Pentecost 13

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

SEASON: Pentecost 13
PROPER: 15A
PLACE: St. John’s Episcopal Church, Kingsville
DATE: August 15, 2002


TEXT: Matthew 15:21-28 - She (The Syro-Phoenician woman) said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table

ISSUE: This passage is one of the most unique events in Matthew, if not in all of the gospel accounts. Jesus is seen as successfully challenged by the Syro-Phoenician woman, who causes Jesus to make the change between a ministry exclusively for the lost sheep of Israel, and a ministry for all people. It reflects the struggle of the early church to become more inclusive in its mission and ministry.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This passage from the Gospel account of Matthew is probably one of the most unique and fascinating events in all of Matthew. When Jesus selected his twelve disciples he directed them not to enter any Gentile territories or any Samaritan towns. “Instead,” he said, “You are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go and preach, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near!’ Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons.” It was a very clear command to carry their ministry to the Jewish community without entering Canaanite or Gentile territories. (Matthew 10:6) The church leadership at its earliest beginnings appears to have set its sights on an exclusive ministry to the first Jewish-Christians, at least within Matthew’s largely Jewish community. The Gentile woman comes to Jesus requesting mercy for a demon-possessed daughter. At first Jesus ignores her. Then, he responds, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” That is, it is not appropriate to take what belongs to the Chosen People of God, give it to Gentile dogs.” The response seems incredibly out of character.
It is helpful to understand the culture of the time, to set this story in perspective. Apparently there may have been an immediate concern for bringing the Gospel message of Jesus to the Jewish people first. After all, Jesus himself was Jewish. It seemed somewhat appropriate to keep the mission limited to Judaism until after his death and resurrection so that the message of Jesus as the Christ could be more effectively proclaimed. In this story, however, Jesus is the one who crosses over the border into Tyre and Sidon, major Gentile coastal cities. His reputation for healing must have preceded him.
A Syro-phoenician woman, a Gentile, woman chases after Jesus saying most respectfully to him, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. Keep in mind this was a public place, and woman did not normally address strange men in public and vice versa. Thus, Jesus ignores her. The woman persists in her efforts to get Jesus’ attention. The disciples demand Jesus to send her away, because of her persistence. So Jesus turns to the woman and finally says: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Still the woman persists, “Have mercy on me.” Jesus responds with the terrible response, calling the woman a dog, which was the way in which Jews referred to Gentile woman, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” This response is hardly a kind one, and it is very hard to think of Jesus or even his disciples as making this kind of a remark.
The woman has honored Jesus giving him an honorable title, Lord and Son of David. She has been persistent is asking for mercy, and healing for the daughter. Jesus dishonors her and puts her in her dishonorable place by referring to her as a dog. But the woman make the more powerful retort still maintaining a respectful response: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters’ table.” Jesus has absolutely no come back. It is the only place in the Gospels where Jesus is challenged that he does not have a come back, or an appropriate riposte. She got him! She wins the challenge! Jesus has been stumped . . . . . . by a Gentile dog woman! ‘Even us gentile woman dogs (bitches) are willing to accept the crumbs of love, mercy, and compassion that drop from the Lord’s table.’ Jesus praises the woman for her faith. He praises her actually for her loyalty, her persistence. In spite of his cultural reluctance, the woman continues to maintain the assurance that Jesus is a man of God, Lord, and will eventually grant her request.
Strange as the story may seem to us, What might it mean? I suggest that the person of Jesus in this story is himself seen as the early Jewish-Christian community surrounded by a closely knit group that is still operating with fairly strict boundaries. But the time has come for the early church to break free and move beyond its secure territories to a wider ministry where there is great need for restoration and hope. Jesus, the early church has to begin breaking down barriers. Jesus, the early church must now change its mind and tactics and see the greater wider human need. The old purity rules need to be set aside, and the comfortable boundaries of familiarity need to be challenged. In the churches early exclusive mission, the time has come to reclaim what the coming of the savior, and the coming of human deliverance would mean.
The Hebrew Scripture from Isaiah read this morning makes it very clear. (Isaiah 56:1-7) “Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people.’ And do not let the eunuch say, ‘I am just a dry tree.’”
“For thus says the Lord to the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, ‘I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. . . . . . for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.’”
In this story Jesus and the early church is shamed. The church must now cross boundaries into new territories and with new attitudes. Their old prejudices and purity laws need revising. All the left over crumbs that fell from the five loaves and two need now to be distributed! God’s domain has been greatly expanded. It tells us that Jesus was terribly human himself, and that he had to change. It reveals once again the imperative that the church of God is a mission to human need and a way to God’s redeeming love, healing, and consolation.
If Jesus could be changed then we too may well need some changing. We need to hear the cries of those on the other side of the stained glass windows that are often security against the outside world and human need. We have to embrace all human beings as brothers and sisters and as the children of God, and what’s more we sometimes have new things to learn from others. As the Episcopal Church begins a companion relationship with the Lutheran church, and as we explore even new relations with the Methodist Church, we are all going to be both expanded and changed. It is not just our relationship with other Christian denominations, but we are going to have to develop better relations with Judaism and Islam. They may not see everything the way we do, but they do have a relationship with God the Father as we do.
These are very troubled times on the world scene. And all the understanding and respect that we can achieve between the people of God will be to a worldwide advantage of understanding, justice, and peace. May God spare us from going back to war with Iraq! We have too much to gain from seeking peaceful ways to resolve differences and finding ways to convert and challenge terror and dictatorship without creating suffering for the innocent masses, who need healing and restoration from the evil spiritedness of the world, and the demon possessed.
We have much to gain from relationships with all other people, African Americans, Asian peoples, Native Americans, Islamic folk. We might also learn something from gays and lesbians, from the poor, the lonely, and the oppressed. Arrogance has no place in Christianity, only the openness respecting the dignity of every human being. Crossing the boundaries with openness may open for us a whole new world of understanding and peace. Entering into the pain and suffering of others may encourage us to be more courageous about our missions as people of Jesus Christ. It seems rather clear that if Jesus could be changed, if the brand of early Christianity could be changed, then so might our prejudices be changed in our time.