Matthew 15:21- 28
21 And Jesus went out thence and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 But she came and [i]worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s [j]bread and cast it to the dogs. ? 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed
Jesus reaction to the Canaanite woman:
1. He answered her not a word; Silence treatment.
Sometimes when you are waiting for an answer to your prayers, people may mistake your waiting time as denial. The disciples thought because Jesus answered her not that it was ok for her to be sent away.
@Opened a door for the disciples to request she be sent away.
@ They labeled her a wailer crying after them.
People may even give you a nickname associated with your actions as you continue to persist. I have heard people say that all they know is pray, pray why isn't God answering. They may think you are crazy, but brethren keep praying. Delay is not Denial!
2. Jesus said he wasn’t sent to help her a gentile but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus made sure that she understood that she was not worthy of his help. Yes, she was a Canaanite a gentile not worthy to be treated with preferential treatments, but she continued, unwavering.
3. He insisted on her status. It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.
Why did Jesus compare her with a dog? Because she was a gentile and that's how the Jews treated Gentiles. Allow me to remind you the foundation of Canaan. In – Genesis 9:20–2720 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
21 And he drank of the wine and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without.
23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father, and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
24 And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
26 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant.
27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant.
Canaan was the son of Ham, and he was cursed due to his father's behavior. I don't want to talk more about why this happened, but I just want to put out the curse of Canaan was that he would be A SERVANT OF SERVANT. In my culture, as well as Jewish culture, dogs ? as servants. They slept outside, were allowed to grab the crumbs that fell from the table while the master is dining.
4., O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.
This Canaanite mother persisted and overcame all the obstacles. Her name is not known, but we are aware her faith was great. Jesus declared it, and an instant miracle happened.
Let us learn from this woman her reaction to everything she encountered in pursuit of her daughter's healing.
The woman reactions that qualified her as having great faith.
• She came out
• She cried out
• She continued crying out for help
• She changed her cry into worship
Take action now because Faith without works is dead. Do you have faith in Jesus cry out for help and don't stop even if you have been labeled a wailer, Keep going turn your Wailing into worship and see the manifestation of His glorious power.
Amen.
Cited Verses:
Matthew 15:21-28. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bible.com/bible/477/mat.15.21-28.rv1885#!
2. Genesis 9:21-29 KJV -. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9%3A21-29&version=KJV
