Was he insulting this woman or what was going on here? Who is this Jesus?
Jesus had gone into the region of Tyre and Sidon which was Gentile (non-Jews) area. This mother comes to him while he is at a house and won’t stop begging him to cast out the demon in her daughter. Jesus did not immediately respond first of all (Mt 15:23). Then finally he made the statement that it was right to take care of the children first and not throw their food to the dogs.
This is jolting to read this in English.
But the Greek makes it a little more clear. There were two words for dog. The first word for dog is kuon. This is the Greek word for a filthy, unclean person such like a mangy dog. It was a derogatory term and a racial slur.
The second word for dog was kunarion. This is the word for a beloved pet, or a little dog or a little puppy.
The word Jesus used here was the word kunarion or beloved puppy. It was of the house, it was beloved, but it wasn’t the priority as the children were.
This is a concept taught throughout Scripture. “To the Jew first and then the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). This was the case with blessing and also the case with judgment. God would always deal with his people first.
Jesus was doing the same. If he focused on the Gentiles first, then he would not have time or resources to serve the covenant people first. They were his priority just like the children are a priority in the household.
But the woman persisted. She replied to Jesus that even the puppies received from the table.
Jesus was amazed at her faith (Mt 15:28). And he sent the word and healed her daughter. From a distance.
Jesus was practicing a principal that he often modeled. Not just for Gentiles but for several people he encountered. He often was mildly elusive to test what was in a person’s heart.
- When Jesus walked on the water it looked like he was going to pass them by (John 6:48).
- When he walked with the men at Emmaus it seemed like he was going to go on for the night (Acts 24:28)
- In the parable of the persistent widow the woman came to him repeatedly before the judge gave her justice (Luke 18:1-8).
It wasn’t that he didn’t care or was trying to be elusive. He did this to know what was in their heart. Dd they really believe? How would they respond if they were offended and didn’t get what they wanted? Would they persist in seeking Him in faith?
The pause tells us what is really in our hearts.
It makes me thing of a young man I follow on social media named Joshlilj. He goes around blessing people with significant financial gifts. But he first has a kindness test. He acts as if he is in need for something really small like a dollar or a couple of quarters.
If people are willing to give to him even something small, he blesses them significantly. And sometimes if he finds out that they are in great need, he will do a fund-raiser for them. But first, he tests to see if they will help him and be generous even in the tiniest of ways.
This is what Jesus was doing.
He wants to know what are in person’s heart. So he doesn’t give them what they want right away. Would this woman who was a Gentile have faith in him even if she didn’t get what she wanted immediately?
He found out she did have faith. And not just a little faith. But he says of her she has “great faith” (Mt 15:28).
What about us? What happens if we pray and do not get what we want? Or that we are offended by God? Do we persist in belief? Or do we walk away? Or harden our hearts?
The Text: Mark 7:24-30
24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.