Thread by @JamesBejon

THREAD: Matt. 15.21-28. A woman’s great faith.

#WhenTheLackOfAnswerBecomesTheAnswer

Jesus has been engaged in ministry in Galilee (14.13-15.20).

In 15.21, he ‘withdraws’ (εξερχομαι) to Tyre and Sidon.

The vb. ‘withdraw’ suggests Jesus is in search of privacy,

which Mark confirms (7.24-25).

But Jesus does not in fact get much privacy in Tyre and Sidon.

He is instead confronted by a Canaanite woman,

who follows him around and ‘cries out’ (ptc. = sustained activity) after him.

Jesus’ response to the woman may come as a surprise to us

because Jesus does not actually respond to the woman (15.22-23)...

...or, put more precisely, because Jesus responds with silence.

But let us think more carefully about Jesus’ actions for a moment.

*Should* Jesus’ response to the Canaanite woman surprise us?

Is it odd or out of character for Jesus to respond in such a way?

It depends on how we view him.

Think about how God responds to our prayers.

Doesn’t God often respond to our prayers in (what appears to be) silence?

Don’t we often feel as if our prayers go unanswered?

And aren’t the Psalms replete with statements of that very fact (Psa. 10.1, 22.1-2, 42.9 cf. 43.2, 44.23-24, etc.)?

Before, then, we proceed any further with our question, let us consider a different one, viz.,

Why does God choose to answer many of our prayers with silence?

Well, God no doubt has his reasons,

which we may not be appropriately placed to comprehend at present,

but a couple of possibilities proffer themselves.

First, to remind us of God’s sovereignty.

God is under no obligation to answer our prayers--a fact which is not always front and centre in sermons on prayer but nonetheless worthy of note.

Prayer is not a right but a privilege,

and an immense one at that.

When God answers our prayers, he answers them out of his grace.

Second, to allow/cause us to exercise faith.

A world in which God immediately answered all our prayers would be one in which faith and perseverance were entirely unnecessary.

We would never need to trust in God’s wisdom,

nor would we ever need to persevere.

And, as a result, our faith would never grow.

(Think of how our confidence in God grows when we have asked him for something for many years, and it finally arrives at just the right time.)

These considerations help us understand Jesus’ response to the Canaanite woman.

Jesus knows exactly how things will ultimately turn out with the Canaanite woman.

His response of silence gives opportunity and cause for her to realise Jesus is under no obligation to help her,

and for her faith to *persevere* and reveal its true character.

(Genuine faith always perseveres.)

The rest of the passage can be understood in light of the same principle.

Jesus’ continued interaction with the Canaanite woman brings her faith to full flower

and teaches her about God’s sovereignty and grace.

Jesus’ final rebuttal also becomes the means by which the woman’s prayer is finally answered.

It is not appropriate, Jesus says, for him to take what he has come to give to Israel, God’s firstborn son,

and give it to others instead.

But the woman turns Jesus’ analogy to her advantage.

‘All I need’, she says, ‘is Israel’s leftovers’--the grace which Israel has already let fall to the floor.

The woman’s words are entirely consistent with God’s redemptive plans.

Throughout the OT, the Gentiles are able to enjoy crumbs from Israel’s table.

i.e., the overflow of God’s mercy and providence.

Indeed, our text resonates with the book of Ruth in a number of important ways.

In both the case of our Canaanite woman and of Ruth, we are confronted by a woman who is:

a] in great need,

b] moved by a desire to help her family,

c] outside of God’s covenant,

d] thrice turned away when she seeks to associate herself with Israel (cp. 15.23, 24, 26 w. Ruth 1.8, 11, 15),

e] content to glean Israel’s leftovers, and

f] ready to cast herself at the feet of an Israelite redeemer (cp. ιδου γυνη in both 15.22 and Ruth 3.8!) who has come to ‘thresh’ wheat in Israel (3.11-12).

#NoAccentsOnMyKeyboard (Sorry @lettlander)

And, just like Boaz--whose inclusion in Matthew’s genealogy is significant since it results in the inclusion of Ruth (1.5)--, Jesus grants the Canaanite woman in question her request,

and hence includes her among God’s people.

Final thoughts.

In contrast to the Israelites’ faith--which should have been great but is four times referred to as ‘little’ (8.26, 14.31, 16.18, 17.20)--, the Canaanite woman’s faith is ‘great’,

since she knew very little about Jesus yet had great confidence in him.

Question: Is our faith consonant with our level of knowledge?

The Canaanite woman’s faith is also a model of persistence.

It is not put off by the hurdles it needs to overcome.

It even leads the woman to kneel at the feet of a Jewish Messiah,

which would presumably have been seen as very undignified,

but the woman did not care.

Question: How much does it take to dissuade us from our confidence in God and in prayer?

A bad day at work? A few unanswered prayers?

Lord, grant us faith, and grant us to persevere!

The end.

P.S. Hopefully some more on Ruth some time soon...