Please explain Jesus comments to the Canaanite woman & her reply.
Jesus came for Israel. His mission was to come for the lost sheep of Israel. But as we see with the canaanite woman and Roman centurion He always recognized humble faith.
It is harsh to our ears to hear the Lord of mercy call a woman pleading for her child a dog, but that common parlance for the Jews concerning gentiles. (See Psalm 22:14) It was not a nice thing to say, but I think it also a test of her faith which she shows by her reply that even dogs get scraps.
Upon hearing this Jesus identifies her faith as genuine (think Luke and the persistent neighbor who will not cease not knock until you rise and give him bread) and He heals her daughter for her faith.
It is a strange story to our 21C ears, but within the context of its time it is amazing that Jesus even spoke to her much less helped her and it shows the mercy of the Lord.
Remember, much like the woman at the well.
Jewish men did not speak to…
foreigners… women… unclean peoples
We see Jesus broke these rules both with this woman and with the woman at the well. So to us they seem unsympathetic, but to the first audience of the Gospels these would have shocking examples of the grace of our Lord
God Bless
