Crumbs to the Dogs

The Point of the Gospel

Healing

{Matthew} Two blind men followed Jesus and called to him. “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” (This is more a title that shows belief that Jesus is David’s descendant and the one to come.)

Jesus asked, “You believe I can heal you?” They said yes and he laid fingers on their eyes. “On account of your faith, you will be healed.” He restored their sight and warned them to tell no one, but they spread the story.

A man possessed by a demon that left him mute was brought to Jesus. After the demon had been driven out, the man spoke and amazed the crowd. They said, “We’ve never seen anything like this in Israel.”

But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the power of the prince of demons.”

Deaf and Mute Man {Mark}

Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee into the Decapolis region. People brought him a deaf man who could talk little and begged Jesus to heal him. Jesus led the man away from the crowd, placed fingers into the man’s ears then spit and touched the man’s tongue. He gazed to heaven and said, “Be opened.” The healed man began to speak clearly. Jesus commanded the crowd to tell no one, but overwhelmed and amazed at everything he could do, they talked all the more.

Faith of the Canaanite Woman {Matthew and Mark}

Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon ({Mark} secretly went to a house in Tyre but his presence became known). A Canaanite woman begged him for mercy. ({Mark} A Greek woman fell at Jesus’ feet.)

Jesus ignored her and the disciples said, “She won’t stop pleading. Send her away.”

Jesus said, “I have come only for the lost sheep of Israel. It’s wrong to toss the children’s bread to their dogs.”

“Yes, Lord,” the woman said, “but the dogs are allowed the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

{Matthew} “Woman, you have great faith. Your plea is answered.”{Mark} “For such an answer, the demon is gone.” She went home and her daughter was free from the demon.

Personal Thought: I’ve never seen any commentator, books or other media, tackle this passage except to say Jesus intended to show that faith trumped ethnicity. True—but give the children’s bread to their dogs? Wow. While no doubt that was the prejudice of the time (maybe still today?), I have a really hard time reconciling these words to the Savior.