Jesus Begins To Move Towards The Gentiles (15:22-28).
Jesus now moves for safety and quiet towards Tyre and Sidon. There were many Jews in the area who had shown an interest in hearing Him (see Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17) and it may be that it was His intention to minister to them. But it may simply be that He was only wanting rest and quiet (Mark 7:24). Then, however, if we take His own words as genuinely representing His thinking, He had a ‘life-changing' experience. For He was approached by a Canaanite woman and her words brought home to Him that he must now expand His ministry. It appears that He realised from this experience that His Father was now showing Him that He must go among the Gentiles, (in fulfilment of Matthew 12:18; Matthew 12:21; Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6). It was not a question of having come to a decision and then changing His mind, but of a willingness to wait for an indication from the Father as to what He should do, something that we should all constantly do when facing difficult decisions, especially spiritual ones.
Analysis.
a And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, you son of David. My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon” (Matthew 15:22).
b But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she continually calls after us” (Matthew 15:23).
c And he answered and said, “I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
d But she came and worshipped him, saying, “Lord, help me” (Matthew 15:25).
c And he answered and said, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).
b But she said, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table” (Matthew 15:27).
a Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith. Be it done to you even as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour (Matthew 15:28).
Note that in ‘a' the woman pleads for the healing of her daughter, and in the parallel Jesus grants her healing in response to her faith. In ‘b' Jesus does not answer her and the disciples call for her to be sent away, and in the parallel her plea is the right to be heard and to come near because she is like a pet dog coming to its master's table. In ‘c' Jesus points out that He has come only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and in the parallel He points out that He has brought the children's bread which is not for others. Centrally in ‘d' she worships Him and cries, ‘Lord, help me'.