The Canaanite woman and JESUS (P4): the answers

Ohayou (おはよう) my dear! Magandang umaga sent! "Now may the GOD of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 15:13, NKJV) If you don't spend quality time with GOD, how will He fill you? GOD fills us through faith. If you are not interested in what He says, in what is written, how will you have faith? If you do not have faith, how will you be able to exercise your spiritual gifts? If you do not exercise your gifts, how will His power be revealed?

"So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." (Psalms 78:72, NKJV) Be upright, wise, and intelligent.

4. The answers

❖ (Mark 7:24-30, NKJV): "24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But JESUS said to her, " Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 28 And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, LORD, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs." 29 Then He said to her, " For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter." 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed."

❖ (Matthew 15:21-28, NKJV): "21 Then JESUS went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, 'Have mercy on me, O LORD, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.' 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "LORD, help me!" 26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 27 And she said, "Yes, LORD, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then JESUS answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour."

What do you think of JESUS' first response? The devil tried to sow deceitful thoughts, but he failed! I know JESUS. I have a personal relationship with GOD. I know that GOD is love and truth (1 John 4:7-9, 2 Samuel 7:28, John 17:17, John 14:6). He has compassion on those who suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3, Psalm 86:16; Psalm 116:5). He shows mercy to those who repent (1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13, Luke 5:32). He allows himself to be found by those who seek him (Jeremiah 29:13-14). And above all, I know that out of love, JESUS gave himself for me (Romans 5:8, John 3:16). You don't give your life for others if you don't love them. Human beings can pretend. But not JESUS, not GOD. Certainly, His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). But He always has plans for peace and not for evil (Jeremiah 29:11). His will is always good. Nothing can separate me from the love of GOD (Romans 8:38-39). Hallelujah!

I said to myself, either the translation is inaccurate, or I didn't understand. I reread the text in different Bibles. I checked the Greek words in Strong's dictionary. There is no mistake. So I sat down and began to think. Of course, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me. Did you do the same exercise as me? What did you understand? Beloved, when you don't understand what God is saying, ask Him to help you understand. The Father is your father (John 1:12). Jesus is your big brother (Romans 8:29). The HOLY SPIRIT is your guardian (John 14:26).

Let's go back to JESUS' answer.

• "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24, NKJV)

• "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." (Mark 7:27, NKJV)

First, he says that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 🙂 It is not he who decides, but the one who sent him! The criteria are not feelings, race, or gender. It is a matter of order and priority. The people in covenant with GOD are his priority.

Second, he tells her to wait until the lost sheep of Israel have been fed. He tells her to wait, but he does not tell her for how long. He does not tell her how long it will take. He does not tell her what she should do while she waits.

Then he says that it is not right to take bread from children and throw it to dogs. In this context, the expression "little dogs" is not meant to be derogatory. Little dogs are pets that live in their master's house and play with their master's children. They are animals that their master cares for and rarely parts with. They are animals that their master and children are fond of.

The master's servants prepare food for the children. When the children have eaten their fill, the servants prepare food for the pets and feed them. Very often, the children ask that the little dogs be served at the same time as them, give them part of their meal themselves, or drop crumbs for them. Sometimes the servants give the little dogs the leftovers from the little children's meals. Or they use the leftovers from the children's meals to prepare food for the little dogs. However, little dogs are little dogs, not little children. They need a special diet or a different dosage. For example, little children can eat vegetables, but little dogs cannot always do so. Little children can eat vegetables and bread for several days in a row. This is not the case for little dogs.

JESUS did not say that there is not enough bread. He said that it is not good to give the bread of little children to little dogs. He was talking about the children's bread. My question is: it is not good for whom? While searching on Google, I read that bread is not recommended for puppies and dogs in general. These animals can eat bread, but in very small quantities and, above all, not on a regular basis.

