What’s Jesus saying?
Romans 11: 1 – 2, 28 -32; Matthew 15: (10-20) 21 – 28
If ever we needed perspective we need it today when we read this story of Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman. Both Matthew and Mark in their accounts of the Gospel record it. It is a troubling story. Taken literally it is appalling, especially to our sensitivities regarding racism. The 19th and 20th Centuries brought home to the Western world the shocking nature of racism. The anti-slavery movement, the Ku Klux Clan, the Nazi Holocaust, Apartheid and the Pol Pot killing fields stand out as prime examples of the awfulness of racism. And here we have Jesus implying that this woman who comes for help is a dog! I tell you many people read this text and put it down. Ministers too pass it by. It is a story that demands we look at both the historical and literary context to get any perspective on it.
Firstly, the reason Jesus gives provides us with an important clue to his attitude. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Secondly, what Jesus says to the woman needs to be unpacked in the light of the culture and the very words he uses. We always lose something in translation and here we lose something important. We need to catch his tone of voice. But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” [Mt 15:24-26] What if it read like this; He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the puppies.” What difference does the word ‘puppies’ instead of ‘dogs’ make to the meaning?
Let’s recall what is happening. Matthew and Mark tell us that there is conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders about what is clean and unclean. Jesus said early in his ministry that you couldn’t put new wine into old wineskins because the new wine might burst the old skins. But that is exactly what the religious leaders and conservative people wanted. The Jewish leaders wanted to contain Jesus’ message within the structures of Judaism. People have always wanted to contain the teachings of God within their culture. We like to be in control. The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus and his disciples to conform to the Jewish laws of cleanliness, but they didn’t. Hence Jesus is saying that what really makes us unclean is not the food or drink that enter our mouths, but the words and the thoughts that come out of our mouths. From this situation of conflict Jesus moves off into a Gentile region.
The move into a Gentile region is strange for two reasons. Firstly the Jews regarded the Gentiles as unclean and generally referred to the Gentiles as dogs. (Remember when ‘aussies’ called certain people ‘wogs’!) By moving into a Gentile region Jesus is risking becoming unclean. (That may seem strange to us but that is what they understood.) So what is he doing there? The other thing that is striking is that Jesus makes it clear to the woman that he has come first to Israel. Israel is the people who are the chosen instruments of God’s plan of salvation. Israel is the recipient and holder of the promises of God. Paul makes the same point in Romans. Friends what would we think if Jesus came to earth again and he chose to go to those outside the Church first. Surely we would be miffed? Surely our Lord would come to us first? By Jesus coming first to the Jews God honours those promises. So it seems Jesus is not going to minister to the Gentiles when he goes north into the Gentile region. He is not looking for a new field of ministry.
The text bears this out. In Mark’s account of this story the point is made more sharply. Jesus goes to a house and wants to hide. Jesus wants a low profile in the Gentile region. We can only conclude that Jesus went to a Gentile region to get away from this conflict and reduce the looming tension between himself and the Jewish leaders. This wasn’t the time for a major confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities. There was more to do. After Easter the ministry to the Gentiles will really begin.
Now let us turn to this Syrophoenician woman. She is a person in need, but she is informed. She hears of Jesus and recognises him. In her need and understanding she comes to Jesus for help. She addresses Jesus as the ‘Son of David’ – a messianic title. So this woman is informed. She knows something of the Jewish faith. This woman has faith too. She believes in Jesus. Like the Roman centurion she comes to Jesus and leaves her child at home. She believes that Jesus can heal her child by a command. His word and command is sufficient. This is faith. Notice too her response to Jesus’ use of the Jewish colloquialism that Gentiles are dogs. Notice too that Jesus does not call her a dog but speaks generally. The woman doesn’t take offence. She rather cleverly reminds Jesus that dogs do lick up the crumbs or anything that falls off the table. (We all know that!) Now if we could read Greek we would notice that the reference to dogs is in the diminutive. That is, it should read ‘puppies’. The way Jesus had used this Jewish colloquial saying is softened by the use of diminutive. Both Matthew and Mark use the term ‘little dog’ or puppies. The woman uses the same term. The image then is the domestic scene of our children around the table and our pets near. That is, both children and pets are loved, but differently loved. And Jesus says; “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the little dogs.” He is not saying that we don’t feed the ‘little dogs’.
What are our learnings from this text set for today?
Firstly, we need perspective. Getting perspective on a text is important. Getting perspective on anything saves us from false and inaccurate conclusions. Getting perspective helps us focus on the right thing. We are back with last week’s sermon. Last Sunday I spoke about the interconnection of sight, perspective and focus. I spoke about the many things that get in the way and skew our perspective. Some read this text and see the word ‘dogs’ and they’re down one track. They don’t stop to ask questions. They jump to confusions. If we learn the value of perspective we will save ourselves much pain and gain much wisdom. To gain perspective requires the pain of stopping to listen, to look and to reflect. It takes time and effort, but perspective broadens life.
Secondly, humility frees us to focus on the issue. The Syrophoenician woman had humility. She does not fall into the trap of mis-hearing and mis-construing what Jesus is saying. Her focus is on Jesus and on healing her daughter. In recognising who Jesus is she accepts this reference to the racial enmity between Jew and Gentile, but sees the gentleness of Jesus’ words by his use of the diminutive – little dogs / puppies. She is able to respond with a smart retort. “Sir, even the little-dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Her humility allows her to focus on the issue at stake – her daughter’s well-being. Her humility allows her to exercise her wit and her cause. She reminds Jesus that even the little dogs lick up the crumbs. In her humility she asks for the crumbs of the Kingdom. She does not want much except that her daughter be free of the demon. I’m reminded here of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector at prayer [Lk 18: 10-14]. The Pharisee thanks God that he is a good person and keeps the religious rules. The tax collector asks for forgiveness because he is a sinner. Jesus commends the tax collector for his humility. Humility allows the tax collector to see his real self and not imagined self. The woman’s humility allows her to focus on her real need and not be side tracked.
Thirdly, the prayer of the heart is at work here. Henri Nouwen, the Dutch Roman Catholic priest, scholar, writer and theologian describes the ‘prayer of the heart’ as “the prayer that we continue to pray within us”. It is the prayer that continues even when we have finished our prayers. It is that deep longing for God that is part of our being. This grows within us like a baby until it is brought to fruition. The prayer of the heart is with us all the time whether we are eating or working or whatever. The Syrophoenician woman had a ‘prayer of the heart’ for her daughter. This prayer for her daughter brought her before Jesus.
Fourthly, the compassion of Jesus reaches out to this woman. He longs for rest, peace and quietness, but this woman’s vision, faith and prayerful spirit touches him. His limitless compassion rises up and he reaches out to her. Notice the difference between Jesus who said he wants to be alone and his disciples. When the woman comes on stage the disciples urge Jesus to move her on. Jesus stops and speaks to her instead. We forget this subtle difference in the text between Jesus and his disciples. We forget because we’re caught up with ‘dogs’ and haven’t seen the puppies. Jesus’ compassion unlike his disciples’ responds to her faithfulness and prayerfulness and commands the healing. We are reminded that in spite of Jesus facing great conflict and in need of respite he pauses to help this faithful and prayerful woman.
The Syrophoenician woman found compassionate love in Jesus’ presence. When such love is found hope returns and loved-ones are changed.
Let us sing about such love in TiS 413, ‘When love is found’.
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Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC: 20/08/2017
pgwhitaker@tpg.com.au
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au
