The Extent of God's Grace
The story of the Gentile mother in Matthew 15 has long been examined from multiple angles. Modern liberal theologies even use it as proof that even Jesus was a racist, which is total malarkey by the way. Truthfully, it is a beautiful story that reveals Jesus’ heart for people, God’s intention to save even us Gentiles, the necessity of faith, and also and I think often overlooked, the extent of God’s grace.
Let’s catch up on what is happening in the passage. Jesus is heading to the area of Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities that were major trade hubs north of Israel, and their people are thought to be descendants of Israel’s ancient enemies, the Canaanites. A woman of this people approaches Jesus and begs him to deliver her daughter, who is possessed by a demon. Jesus does not say anything, but his disciples hear the woman’s cries and ask Jesus to send her away.
I believe they were actually advocating for Jesus to fulfill the woman’s request as Jesus immediately justifies why he hasn’t fulfilled her request in the next verse. Jesus tells her that, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He was saying it was not His time to expand God’s reconciliation ministry to the Gentiles on Gentile soil, as He had healed Gentiles in Israel before (Matthew 4:24-25, 8:5-13). She begged again, and the story wraps up with Jesus fulfilling her request after another brief exchange:
“It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.
As I stated before, great emphasis is often placed on the woman’s faith in Jesus as Messiah and His ability and desire to intervene even on behalf of this pagan woman. Time is usually also spent discussing Jesus referring to the woman as a “dog” (which is better translated as a “little dog” or a “puppy,” not the derogatory insult that Israelites usually used against women of her nation).
What stands out to me, however, is what is implied about her being a little dog. Let’s think through this like a parable. If Jesus and the woman viewed herself as a dog in a house, then the table was filled with God’s blessings to Israel, provided by Jesus - Israel’s Messiah. What was on the table belonged to Israel. But, the woman never asks for what is on the table. She is not trying to steal other people’s blessings. Instead, this woman from a pagan culture somehow understood that God did not need to take from Israel to give to her, but that the extent of God’s blessing was so vast and infinite that it can be extended to even her. The dog who is sitting at the table during mealtime gets to enjoy the parts of the blessing that falls from the table.
I think this is an important lesson during Lent, during a time we we reflect and prepare for Jesus’ coming. Our faith life in America has the tendency to be very consumeristic. This can invoke feelings of jealously when we can clearly see how God has blessed other people. Maybe it is a good marriage, beautiful family, successful ministry, or just happiness and joy. We wonder what other people did in order to receive the blessings that they have, what is the formula to success?
This woman give us a formula, it is faith in God and the willingness to ask even when it seems like were not being heard. But, there’s also an understanding that God’s blessings are not so limited that we can only share in what we have seen God give to other people. If we see a person with a picture-perfect family and pray for a family, we shouldn’t be surprised when God doesn’t give us what other people have. That’s for them. However, when we are praying, we can have confidence that the Master is not ignoring us. We may not get the answer to the prayer we are specifically seeking, especially if it is something someone else has, but God is a God of blessings, praise be to Him.