The Lord Who Heals YouSýnishorn

GREAT IS YOUR FAITH

Matthew 15:28  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.

This story of the Gentile woman seeking healing for her daughter is often quoted as Jesus being reluctant to heal her but, in actual fact, He was drawing out of her a faith she possibly didn’t know was there, a faith Jesus wanted displayed to all. Jesus healed multitudes and yet the gospels document in detail only a few healings, as they reveal important truths for all those seeking healing today.

The woman was a Canaanite, someone who Jesus’ audience would be prejudiced against- someone outside the kingdom of God.

The story reveals that healing is the children’s bread and Jesus wants us to have our fill. The children of the house have a right to bread. They also don’t have to demand it as their right- they just believe that it is there for them.

Jesus, in assuming the appearance of traditional Jewish prejudice that often referred to Gentiles as dogs and unclean, uses the term here but, not to insult, but rather draw out a faith response. Even though He softens the word by using the term for a domestic dog rather than a wild one, it still sounds harsh. Many would be offended and leave but she is smart and comes right back at Him, even drawing on the analogy. She acknowledges that healing is the right of the children but appeals for the crumbs, indicating that even a tiny fraction of Jesus’ provision and power is enough to heal her daughter.

Even those considered to be outside the kingdom of God, if they will come to the same table as the children, can receive the benefits made available to the child of God. Jesus’ death, resurrection and provision of healing was made for them too. Even a crumb from this table, is enough to heal the woman’s daughter, who is not even present.

Jesus wants the woman to demonstrate faith and to not expect it to come like a ‘magic trick’ as if with the pagan magicians. He shows her how it works in the kingdom of God- everything is given by grace and received through faith.