I do not know about you, but I always wince when I read the following words of Jesus: “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs” (vs 26). He is speaking to the Canaanite woman who has asked him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. The pagan Canaanites are thereby contrasted with the Jews upon whom Jesus’ ministry is focused (“The lost sheep of the house of Israel” as Jesus states in verse 24). Now, it is possible that Jesus is speaking somewhat affectionately of the Canaanites, as he uses the word kynarion, which is a diminutive, meaning “puppy.” Thus, he may be
contrasting lost sheep (farm animals) with household pets, which softens these words considerably. Or, perhaps Jesus simply uses a standard Jewish pejorative term for Canaanites, but with a twinkle in his eyes, using language that she would expect in order to solicit an honest reaction from her (the words “dogs” being, in effect, within air quotes).
Regardless, the woman persists. And it is in her persistence that her faith is revealed. For, one should note, she says and does nothing that indicates faith in the more obvious sense. There is no great confession of Jesus’ divinity; no messianic allusions; no worship of him. Yet, her persistence, as one scholar puts it, is a “Plea for the revelation of God’s ruling activity in Jesus’ actions.” In other words, she seeks Jesus’ mercy (eleēson, a verb), and knows (believes, trusts!) that it will be forthcoming. It is a persistence that breaks down the distance (physical, spiritual, relational) that exists between Jews and pagans; that puts her daughter’s ritual cleanliness aside for the sake of life and wholeness; and is within the context of a woman (a pagan woman!) taking the spiritual initiative.
And, while the focus here is on context, notice the preceding encounter – that of Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes. In that exchange, Jesus teaches that ritual defilement is nothing compared with moral defilement:
Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile” (vs. 17-20).
At this, as the disciples point out to Jesus, “The Pharisees took offense” (vs. 12), because therein Jesus accuses the cream of the Jewish crop of having closed minds and hearts. They are spiritually blind, and as such they are a danger to the people who look to them as faith leaders: “… they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit” (vs. 14). The disciples do not understand this parable (a “parable” in the sense of a proverb or epigram, or māŝāl as the Hebrew would put it). Subsequently, and in the starkest of contrasts, the Canaanite woman – as
far from the crème de la crème as one can possibly imagine – does possess an open mind, an open heart, and eyes of faith through which to seek who Jesus truly is. And in response, she receives the greatest affirmation Jesus offers anyone in the Gospels: “Woman, great is your faith!”
