INTRODUCTION
Matthew 15:21-28 recounts a profound encounter between Jesus and a Canaanite woman, illustrating the transformative power of faith and the inclusivity of God’s mercy. This passage is set in the region of Tyre and Sidon, an area outside traditional Jewish territory, highlighting the tension between Jesus’ initial mission to Israel and His eventual outreach to the Gentiles. The Canaanite woman’s persistent plea for her daughter’s healing showcases her deep humility and unwavering belief in Jesus’ power, despite cultural and religious barriers. Her faith not only results in her daughter’s deliverance but also serves as a powerful testament to the universality of God’s grace, foreshadowing the inclusion of all nations in the Kingdom of God.
This passage challenges preconceived notions of exclusivity in faith and encourages believers to reflect on the boundless nature of God’s love. Jesus’ initial hesitation and the woman’s response demonstrate the significance of perseverance in prayer and trust in God’s mercy, even when answers seem delayed or distant. For Catholics, this encounter serves as a reminder of the importance of humility, persistence, and faith, inviting us to approach Jesus with the same trust and confidence as the Canaanite woman, secure in the knowledge that God’s mercy transcends all boundaries.
Matthew 15:21 “And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.”
Historical and Geographical Context
This verse marks a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry as He moves beyond the traditional boundaries of Jewish territories into Gentile regions. Tyre and Sidon were significant Phoenician cities, located in what is now modern-day Lebanon. Known for their wealth, commerce, and pagan practices, these cities were outside the covenant community of Israel. Despite their historical animosity with the Israelites, these regions played roles in biblical history, such as providing materials for Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs 5:1-12).
Jesus’ withdrawal to Tyre and Sidon comes after intense confrontations with the Pharisees over ritual purity (Mt 15:1-20). His retreat likely serves a dual purpose: seeking rest from opposition and symbolically expanding His ministry’s reach. Though Jesus initially restricted His mission to the “lost sheep of Israel” (Mt 15:24), this journey into Gentile territory foreshadows the universal scope of His salvation. The prophets, particularly Isaiah, had long foretold that the Messiah would be a light to the nations (Isa 49:6), and Jesus’ actions here begin to fulfill that promise.
Catholic Teaching and Theological Insights
The Catholic Church views Jesus’ journey to Tyre and Sidon as a powerful sign of the inclusivity of His mission. While His earthly ministry primarily focused on Israel, this event highlights the universal nature of salvation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 543) states: “Everyone is called to enter the kingdom. First announced to the children of Israel, this messianic kingdom is intended to accept men of all nations.”
Jesus’ willingness to engage with Gentiles in this passage demonstrates the universality of God’s mercy and grace. For Catholics, this aligns with the Church’s mission to bring the Gospel to all people, as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20). His journey also highlights the breaking of societal and cultural barriers, a theme that resonates with the Church’s call to unity and inclusivity in a diverse world.
Key Terms and Symbolism
1. Tyre and Sidon: Represent the Gentile world, often viewed by Jews as spiritually unclean yet within the reach of God’s salvation.
2. Withdrawal: Indicates a deliberate move, both to escape escalating tensions with Jewish authorities and to seek new opportunities for ministry.
3. Gentiles: Symbolize those previously considered outside God’s covenant, yet included in the redemptive plan of Christ.
Reflection
This passage challenges modern Christians to evaluate their attitudes toward those outside their immediate communities or comfort zones. Are there “Gentile territories” in our lives – people or places we avoid because of prejudice or discomfort? Jesus’ example teaches us to embrace all people with compassion, seeing them as part of God’s family. His journey to Tyre and Sidon reminds us that faith is not confined by boundaries of culture, race, or nationality.
This verse also invites us to trust in God’s timing and plan. Just as Jesus strategically withdrew to Gentile regions, there may be times when we are called to step back, reflect, and prepare for broader horizons in our faith journey.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You withdrew to Tyre and Sidon, showing that Your love and salvation are for all people. Open our hearts to embrace Your universal mission and to reach out with humility and compassion to those who are different from us. Break down the barriers in our hearts that separate us from others and from You. May we live as instruments of Your grace, bringing the light of Your Gospel to every corner of the world. Amen.
Matthew 15:22: “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.’”
