Readings: Isaiah 56.1, 6-7; Romans 11.13-15,29-32; Matthew 15.21-28
A woman came and knelt before Jesus. “Lord, help me.” she said. He said in reply, ”It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Jesus replied, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Her daughter was healed instantly (Matthew 15.25-28).
The Canaanite woman is a Gentile. In coming to Jesus, she crosses the invisible ethnic and religious boundaries to seek access to healing for her daughter from Jesus. Her petition initiates the action of the story. Jesus not only refuses to help the Gentile woman, he also insults her. In fact, he uses an ethnic slur when he implies she is a dog.
How can Jesus, who everywhere else in the four gospels reaches out to sinners, lepers, and crazy people, express such closed-minded prejudice to this woman? This story reflects conflicts in Christian communities after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Some Christians must claim that Jesus taught the saying, “Don’t throw the children’s food to the dogs.”
Both Matthew and Mark tell this story and place this saying in Jesus’ mouth. His is the voice of authority in the gospel. The Gentile mother faces a tradition that excludes her. In Mark’s gospel, she counters this prejudice with the truth of her own experience. “Sir,” she retorts, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She does not regard dogs as unclean animals as Jews do. Her comeback makes space for children and dogs at the same table.
Matthew makes the woman clearly a believer. He puts in her mouth a formal, liturgical-sounding petition, addressing Jesus as messiah, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David.” Her faith is the reason Jesus frees her daughter and includes her in his mission. Matthew makes specific that the table from which the woman seeks crumbs is the messiah or master’s table.
Jesus changes his mind in the story, a way to model accepting Gentile Christians. The differences between Jews and Gentiles in Jesus’ time become shockingly visible in Sunday’s gospel as borders and walls have in our political polarization.
What boundaries or prejudices have you encountered and broken down?