Gentile church begins here, with a woman who recognizes who the children are, calling Christ the Son of David. My study bible says that she truly shows faith and humility through her persistence and failure to be discouraged, and also her respect for the Jews, the people of Israel. In her is contained a New Covenant, in the relationship with Christ. Don't be discouraged by a struggle of faith; there may be things to accept that seem alien to us, even discouraging. But Christ is there, awaiting the struggle, embracing our faith, calling for us to come to Him and to understand. His healing energies will also teach us who we are in His sight. Sometimes we go through adversity and even injustice to prepare us for this faith, as will the earliest Apostles. We just can't say in what form that will come to us.