Off and on for about the last 10 years I've taught an adult Sunday School class when we are not on the road in the RV. One of the best things about teaching is that I learn the most. For me, it takes several hours of preparation to have a 40 minute lesson ready on Sunday. I like to teach from the Adult Bible series material so I don't actually pick the weekly topic. Some of them are so boring even I want to yawn my way through but most are fairly interesting. Once every so often a lesson just really turns me on and this past Sunday's lesson was one of those. The scripture was Matthew 15:21-28. I've read this story before but I really didn't like it at all! I for sure would not have chosen this one to use as the basis for my class but, oh, I'm so happy they did. Here's what I learned.
The story begins as Jesus and His disciples are going to the region of Tyre and Sidon for some R&R. While there a woman approches and asks Him to heal her daughter. The daughter is possessed by a demon and is suffering terribly. Pretty usual story for Jesus up to this point. But here's where it gets tricky. When she approches Jesus with her request, what do you think His response will be? Well, His responses was stoney silence. Not one word. So the disciples step in and say, "Get rid of her. She keeps crying out to us." In other words, she was annoying them so they wanted her gone. They weren't concerned about her or her misery; just give us some peace and quiet. It's about this point in the story that I usually get uncomfortable and confused; well, actually I get angry. Jesus and His disciples are not treating her with the compassion and love I've come to expect of Him. And I'm really not prepared for what comes next.
When the disciples tell Him to get rid of her, Jesus says, "I have come only to the lost sheep of Israel." Now I don't know about you but as a Gentile, and a Methodist one at that, I've loved Jesus a long time and to learn now that he really came only to "the lost sheep of Israel" hurts my feelings because I just don't fit into that category! It would be about here that I'd tuck tail and run if I were her but not this woman. She humbles herself further by falling prostrate before Him and saying, "Lord, help me." Surely He will help her now. He's healed the multitudes and fed the poor and raised the dead and not all of them were jews! Hold onto your hat for His answer to her request this time: "It would not be right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.: My mouth flies open here! Say it isn't so!!! He did not just call her a dog and refuse her again. ....But He did. Here's where my new understand comes in. I think one very important thing Jesus is doing here is teaching the disciples by role playing for them. You see, He knows what the disciples are thinking and what is in their heart. He also knows what is in the heart and mind of the woman so she gets a test and the disciples get a lesson. Jesus had spent a lot of time trying to teach the disciples that His kingdom was all about loving God and loving people. Even the disciples expected the Messiah to come in power and might and use a sword to defeat Israel's enemies and raise them up in status for the world to see. What Jesus came to do and what the disciple ---and others---thought He came to do where just not matching up very well. The disciples were still bound to the rules of the old Mosiac Law, tradition, and prejudices. Those old traditions told them that this Gentile woman was not worth their time and effort! She is a pagan Gentile and not just a Gentile but Matthew tells us she is a Cannonite; probably the most hated of the Gentiles. So, I think Jesus is saying back to them what He knows they are thinking in their hearts:"I have come only to the lost sheep of Israel" because that's what the disciples really wanted Him to be. "It would not be right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs" because that's really what is going on in the disciples' minds. They don't give a hoot about this woman? They just want her to go away. In a way, I think Jesus is using a little sarcasm here. Might be similar to this: A child tells us we are too old to understand and then come to us with a question expecting us to give them good advice and comfort. Our response could be, "But you said I'm too old to understand." Maybe I'm just seeing it that way because I have such a sarcastic sense of humor but it works for me and I think it works here.
This woman gives the disciples a lesson in breaking down old barrier but also a great lesson in faith. If you remember, Jesus was at times exasperated with the disciples because of their little faith. Every time He had given them a test in faith, they failed. so, let's take a look at the rest of the story. When Jesus said it would not be right to take the children's bread and throw it out to the dogs, she said, "Yes, Lord. But even the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the Master's table." Did you hear that???? She's saying, "just give me the crumbs. I'm sure you have enough of that bread of life to give me just a few crumbs." She has the faith that even the crumbs from Jesus' table will be enough for all her needs. WOW! Just give me the crumbs. Amen.
Well, if you know the rest of the story you know that Jesus tells her, "Woman, your faith is great!" And the demon was removed from her daughter that very hour. Can you imagine the look on the faces of the disciples? Can you see the light bulbs go off in their mind/heart? As for me, this story has become a favorite! I'll never wipe crumbs from my table again that I don't think of this woman and her story. First thing this morning I told Jesus, "I'll take your crumbs today, please. Just shower them all over me. And thank You."
I'll be doing that often from now on.
