Matthew 15:23&24
"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 am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
This desperate woman of CANAAN has waited for the Messiah to come out of Israel. She is seeking out Jesus and praying the prayer every believer utters at some point in their life; "HAVE MERCY ON ME!" Her daughter is possessed by a demon and she knows it's only Jesus that can help her.
In today's verses we learn that this woman has been bothering the Disciples; "But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for SHE CRIETH after us. But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." AND! Jesus says His ministry is confined to the Jews! For the most part, this is TRUE. It was NOT until after Jesus's ascension that the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. Nonetheless, this “Syro-PhÅ“nician" woman not only knows about the Messiah, she believes better and stronger than many Jewish people!!!
This is problematic; the Disciples know and expect certain things from their Rabbi. The place she is from, Tyre and Sidon, have often led Israel into idolatry. How can they expect anything less from this woman who is a stranger to them?
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