WOMEN IN THE WORD: A CANAANITE MOTHER

In this series of Blogs, we’re highlighting strong women with strong faith.

To one woman, and only one woman, Jesus declared, “your faith is great” (Matthew 15:28). Who was this faith-filled woman? What was her name? What part did she play in the spread of the Gospel and the establishment of the church?

The nameless “woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth” (Mark 7:26), a “Canaanite” from the “area of Tyre and Sidon” (Matthew 15:21-22). The Bible records nothing about her, before or after this encounter. We’re just given this brief snapshot.

Note that this encounter occurred far to the northwest of Galilee along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Jesus had led His disciples away from the constant pressures of ministry in Israel to the Syrian port cities. Travelling incognito, “He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice” (Mark 7:24). Obviously, His reputation preceded Him. The Canaanite woman recognized Him immediately.

The woman’s plea mirrors that of Blind Bartimaeus. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47; Matthew 15:22). Like Bartimaeus, she understood that He was the Master, the “Lord” and that He was the rightful heir to David’s kingdom. Furthermore, she recognized that He alone could offer miraculous “mercy.”

Much has been said about their short conversation. At first, Jesus ignored her. “Jesus did not say a word to her” (Matthew 15:23). She persisted, “knelt before him, and said, ‘Lord, help me!’ ” (Matthew 15:25). Jesus “answered, ‘It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs’ ” (Mattthew 15:26). Jesus wasn’t being inordinately rude. He wasn’t calling her a dog. He was simply using a common slang in reference to Gentiles. In faith, the Gentile mother persisted still more. “Yes, Lord … yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:27).

Can you see the smile spread across the Master’s face? “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want”(Matthew 15:28).

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).