Matthew 15:26 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Mark saith, Mark 7:27, Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet, &c. By the children here he means the Jews, by the dogs he means the heathen. The Jews are called the children of the kingdom. Israel is called God's son, his firstborn, Exodus 4:22. The apostle, Romans 9:4, saith, to them belonged the the adoption. By bread here our Saviour means the publication of the gospel, and the miracles by which the truth of the doctrine of it was confirmed; by dogs he means the heathen, whom the Jews did count as dogs, no members of the household of God: it was a term of contempt, 2 Samuel 3:8 2 Samuel 16:9 2 Kings 8:13. When our Saviour saith, It is not meet he means it is not just, nor equal. Objection: How came it then that the gospel was ever carried to the Gentiles? Mark expounds our Saviour's meaning, or rather gives us an account of our Saviour's words, more perfectly: Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet, &c. The Jews are God's children, a people whom he chose out of all the nations of the earth, to whom he gave many privileges; it is his will the gospel should be first preached to them, and then to the Gentiles. Gentiles are as dogs, of whom God hath not taken such a care; but they shall have their time. Only it is not consonant to my Father's will that the gospel, and the miracles by which it is confirmed, should be exhibited unto you Gentiles, till it hath been fully preached to the Jews, and they be first filled with the sound, and with the confirmations of it.