9/9/13

From Jim McGuiggan... Matthew 15:21-28: A little Canaanite woman

Matthew 15:21-28: A little Canaanite woman

Jesus entered the region of an old enemy of Israel. The old Phoenician kingdom centred in Tyre and Sidon came under the rule of Ethbaal, a priest of Astarte who slew his royal predecessor and was father of an infamous daughter, the princess of Sidon, Jezebel. She married Ahab, ruled the roost, turned Israel to Baal worship and scared the fearless Elijah witless. She's listed as among the great evils of Ahab (1 Kings 16). The passing years had made a difference, of course, but old memories and old enmities die hard and live long. Jews cared little for non-Jews but they harboured special feelings toward Samaritans and Sidonians (even if they were Greeks—see Mark 7:26).
Matthew reduces the entire incident to the truths he wants to stress. Jesus, in whom the kingdom of God was being revealed, entered this "foreign" region and before you know it ("suddenly" says the JB or "just then" says the NRSV on 15:22—the Greek has "look") there's a woman (apparently) following them all the way into some house (see Mark 7:24-30). As she follows she keeps calling on Jesus, the son of David (a Messianic title), to show her mercy in connection with her daughter.
Jesus keeps moving and says not a word to her. The disciples grow tired of her and repeatedly (an imperfect tense is used) ask him to, "send her away, for she keeps crying out after us" (15:23). Jesus responds to that remark in 15:24 and he is not addressing the woman; he's speaking to the disciples, so we have to wonder at the "but" with which 15:24 begins. The NIV and NRSV ignore the "but" though it's not ignored—and shouldn't be—by the KJV and others.
Here's the little problem. If they say, "Chase her away" and Jesus says, "But I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" it's a little difficult to understand his response to them. Some versions ignore the "but" and allow us to think he's addressing the woman. In other words, the disciples say chase her away and Jesus does just that by telling her he wasn't sent to help the likes of her.
But we have no reason to think Jesus was speaking to her (note the opening of 15:23). Most and perhaps all the versions have the disciples saying, "Chase her away" or something like it but that makes it difficult to understand him if he is speaking to them and when we allow the "but" to stand. "But I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" makes little sense if he's speaking to them. 
I think it's better to understand that they were implying that he should grant her request so that they could be done with her. [The word used for "send away" is also used to mean release or free or loose (it's used of Barabbas) or of forgiveness. See Matthew 18:27 and Luke 13:12 where it is used of a woman "loosed" from her illness.]
Whatever we make of the word used, Jesus' response to the disciples' repeated request seems to suggest that they wanted him to give her what she kept asking for. He reminded them that his mission was to Israel. They knew that, of course, and were glad of it; but they knew he had healed a Gentile centurion's servant. Still, they had no heart for this situation because if they wanted her freed from her suffering (due to her daughter's illness) it was only so they could be rid of her.
Finally the woman gets to him and kneels before him asking for help (15:25). He tells her it isn't right to take the children's food and give it to the dogs. We read that and take offence (sort of) but Matthew records it without any sense that there's rudeness in it; he isn't embarrassed in any way by Jesus. Jesus isn't implying that she or those like her are in a class with dogs. He insists on Israel's primary place in the unfolding drama of redemption—he was never embarrassed about that truth either (compare John 4:22 for a tonally important text).
Still, though he isn't insulting her he's provoking her, knowing that she's up to it. She makes it clear that she doesn't want "the children" to be left without food—she would just like some of the crumbs that fall around the table while the children are being fed. "I'll settle for the crumbs," she shrewdly and passionately responds.
Why is he making it difficult for this woman? We need to bear in mind that she might not have thought he was doing that; because she had love for a suffering daughter that made all apparent racial slurs, racial enmity, needling remarks, or whatever, feel like no burden at all (compare Genesis 29:18-20). But she had more than that and Jesus knew it! He had met another couple of foreigners, a centurion and a woman of (probably) ill-repute and a Samaritan into the bargain and both of them showed remarkable faith. They showed faith that should have made proud Jews feel ashamed. And here is another foreigner that proud Jews wanted rid off—a nuisance at best, they thought her to be. But Jesus provokes her and brings out before their eyes what was really in her.
Had she come and politely asked for help and been given it with hardly a word exchanged we would never have known—nor would the proud Jewish disciples—that this woman indeed had "great faith". I don't believe he worked with the woman as he did, to teach her a lesson of patience and fine stubbornness (see Luke 18:1-8) though she would have learned that. He didn't commend her for her patience or stubbornness. He commended her for her great faith. Once again "the children" had seen that someone outside the family had shown such faith in Jesus as would embarrass a host of Israelites. (This "foreign" element is prominent in Matthew along with the "Israel first" notion. It culminates in Matthew 28:19, and see 8:10-13.)
Let me repeat: Jesus doesn't commend her for her love of her daughter, her patience or her willingness to put up with jibes though all those were in her. He commends her for believing that the God who sent this Saviour to Israel to feed his children would not begrudge crumbs to a needy non-family member. She believed that the God who was now showing his reign in Jesus of Nazareth and showing his faithful love to his children would know how she felt about her child. She believed that God was so showing his power in and through Jesus that just the crumbs or scraps from his table would be more than adequate for her needs.
This remarkable faith was brought out into the open by Christ's prodding. Israel had much to learn from such a woman and Christ saw to it that they got the message. Christ was for the world and not just Israel! And many outside of Israel would have a vision of Jesus that Israel would have been jealous of.
And, anyway, who's to say he wasn't smiling as he bandied words with her?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... True Friends And False Friends (Galatians 4:16-20)



                     "THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS"

                True Friends And False Friends (4:16-20)

INTRODUCTION

1. Friends can be a wonderful blessing...
   a. A source of comfort in times good and bad - Pr 17:17
   b. A source of good counsel - Pr 27:9

2. It is not always easy to know who your true friends are...
   a. Sometimes a true friend tells you what you don't want to hear
   b. Sometimes a false friend tells you what you do want to hear

3. In writing to the Galatians, Paul found it necessary to remind them
   of that truth...
   a. As he defended the gospel of justification by faith in Christ
   b. As he battled against the influence of those who sought to bind
      the Law of Moses

[In the course of reasoning with the Galatians on sentimental grounds,
Paul has some things to say about "True Friends And False Friends" (Ga
4:16-20).  We can glean from Paul's words that...]

