Lilac Ministries

Bible Study Lessons

January 27, 2008 Depth

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

This month we have explored characteristics of spiritual leadings. Today we studied “depth,” starting with Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 10:16 that we are to be as shrewd (wise) as serpents and as gentle as doves. Our focus was the conversation between Jesus and the Canaanite woman (often identified as the Syro-Phoenician woman).

On the surface, this conversation is disturbing. How is it that (gentle) Jesus could call the woman a dog? Wasn’t this Greek-speaking mother acting out of the same compassion we had seen in Jairus, last week? Historically speaking, Jews had no obligation to help Gentiles. In fact, the law was seen as actually PRESCRIBING (requiring) a turn-the-back approach to Gentiles, regardless of their needs. Was Jesus condoning this practice?

Interestingly, the woman didn’t defend herself. Perhaps we could say that she was wise enough to “play the game.” She accepted the cultural judgment of who she was - or seemed to accept it - but she turned the judgment into an “argument” in her favor: “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the children’s table.” And in this very “argument,” she expressed her faith that even a crumb of or from the Bread of Life would be enough to heal her daughter. And Christ does not disappoint her. As one member of our group pointed out, “How awesome that the God of the whole universe would compliment her faith!”

Was this a conversation between Jesus and a Canaanite woman? Yes, but it was more than that. Jesus honored the woman by NOT sending her away, by speaking to her in public (this was simply not DONE), and by giving her the desire of her heart. He also “spoke to” the disciples, challenging their firmly engrained perspective that the Messiah was to save and heal only the Jews. And Jesus “spoke to” the crowd, countering the cultural norms of disdain by showing love, even while calling to account what was going on in the minds of those who found themselves perhaps unexpectedly “listening.”

Spiritual leadings (movements of the Spirit) have depth. Their many layers surprise us, challenge us, and accomplish more than we might have thought possible.