All this woman knew was that JESUS saves, JESUS heals, JESUS has compassion, JESUS is LORD, and JESUS is the son of David. She called him LORD, Son of David. Yet she was not Jewish. JESUS is the Christ, the Messiah, and the Son (or offspring) of David. He is the fulfillment of the prophecy about a descendant of David (Isaiah 11:1-5, 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Romans 15:12, Zechariah 8:23). By calling him "LORD," she was saying that she was aware of his divinity. Therefore, of his authority and power. In other words, she was saying: I know what you are capable of, I know you can save my daughter, I know what GOD the FATHER can do through you. By calling him "Son of David," she was saying: I know you are the Messiah, the deliverer appointed and sent by GOD the FATHER to free the captives (Luke 4:18).

🙂 So she replied:

• "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs." (Mark 7:28, NKJV)

• "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." (Matthew 15:27, NKJV)

She said, "Yes, Lord." Then she said, "but the little dogs (are) under the table." Then she added, "the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table..."

In other words, she said to him, "I am not addressing the man JESUS but the LORD JESUS. You are LORD. A crumb of your bread is enough to save my daughter. I just need a word. One word from you and she is saved. I am not asking you to change your priorities or organize an evangelism campaign in my city. Under the current regime (the law), my daughter and I are little dogs. In the future regime (grace), we will be little children. But we are under the table. We can eat the crumbs that fall from the table."

In her place, another person might have reacted differently. If you are that other person whose faith needs to grow, whose faith is not firm. If you are that other person who thinks that GOD owes you something because you are an intercessor, a prophetess, a pastor's child, an apostle's wife, the one who gave the biggest offering, the one who fasts every week, etc. If you are that bitter, envious, and jealous person who thinks that it is because of others that GOD does not bless you. If you are that person who rejects GOD because of the bad behavior of certain people. If you are that person who has been lied to, saying that GOD only loves Jews, whites, Africans. If you are that person whom the devil has lied to, saying that this woman of GOD, this man of GOD only prays for people of his race. If you are that person who has been told that if you don't come with an offering, no one will pray for you. If you are that person who thinks that a servant of GOD must lay hands on you. If you are that person who has not yet understood that we are in the new covenant. If you are one of those people, I strongly encourage you to read again and meditate on this story.

JESUS replied:

• "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter." (Mark 7:29, NKJV)

• "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." (Matthew 15:28, NKJV)

  
  

I say to someone, When GOD tests your faith, well, pass the test. Have the right attitude. Listen, read, and meditate on His word until it resonates in your heart. Until faith is born and it is firm (Romans 10:17). It will be done to you according to your faith.

❖ (Matthew 15:29-31, NKJV): "29 JESUS departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at JESUS' feet, and He healed them. 31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the GOD of Israel."

After meeting with the Syro-Phoenician woman, JESUS left that place and went to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. From what we read, He did not meet anyone else. Beloved, there will be times when GOD moves you for one person. GOD will not always bring crowds to you. Some encounters are not meant for crowds. JESUS met a woman who had great faith. She was one person. 🙂 But for more than 2,000 years, this woman's faith has been an inspiration to millions, even billions of people. => Just because it's one person doesn't mean it's not important. Just because it starts with one person doesn't mean it will end with one person. Just because it seems insignificant doesn't mean it's not important. Just because it starts small doesn't mean it will stay small.

Just because we don't know your name doesn't mean GOD doesn't know you. Just because you are an Arab, Asian, Persian woman, or whatever, doesn't mean you don't matter. Just because you live in a persecuted territory doesn't mean it doesn't matter. On the contrary, because you believe, because you stand firm, it matters. You are not alone, you will not remain alone. You are the one who stands up so that others may have the audacity, the courage, and the faith to stand up. You matter. Your faith matters. Your life matters. Your destiny matters.

** Ohayō (おはよう) / Ohayou gozaimasu/ohayou = Good morning in Japanese

** Magandang umaga = Good morning in Tagalog