I. TRUE FRIENDS SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR

   A. THEY WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH...
      1. Even if it makes them your enemy - Ga 4:16
      2. Even when the tone hurts - Ga 4:20
      -- Paul had been a true friend to his brethren

   B. YOU NEED TRUE FRIENDS...
      1. When hearing the gospel of Christ
         a. Who will tell you the full gospel as preached by Christ and
            His apostles - Mk 16:15-16
         b. Not just what is popularly believed, or what may appeal to
            our sensitivities - Ga 1:8-9
      2. When growing in grace
         a. Who will tell us of the need to grow, and the danger of
            apostasy - 2Pe 3:17-18
         b. Not just tickling our ears with things we enjoy hearing
            - 2Ti 4:3-4
      3. When drifting from God
         a. As Paul reached out to the Galatians in our text - Ga 4:
            19-20
         b. As Paul encouraged them to do the same to others - Ga 6:1
      -- Do we appreciate the value of such friends in our lives?

   C. HEED THE WISDOM OF DAVID AND SOLOMON...
      1. "Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let
         him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not
         refuse it." - Ps 141:5a
      2. "Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction,
         but he who regards a rebuke will be honored." - Pr 13:18
      3. "The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the
         wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he
         who heeds rebuke gets understanding." - Pr 15:31-32
      4. "Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise
         rebuker to an obedient ear." - Pr 25:12

[May we always appreciate the value of true friends.  On the other
hand...]

II. FALSE FRIENDS SAY WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO HEAR

   A. THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT...
      1. When it makes you on their side - Ga 4:17
      2. When you have something they want - cf. Ga 6:12-13
      -- The Judaizing teachers were not true friends of the Galatians

   B. YOU NEED TO BEWARE OF FALSE FRIENDS...
      1. When you are being courted with zeal
         a. Their motives may not be right - Ga 4:17; cf. Ro 16:17-18
         b. Their knowledge may be wrong - cf. Ro 10:1-2
      2. When you are being manipulated
         a. As the false teachers were trying to manipulate the
            Galatians - Ga 4:17
         b. A tactic first used by Satan, and since by many others
            - 2Co 11:3,13-15; 2Pe 2:1-3
      3. When you are pursued only in their presence
         a. Paul sought their devotion even in his absence - Ga 4:18;
            cf. Php 1:27; 2:12
         b. False friends often forget about you when they are no longer
            with you
      -- Do we appreciate the danger of the wrong kind of friends?

   C. HEED THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON...
      1. "Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered
         with silver dross. He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
         and lays up deceit within himself; when he speaks kindly, do
         not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
         though his hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness will be
         revealed before the assembly." - Pr 26:23-26
      2. "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful
         are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are
         deceitful." - Pr 27:5-6

CONCLUSION

1. Many people have been led astray by the wrong kind of friends...
   a. Good habits have been corrupted by bad company - 1Co 15:33
   b. Immature Christians have been tossed around by cunning and
      deceitful teachers - Ep 4:14

2. May we learn from the interaction between Paul and the Galatians...
   a. True friends say what you need to hear
   b. False friends say what they want you to hear

Speaking of true friends, the greatest friend we can have is Jesus... -
cf. Jn 15:13-14



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Gary... Going up a tree






















This picture is from my granddaughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy).  As usual, I think she has a unique take on things, as the angle of this tree testifies.  When I saw this one, I thought of the walk I had with my dogs this morning and how the birds in the trees were especially full of chatter.  I couldn't see them, of course, but my imagination ran wild.  My mind went back to numerous dog-walks, particularly a number of them where we stopped at the bottom of Palamino Drive to view our friend Jasper the squirrel holding on to the bottom of the tree and eyeing us intently.  Not for a few seconds, mind you, but for SEVERAL MINUTES!!!   As I pondered these things I recalled a very recent Bible Reading; here is the passage I remembered...

Psalm 50
 1  The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,
and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
  2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines out.
  3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent.
A fire devours before him.
It is very stormy around him.
  4 He calls to the heavens above,
to the earth, that he may judge his people:
  5 “Gather my saints together to me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
  6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Selah.
  7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, and I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
  8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
  9 I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens.
  10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
and the livestock on a thousand hills.
  11 
I know all the birds of the mountains.
The wild animals of the field are mine.
  12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

  13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
  14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Pay your vows to the Most High.
  15 Call on me in the day of trouble.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

God loves animals; they are HIS!!!  But HIS priority is our well-being.  Our desire to please HIM is HIS DESIRE!!!  HE WANTS US more than all the animals put together. If you have any doubt about this, read verse 15 again.  I guess I loved Lizzie's picture so much because it was taken from Jaspers' perspective. Perhaps putting yourself in a lowly animals place is a good thing, because that is what God did with us.  Jesus humbled himself and became like us to save us from our own foolishness, stubbornness and SIN.  Look at the picture once more and THINK.  If you don't feel humble, you need to keep looking.  Doesn't do it for you??  OK, try thinking NUTS!!!

ps.  Thanks Lizzie, for being YOU!!!