- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,543
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. March 7:26-28
Jesus was often a shrewd teacher. He didn't only teach the person in front of Him. Just as often, He was also teaching those who were standing around observing and scrutinizing Him. The disciples wanted this woman to go away because she was an embarrassment, a Gentile excluded from the promise of a Jewish Messiah.
For the disciples' ears, Jesus intentionally compared her to a dog--and a few Jewish heads must have nodded. Yeah, that's right. She's not one of us. But the mother was undeterred, and because of her faith this "dog" received the miracle she asked for! What a lesson to the disciples: a dog with faith is better than man with only a Jewish last name.
Faith is the only thing that impresses God. No family history or heritage matters; not the denomination or church you grew up in. Faith alone puts you in touch with the Savior.
Prayer: Father, count me a dog if necessary, but a dog of faith.
Jesus was often a shrewd teacher. He didn't only teach the person in front of Him. Just as often, He was also teaching those who were standing around observing and scrutinizing Him. The disciples wanted this woman to go away because she was an embarrassment, a Gentile excluded from the promise of a Jewish Messiah.
For the disciples' ears, Jesus intentionally compared her to a dog--and a few Jewish heads must have nodded. Yeah, that's right. She's not one of us. But the mother was undeterred, and because of her faith this "dog" received the miracle she asked for! What a lesson to the disciples: a dog with faith is better than man with only a Jewish last name.
Faith is the only thing that impresses God. No family history or heritage matters; not the denomination or church you grew up in. Faith alone puts you in touch with the Savior.
Prayer: Father, count me a dog if necessary, but a dog of faith.