Historical Context and Background
The appearance of a Canaanite woman in this narrative is striking for several reasons. The term “Canaanite” carries deep historical significance, recalling the ancient inhabitants of the Promised Land who were often at odds with Israel. By Jesus’ time, the region of Tyre and Sidon was predominantly Gentile, with a mix of cultural and religious influences from Greek, Roman, and Phoenician traditions. While Mark refers to the woman as “a Syrophoenician by birth” (Mk 7:26), Matthew deliberately uses “Canaanite” to emphasize her status as a Gentile outsider, traditionally seen as unclean by Jewish standards.
This woman’s bold approach defies cultural norms. Women in ancient Jewish society often occupied subordinate roles, and her public plea to a Jewish rabbi would have been unconventional. Despite this, her address to Jesus as “Lord, Son of David” signifies her recognition of His Messianic identity. Remarkably, she, a Gentile, acknowledges Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, a title rooted in King David’s lineage and prophetic promises of a savior. This stands in contrast to the skepticism of many Jewish leaders, highlighting the openness of Gentiles to Jesus’ ministry.
Catholic Teaching and Interpretation
The encounter between Jesus and the Canaanite woman reflects profound themes of faith, mercy, and the universality of salvation. Her plea, “Have mercy on me,” echoes the language of the Psalms (Ps 51:1) and conveys a deep sense of humility and dependence on God’s grace. By addressing Jesus with Messianic titles, she demonstrates a faith that transcends cultural and religious boundaries, embodying the inclusivity of the Gospel.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes that salvation is offered to all people, not limited by ethnicity or heritage (CCC 543). Jesus’ interaction with this Gentile woman prefigures the Church’s mission to bring the Gospel to all nations, as commanded in the Great Commission (Mt 28:19). Her persistence in prayer also aligns with Jesus’ teachings on the importance of faith and perseverance, such as in the parable of the persistent widow (Lk 18:1-8).
Relevant Terms:
– “Canaanite”: A term emphasizing the woman’s outsider status, representing those historically excluded from Israel’s covenant with God.
– “Son of David”: A Messianic title acknowledging Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
– “Demon possession”: In the Biblical context, this refers to spiritual affliction and physical suffering caused by evil forces, signifying the brokenness Christ came to heal.
Reflection
The Canaanite woman’s boldness and faith challenge us to approach God with humility and persistence, even when faced with obstacles or feelings of unworthiness. Her story reminds us that God’s mercy is not confined by cultural, social, or religious boundaries. In a world that often divides people into categories of “insiders” and “outsiders,” this encounter calls us to recognize the dignity and faith of those who might seem different from us.
Her maternal plea – seeking mercy for her daughter – also reflects the selfless love that intercessory prayer embodies. It challenges us to pray not only for our own needs but also for those we love, trusting in God’s power to heal and restore.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You heard the cry of the Canaanite woman and rewarded her faith with healing for her daughter. Teach us to come before You with the same humility, persistence, and trust. Help us to see Your love as boundless, extending to all people, and to share that love with others. May we never grow weary in prayer, and may our faith be a beacon of hope to those around us. Amen.
(23) But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples approached him and said, “Send her away: see how she is shouting after us”
Jesus did not answer her, not even a word
The silence of Jesus was not a denial of help, but a test of the woman’s faith. Sometimes, we also feel this silence for our prayers for help. That can be a test period of our faith in God.
“Send her away: see how she is shouting after us”
The disciples’ mentality was to get rid of the Canaanite woman because she was a nuisance for them, and their master came there to take a break from his busy life in Galilee. They did not care about her feelings. The disciples might have thought the master did not want to help her because she was a Gentile. Jesus had instructed them to minister only to the lost sheep of Israel (Mt 10:5). Instead of silence, they thought, the master should just rebuke her and pack her off so that they would be rid of her.
The silence of Jesus could also be a test on the view and response of his disciples, who were his trainees. Jesus wanted to teach his disciples that they would later minister to the Gentiles with love and compassion.
(24) Then Jesus said to her, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel”
By these words, Jesus was not rejecting the request of a Gentile. He wanted to show that he came to fulfil God’s promise to the chosen people, to show his priority, and to test the woman’s faith. Jesus then healed her daughter, affirming that his mission is also for the Gentiles.
I was sent
God sent Jesus into the world as the fulfilment of His promise of redemption to humanity. This promise made with the first parents (Gen 3:15) continued throughout the salvation history. The Bible speaks of the prophets whom God sent to speak on His behalf. John the Evangelist reports of John the Baptist, “There came a man, sent by God; his name was John” (Jn 1:6). After his resurrection, Jesus appeared and told his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (Jn 20:21). So, Jesus came with God’s mission to fulfil His promise to humanity from the beginning of creation.
