August 20, 2023 Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost The text is Matthew 15: 21-28.

 -o0o-

 ²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ^{2 7}She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

-o0o-

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Grace, mercy, and peace are yours from God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

If asked, most Christians will reply that they have a favorite story from the bible.  It is likely one that gives them comfort, or hope, or joy.  It might be the telling of an event they first heard about in Sunday School that had a lasting impression on them.  Perhaps, it’s not the whole story, but maybe it’s a verse or two contained in it that they hold dear.  I personally have a number of bible stories that mean a great deal to me; this morning’s account of Jesus’ interaction with the Canaanite woman is most definitely not among them.  Mark also includes this story in his gospel, and I’m not a big fan of his telling of it either.

Today Matthew narrates this encounter between Jesus and the foreign mother of an ill child and it is the story that I find to be the most uncomfortable in all of Scripture.  Nonetheless, it is the reading the Lutheran church has selected for this morning and like it or not, I’m forced to examine it and share with you what I feel is going on between Jesus and this non-Jewish woman.  Let me say it again, this is absolutely NOT my favorite bible story!

Jesus has traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon, in what is modern-day Lebanon.  And what takes place this morning occurs not long after Jesus walked on the water out to the boat where his disciples were waiting for him.  They had come ashore in Gennesaret and traveled the 50 miles or so to where the Canaanite woman confronts Jesus.  This area is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and is quite far removed from Jerusalem and the other areas of Israel where Jesus’ ministry has been so far been taking place.  This rather begs the question; if Jesus has traveled beyond the borders of Israel and Judea wouldn’t it be quite likely that he would encounter someone who was not Jewish?  Perhaps he felt that the time had come for him to expand his mission to a wider geography.  Why then did he scold the Canaanite woman, telling her that he was sent only to save the people of Israel, if he had left that country and ventured into foreign lands?

And why did this encounter move through several different phases?  Initially, Jesus ignores this woman, a citizen of Canaan, Israel’s ancient, long-standing adversary.  Next, his disciples encourage Jesus to send her away; rather, he announces that his ministry is intended only for his own people, the Israelites.  The woman then falls at Jesus’ feet, calls him “Lord” and begs him for help for her sick daughter.  Jesus responds with an insult, calling her and her daughter “dogs”.  And finally, after she counters the slur with a profound response, Jesus relents, proclaims that her daughter has been healed, and commends her great faith.  Foreign country; denigrating comment; snappy comeback; healing; and acknowledgement of faith.  All this after Jesus ventures into the wider world beyond Israel.  I’m sure you can understand why I struggle with this passage.                  

Many theologians and more than a few preachers have attempted to soften the humiliating manner in which Jesus treats this woman who has come to him seeking healing for her child.  Some have declared that the Greek word translated as “dogs” refers to cute little puppies.  In truth the word means simply “small dogs”, referring only to size or breed.  It’s simply too much of a stretch to try to tame what Jesus said to the woman, and likely what he meant by it.  It was an insult, and while we may be made uncomfortable we must nonetheless acknowledge that it happened.  Did I mention that this is not my favorite bible story? 

Others have suggested that since Jesus has traveled to a foreign land that he intended to expand his mission outside of Israel; and that he was testing the waters, so to speak, to determine if Canaanites might be fertile ground for him to spread his message.  It’s somewhat difficult to accept this notion considering the “dogs” comment.  Nonetheless, the fact is that whether Jesus had meant this encounter to serve as an exploration to determine if it was time for his ministry to expand beyond Israel, or if he relented and healed the sick daughter after being shocked by the woman’s rebuke; either way, the Good News has now spread beyond the Jewish people.  The gospel message has abruptly become available to the world.  And suddenly, any discomfort we feel when we read about Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman disperses, as we recognize that this might very well have been the catalyst that ensured that generations of Christians would be welcomed into God’s family.

For over 2,000 years since Jesus’ declaration that the woman’s faith in him would secure acceptance into the kingdom of heaven, people have been baptized into this very same faith, have been adopted into this same family of God’s people.  And, in keeping with Jesus’ command which we find a few chapters later in Matthew’s gospel, this morning we are blessed to baptize Caleb Jabob in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Christ’s mission, his ministry, and his church have come full circle, from a Canaanite woman in Tyre and Sidon twenty centuries ago, to an infant in Quinsigamond Village today.  Welcome to the family, Caleb!               

Will you pray with me?  Good, and gracious, and holy God, as Jesus, your Son blessed and invited all people into your family, we are called to continue what he began.  Guide us as we follow his command to baptize in your name, his, and your spirit’s.  And we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, the One who recognizes great faith and rewards this belief with life eternal with you.

Amen  

God is Good, all the time.  All the time, God is Good.  Amen.