Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

Sunday of the Canaanite Woman 2013

Sunday Sermon by Fr Ted Toppses

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

Even more so than today, In the days of Christ to be called a dog by anyone would be considered a great insult.  So why would the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Jesus himself compare the Canaanite people with dogs, when a Canaanite woman approached the Lord to heal her daughter.  

To understand what happens in this story, and why the Lord did what he did unlocks a mystery of Faith.  The Lord even proclaimed "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.  The truth of faith in Christ is revealed in the most wonderful and mysterious of ways.

First we should understand the context.  Christ was teaching and preaching to the Jews. The Canaanite religion was, at the time of Christ, a polytheist pagan religion that adopted gods and religious influences from the Mesopotamian and Egyptian Religions.   These people were seen as the descendants of Cain in the Old Testament.  These are people who were of a very mixed up and adoptive religion.   Tyre and Sidon were a coastal area, which also included an important Egyptian port. 

Jesus’ choice to go to this coastal region, that had many Canaanites, was a direct effort to teach His Apostles the universal message of salvation through Him.  To the Jewish people the universal understanding of our Lord’s Salvation was not yet understood.  The Messiah for the Jewish people was for them specifically, and not for the benefit of other peoples.  The Christ was understood to save Jews and even subjugate or subdue other peoples and faiths.  The amazing truth we know now is, that He is leading all people to Himself and true salvation.  This truth was still a mystery to the Jews, and even likely not yet understood by some of those who followed Him closely.

So in this context Jesus wants to demonstrate that this woman is willing to put aside the falsehood of the Canaanite faith.   He is also revealing a key to faith.

Let us further examine today’s Gospel from Matthew 15:21-28,

At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."

But he did not answer her a word.   

Jesus’ first response to the woman’s request was not to reply, to be silent.  This response is a passive way of giving the woman a chance to persist.   

The Gospel continues…

And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

This is Christ’s second response.  This time He is appealing not only to the need for the woman to persist, but also he is beginning to change the view that the Messiah was not for the Gentiles.  He speaks seemingly to agree with the popular understanding.  Will the Canaanite woman take another step in faith to Christ?  The Answer, yes she does.

The Gospel continues….

But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."

She came to Him and humbly kneeled before Him, she did not go away, and she persisted.  We too should humbly, and persistently come to Christ even when times of our lives seem full of darkness.  We must not embrace darkness; we absolutely need to come to Christ to see the light.

The Lord asks her to take another step, the Gospel continues…

And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

Christ is the Bread of life given to those of faith who follow Him. He is asking the woman to give up the pagan religion she follows, and to follow Him.  He is asking her, and us, to embrace the faith in order to receive Christ in us.  He is showing that the True Faith in comparison to the pagan Canaanite religion is like comparing people and dogs.  Why should a person who does not practice the true faith, reap the benefits? Is this Canaanite woman willing to take the next step of the true faith? Is she willing to truly humble herself before the Lord and embrace the faith in Him?  She is!

The Gospel continues…

She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Christ laid out steps before her in order that He might receive her, and declare her faith great.  She persisted in her efforts despite being given what would normally be considered a lack of hope of being received. She demonstrated true faithful persistence, and came humbly to Christ.  She humbled herself before Christ and all pride was stripped away.  She allowed her sin to be removed confessing herself unworthy like a dog only desiring a crumb from the master’s table. 

When we lower ourselves God lifts us up.  When we humble ourselves God hears our prayer.  When we let Christ be the only master of our heart, we demonstrate the true faith. 

Her faith became great, when she persisted to be with Jesus and humble herself before Him.  Jesus helped her take the humble steps needed, and showed us that He came for all of us no matter what our background, no matter what our sin.  If we can humbly come to Christ, to be with Him despite all obstacles, He receives us and hears our prayers.

May we be declared by the Lord as having Great faith through humbly always following Him!

Amen.