Lost sheep
Jeremiah presented Israel as a “lost sheep” misled by their shepherds (Jer 50:6). Ezekiel spoke of the selfish shepherds of Israel, and God promised that He himself would rescue his sheep. “Indeed the Lord God says this: ‘I myself will care for my sheep and watch over them’” (Ezek 34:11). Jesus, the Son of God, came as a shepherd to his sheep, Israel (Jn 10:11-16).
The people of Israel
Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, and son of Isaac had an alternate name, Israel. He had 12 sons from his two wives and two maidservants. The descendants of these twelve sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. All these tribes formed the house of Israel. Before the public ministry of Jesus, Assyrians and Babylonians had dispersed the house of Israel among the nations. After the Babylonian exile, the Jews who were the descendants of Judah, through whom God promised the Messiah to David, had settled in Judea and Galilee. Jesus said to the Canaanite woman that God sent him to these lost sheep of the people of Israel.
(25) But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me”
The woman came
When Jesus and his disciples were discussing, the Canaanite woman was standing apart from them. She approached Jesus again with her enthusiastic request.
Did him homage
The last attempt of the woman was by an act of prostrate homage. That means she fell flat on the ground expressing her humility, submission, and adoration.
“Lord, help me”
This time she did not call Jesus “Son of David.” Based on Jesus’ response, she might have felt that as a Gentile, she was unworthy to call him that and claim healing from him, a Jew. However, as a mother, she was ardent to get help for her daughter.
(26) Jesus answered, “It is not right to take the bread from the children and throw it to the little dogs”
What was Jesus’ intention when he used the analogy of children and dogs in the place of Israelites and Greeks? The Israelites were the people with whom God made a covenant. So, they were God’s first-born children (Ex 4:22). Gentiles had only a second place in front of God because they were after pagan gods. Jesus started his redemption of humanity starting with Jews and then extended it to the Gentiles.
The Jews were insiders of the house like children, and the Gentiles were like puppies brought up outside the house. Jesus did not use the word for street dogs, but pet dogs. The Jews had the practice of calling Gentiles dogs. However, the tone Jesus used was not of contempt or racism but was a lovable puppy with a smiling gesture.
Jesus’ intention was not to humiliate the Canaanite woman, because later he praised her for her excellent faith. He was expressing his priorities in preaching the gospel. Jesus must offer salvation first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles or Greeks. He had already healed a gentile centurion’s servant (Mt 8:5-13). However, he extended his mission to the people all over the world before his ascension by asking the disciples, “Go, therefore, and make disciples from all nations” (Mt 28:19).
(27) The woman replied, “It is true, sir, but even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table”
The Canaanite woman accepted Jesus’ reply in a positive sense. While acknowledging herself as a “dog,” she looked for the privilege of a puppy. She did not request to curtail any privilege of the children to favour her. She believed that even a dog’s part of grace from Jesus would be enough to heal her daughter.
(28) Then Jesus said, “Woman, how great is your faith! It will be as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at that moment
The woman had expressed her faith in Jesus like the Centurion who was also a gentile (Mt 8:5-13). She was a child of faith, though not of the flesh of Abraham (Rom 4:16). According to Mark, “When the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone” (Mk 7:30).
MESSAGE
1. The Canaanite woman was asking Jesus’ healing for her child. Parents should keep praying for their children to be safe from the evil influences in their lives. Jesus will not forsake a parent’s cry for the child.
2. Jesus’ silence at first to the Canaanite woman was discouraging for her. However, she persisted in her prayer. This Canaanite woman is a typical example of keeping faith and prayer even when God does not answer our prayers according to our timing. Jesus declined no one who asked for his help. He was testing her faith and cured her daughter after the test.
3. The disciples got annoyed at the constant request of the Canaanite woman for help. So, they said to Jesus: “Send her away: see how she is shouting after us.” The willingness to help just to get rid of the needy person is not a pleasant disposition. Our service should come from our heart, as Jesus had in all cases.
4. The Canaanite woman was a child of God, not by the flesh of Abraham but by his faith. Many Jews could not get the grace from Jesus because they lacked the level of faith that Abraham had. As covenantal people through baptism, we must also practise our faith.
5. The Centurion and the Canaanite woman who were Gentiles could gain healing for their beloved ones because of their faith and persistence in prayer. Even though we deserve nothing on merits, faith and prayer can achieve God’s favour.
6. Jesus was compassionate to all, regardless of whether they were Jews or Gentiles. Let us also be considerate to all, regardless of who they are.