There are three passages that stood out to me as I read through this chapter.
The Pharisees had just come to Jesus about his disciples. Now the disciples come to Jesus about the Pharisees. In some ways they are doing the very thing the Pharisees were doing. "Jesus, there is a problem here with these people and it needs to be fixed." Hadn't anyone heard the earlier parables about the seed, the sower and the soil, or the weeds among the wheat? Jesus answer is directly tied back to those parables. "Leave it alone. I'll take care of it in the end." There are people we can't fix and people we shouldn't try to fix. Sometimes it really is our problem, but sometimes they just aren't ready to hear.
Is it ever okay to contradict Jesus? We have often made much of the disciples contradictory expression, "No Lord." But here is a Canaanite woman that replies to Jesus' "no" with a "yes." Jesus says, "It is not right..." The woman responds, "Yes it is." Her response is a contradiction of humility and faith, not fear or arrogance. That's what makes the difference. Jesus may have chided his disciples when they contradicted him out of fear, or the Pharisees when they contradicted him out of arrogance. God, however, honored Moses when he said, "If you won't go with us then we're not going," and he honored this woman when she said, "Jesus, you are wrong." The difference was faith and humility, in contrast to fear and arrogance.
The disciples had just watched Jesus heal people all day long but they can't figure out where he'll come up with enough food to feed them. I'm beginning to think this chapter is about faith. It has often been said that seeing is believing, but I'm not so sure that's true. The Pharisees saw, but they were more concerned about their traditions. The disciples saw, but they were more concerned about what the Pharisees thought, and where they were going to come up with their next meal. The woman who contradicted Jesus doesn't appear to have seen anything. She just knows Jesus is her only hope, and believes he can help.
Father, I've been a believer for a long time, but I have to admit that my faith is often more like the disciples than like the Canaanite woman. Forgive me for my fear and my arrogance. Today may I walk in humble faith.
Matthew 15:12-14 NIV
Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Matthew 15:26-27 NIV
He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
Is it ever okay to contradict Jesus? We have often made much of the disciples contradictory expression, "No Lord." But here is a Canaanite woman that replies to Jesus' "no" with a "yes." Jesus says, "It is not right..." The woman responds, "Yes it is." Her response is a contradiction of humility and faith, not fear or arrogance. That's what makes the difference. Jesus may have chided his disciples when they contradicted him out of fear, or the Pharisees when they contradicted him out of arrogance. God, however, honored Moses when he said, "If you won't go with us then we're not going," and he honored this woman when she said, "Jesus, you are wrong." The difference was faith and humility, in contrast to fear and arrogance.
Matthew 15:33 NIV
His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"
The disciples had just watched Jesus heal people all day long but they can't figure out where he'll come up with enough food to feed them. I'm beginning to think this chapter is about faith. It has often been said that seeing is believing, but I'm not so sure that's true. The Pharisees saw, but they were more concerned about their traditions. The disciples saw, but they were more concerned about what the Pharisees thought, and where they were going to come up with their next meal. The woman who contradicted Jesus doesn't appear to have seen anything. She just knows Jesus is her only hope, and believes he can help.
Father, I've been a believer for a long time, but I have to admit that my faith is often more like the disciples than like the Canaanite woman. Forgive me for my fear and my arrogance. Today may I walk in humble faith.
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