Love Like Jesus: 7 Day Easter DevotionalНамуна

Matthew sets the stage for Jesus’ exchange with this Canaanite woman, following a rather frustrating exchange between Jesus and the teachers of the law, who were stuck on ceremonial purity laws and were missing the main point: that it was an inner heart of faith in God that rendered one acceptable before Him, not an outward claim of religiosity or nationality. Jesus shakes the dust off His feet, so to speak, and leaves Israelite territory for a jaunt into Gentile lands, heading on a forty-mile journey northwest toward the Mediterranean coast in the region of Tyre and Sidon, the epitome of Gentile “uncleanness.” His disciples would have been uneasy in this place, as Canaanite descendants were abhorred by the Jews. After all, these were the great-great-grandchildren of those idolatrous nations Israel was supposed to exterminate once they entered the promised land. Any serious law-abiding Jew would have avoided this area, yet Jesus headed straight into it.

Somewhere on this journey into foreign territory, a Canaanite woman pursues Jesus, desperately crying out for mercy: “Lord, Son of David have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Yet Jesus says nothing. He doesn’t even seem to acknowledge her. Undeterred, the woman follows Him, continuing her pleas and annoying the disciples. Finally, they’d had enough. “Send her away,” they demand, “for she keeps crying out after us.” This woman would not give up.

Jesus turns to face her and gives her a good reason He shouldn’t honor her request: He was sent not to the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of Israel. Though this woman’s religious knowledge was limited, she surely knew that God had made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, not to the descendants of Canaan. She had no claim on Him. But she falls at His feet, placing herself under His authority and lordship, asking again for His help. Still, Jesus does not give in. Doesn’t she know the children’s food shouldn’t be tossed to dogs? Notice Jesus’ willingness to engage in conversation with this woman. It seems Jesus is not rebuking her as much as testing the persistence of her faith; whether for her benefit or His disciples, we do not know. 

The woman humbles herself even more; she doesn’t contradict Jesus, but cleverly builds on His argument: even dogs eat the crumbs on the floor. From her very first cry (acknowledging Jesus as the rightful King of Israel) to this poignant moment at His feet, (calling on the compassion of God), this Canaanite woman shows more faith, maturity, and humility than the Pharisees and teachers of the law who Jesus had offended earlier in the chapter. Jesus wastes no time, enthusiastically affirming her faith, commending her above the Pharisees and teachers of the law: “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted!” And instantly her daughter was healed. She had received what she had tenaciously pursued, but Jesus offered her much more, commending her faith above that of His own people, as He had with the Gentile centurion (see Matthew 8:13). 

The very people Jesus had come to save were rejecting Him, yet here in Gentile territory, Jesus found mature and humble faith that deeply touched Him, signaling the beginning of the expansion of His rule and kingdom’s reign over all people everywhere, the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham that through Him all nations would be blessed.

Challenge: Often Jesus seems to postpone an immediate reply to our requests, either to reveal the sincerity of our own hearts or to reveal Himself in some other ways to those watching. Have you ever found yourself frustrated by Jesus’ apparent delay to answer your prayers? How might His silence in your life actually be a sign of love?