Question regarding Matthew 15 and the Canaanite woman?

Somehow there seems to be a sort of discernment in this Canaanite woman because of her desperation over her child's demon possession...

As the " Son of David" the Lord was only available to the Jews... and as such, He told her that He could not take the bread from the children to toss it to the little dogs. But here we see her discernment.. she, being a Gentile Canaanite, dropped the " Son of David' part and just cried out to Him as " LORD"

The Lord of all who came to save us all.

Her faith astounded the Lord because the same quality of bread on the table, the same basic makeup of the bread is in the crumbs.

But regarding us, the promise of salvation comes through Abraham's seed.. the earthly seed ( Israel ) and the heavenly seed ( Us the gentiles) For Abraham's seed would be as the sand of the seas ( earth) and the stars of heaven ( us) Abraham was promised the gift of the Spirit Who is to all men under the sun.

I just thank the Lord, that He had Mankind in His heart when He came to save us.

Great question and you received some great answers. How many times during Jesus' earthly life did the "wrong" person get rewarded and the "right" person get rebuked. The "wrong" were Gentiles, Samaritans, sinners, adulterers, tax collectors, shepherds, the riff raf of society and the "right" were the righteous (self righteous), Pharisees, Sadducees, elders, chief priests, ie religious professionals and leaders. How many parables the underdog was uplifted and blessed and the favorite was cast out (Luke 18 - parable of Pharisee and tax collector is just one example). Jesus used Roman centurions, Good Samaritans (parable), adulterers (John 8:1-11) and a Canaanite woman to rebuke the "professionals" "self righteous" faith. Jesus said, "I have not seen this kind of faith in Israel" what a rebuke. Jesus tells us what real spirituality, righteousness and obedience is, the kind that takes it eyes of self and places it completely on the person of Christ. Christ always rewards that kind of faith and extends His merciful and healing hand.

Matthew's description of her as "a Canaanite woman from that region" reminds us of the distinction made between Jews and Gentiles. With his Gospel being addressed to Jews, he is explaining how the church came to be quickly populated with Gentile believers. Of course the command to carry the gospel to the Gentile world came at the end of this Gospel but evidence that Christ was pleased to save Gentiles is found by this text. When we think of Canaanites we surely drift back to the Old Testament, and the conquest of Canaan by Joshua. Canaanites were the inhabitants of the land, descendants of Noah's son, Ham, and followers of other gods. And yet whenever Gentiles turned to the Lord they were always welcomed to Him and into relationship with His people, e.g., Rahab and Ruth.

Jesus came to the Jewish people because their hearts and minds had been prepared through 2000 years of faith in God. The Gentile peoples had little or no preparation. They didn't know the history of God's attempt to call a people to himself, or about God's laws, his songs, his wisdom, or his prophecies, including the prophecy of the Messiah.

However, the Gentiles were destined to receive the grace of God as well. In the case of the Canaanite woman, she demonstrated faith in Jesus, a disposition not always found in Israel.

Note that the statement about giving the children's bread to the dogs is an idiomatic expression, not intended as an insult (and none was taken). The Jewish people were the children for whom the bread of the gospel had been prepared.

Cheers,

Bruce

Perhaps it could be Implied, in that Salvation was Always Opened to People who Simply BELIEVED God. "Abraham Believed God and it was Counted unto him for Righteousness".

This woman's faith was great primarily because it was faith in a great Savior: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David." She recognized in Jesus the Jewish Messiah. Though she herself was a Gentile, she believed that this great Jewish teacher and miracle worker was the promised Redeemer, the Son of David according to the flesh, come to fulfill God's promises to His people of old.

Her faith was great therefore because it was based upon the promises of God's written word, and it looked to the Savior there promised. This is the only kind of faith that can even begin to be great in any true sense.

Millions of people, however, profess to have this faith in some measure; yet they do not manifest the quality of faith manifested by the Syrophenician wonian — the faith that Jesus called great and that obtained the desired blessing.

Yes, if any had asked, even though they were gentiles, they would have been welcomed. In the Old Testament, Naaman was healed of Leprosy but was not one of the children of Israel. His link was a servant girl who knew of the prophet Elisha and told him he could be healed if he went to him and asked what could be done. There are also Rahab and Ruth who were not Israelites but were both not only welcomed but became part of the linage of Christ.

He was sent to the Canaanite woman because it did come to pass and Jesus Christ was the expressed will of God. This means that it takes even more faith and persistence for us non-Jews to believe. It takes the faith and persistence of the Canaanite woman for us to draw light from Heaven.

Jesus was the bright 'morning star'...the 'Amen'. Those that had faith in him had faith in God Almighty and those that saw him saw God...nothing came into existance except through the 'Word' who was in the beginning with God.

It takes time to preach but no time to heal.... by Jehovah God's good grace.

Psalms 82

8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Psalm 117

1O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

2For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

<<We know that salvation was for the Jew first....and then the Gentile (Romans 1)>>

For the Apostles... they first evangelized to the Jews and then the Gentiles, I'm not so sure that Jesus restritcted himself the same way that the Apostles did.

Secondly, even if he did... they had to see by his example that the Kingdom of God was for others besides just the Jews. How would they later come to that decision, concerning the Gentiles, if they had not at least seen Jesus show them by example?

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Those are my thoughts.