The Syrophoenician Woman

In Matthew 15:21-28 we read about Jesus and a Syrophoenician woman (Gentile). When you read the account, you might wonder if this is really the Jesus we know. Why? Let us study together. We begin with Jesus in the district of Tyre and Sidon, and this Syrophoenician woman comes asking for her daughter to be healed of demon possession. You get it if you have kids. I can only imagine what those parents of sick kids in the hospital would do to help their children. She had evidently heard about Jesus, and here she is asking. But he does not answer. Is He busy, is He healing someone else, did He hear her? We think the Jesus we know would have dropped everything to answer her, but He does not. She is not just asking, she seems to be making a scene to the point that the disciples ask Jesus to send her away. Then He says He was only sent to the Jews (house of Israel). What? Is Jesus prejudiced? She comes bowing down before Him and He responds with, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” What? Jesus has just doubled down on His first statement. This is not the Jesus we think we know. Our culture would have cancelled Jesus for this interaction.

I might have left. She came desperate, even bowing down and was ignored, rejected, and, in some people’s view, belittled. Would your pride trump your faith, your child’s need? She makes a statement of such courage, humility, and faith. “Even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Jesus rewards her great faith by complimenting her and healing her daughter. Why did Jesus act so un-Jesus? Did he? I believe Jesus gave this woman an opportunity to shine. What a great example to all those who were there that she did not let anything stop her faith in Jesus, and what a great example for us to not let anything stop our faith in Jesus. How faithful would you have been if you were in her shoes?