Do You See Me? (2)
“O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish.” Matthew 15:28
Faith – The Canaanite refugee “caws” in her desperation. “Have pity on me, Son of David.” Her plea is not accidental. The title she uses (Son of David) says something important. This title was associated with the expected Messiah. The expected Jewish Messiah. But this woman does not belong to the people of the Messiah. She knows she does not belong. So she uses an official title that says, “I believe you are the Jewish Messiah, the expected one. Won’t you have pity on me even though I am an outcast?” Perhaps she did know her place. It was the place of exclusion.
Some commentators suggest that her initial attempt to engage Yeshua was based on a deliberate manipulation using this Jewish title. She tried to sway Yeshua by placating Him with these words. But there is no indication in the text that she was not completely sincere. Yeshua often encountered people outside the Jewish religious community who recognized who He really was. In fact, more often than not those who did not share the restricting presuppositions of the Jews were able to see the truth. This woman sees who He is. The question is: Will He see who she is?
Matthew describes her appeal with the word eleeo – mercy. But the Greek thought behind this word is not at all what Yeshua taught about mercy. In the Greek culture, mercy was not a moral or legal consideration. It was a psychological emotional response. We are swept into the emotion of mercy when we come into contact with someone who is experiencing undeserved suffering. Something in us responds to the plight of another. We just can’t help it. And this creates another problem in the Greek mind. Mercy is connected with fear. Since there is no apparent reason for this tragedy, it reminds us that tragedy could also happen to us. Mercy is not a passion aroused when we see someone suffering because they deserved it. We don’t feel sorry for them. Actions have consequences. If they are suffering because of justified consequences, then that’s right. No mercy is required. But undeserved suffering is another story. It creates the fear of “what if.”
In the Tanakh (Old Testament), mercy is an obligation of a covenant promise. The stronger party shows mercy to the weaker party. That means giving help to one who is in need. Mercy is a reflection of God’s help toward His people. Mercy demonstrates God’s love for His own creation. God loved us before He made promises to us. In fact, His help toward us did not depend on our keeping the terms of the promise. God desired to rain His love and compassion on us when we needed it most, after we have broken our relationship with Him, while we were outsiders.
Mercy is the act of benevolence toward the one in need. It is not sympathy. It is not social responsibility. It is my hand lifting your hand. It is personally-involved compassion. Because mercy is part of the fabric of the covenant, it is not a sign of weakness. In fact, mercy demonstrates God’s strength. He is so powerful that He is able to release us from punishment without compromising the Law. How He does this is the story of the crucifixion.
Yeshua knew that mercy is about sacrifice. It is about the sacrifice of making choices. The Greeks were wrong. The emotion of mercy, the overwhelming disturbance of the soul when we are confronted with one like us who is tormented, is not something to be avoided. Life is designed to bring us face-to-face with sorrow and grief. There is a reason for this: God wants us to see our real status in His court. But the Greeks did not have a personal Creator and Judge behind their philosophy. They only had Law. So, being merciful made them afraid. It reminded them that life is ultimately uncontrollable. Without a sovereign God, anything can happen. No matter how many laws men make, the world doesn’t behave accordingly. So, every time I feel the call of mercy, I recognize that I’m not in control – and I’m afraid. Those who cannot abide the cost of mercy do all they can to avoid the confrontation with pain.
This woman cawing at Yeshua was not asking for sympathy. She was asking for sacrifice. She was asking for the Son of David to sacrifice the expected role of the Jewish Messiah and see her as a creature of God worth loving.
Mercy is the summary word of the life of Yeshua. He made a very costly choice. He gave up being God to be like God’s enemies – one of us. And mercy cost God too. He lost His only Son to the sacrifice for those who deserved to die. Punishing Yeshua for our sins cost God the Father the unfathomable sorrow of seeing rejection spewed on someone He loves forever. The Father saw the person who didn’t deserve wrath treated with utter contempt. To show mercy is always expensive. Those who cannot abide the cost of mercy do all they can to avoid the confrontation with pain.
Topical Index: mercy, pain, eleeo, Matthew 15:28
There are “big” words contained in G-d’s blessing book. “Faith” is one. “Mercy” is another. “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me”, is one of the most excellent prayers any one (including this man) will ever pray. It is a recognition of who Yeshua is and a confession of our need (of mercy). It identifies the Giver (G-d) and the realization of our status before the Holy ONE. We who (daily) receive His mercy(s) celebrate (daily) the goodness of G-d and of course this leads us to further teshuka (repentance), producing a (much needed) life-change. Mercy is a blood-covenant word. The ancient word for ‘mercy’ (actually plural) is “loving-kindnessess”. This is where is gets very interesting. This word is illustrated in the story of the King (David) and the one in desperate need (Mephibosheth) living in the howling wilderness of Lodebar. When we are able to see our “selves” in this very story and to see the beneficence and “loving-kindnesses” of David toward this crippled creature we then are seated at His table and feasting with the King’s family and friends. (At G-d’s Table)- hey, -wouldn’t that make a great name for a website? I will (now gladly) confess my need and pray again this very day.. “Jesus, Thou Son of David.. have mercy on me”..
Charles Wesley had it right! “O For a Thousand Years to Sing My Great Redeemers Praise.” Any time I think of my needs or the needs of others, I need to recognize who it is that meets the needs. It sure is not me.
“The fear of ‘What if…'”
I remember hearing Malcolm Smith say that there are two places that are NOT inhabited by God: the arenas of “What if…” and “If only…” They are inhabited only by demons, he said.
God is in our past, present and future, but not in those two places. They are places to which the enemy seeks to lead us.
John, It has been a long time ago, in the early 70’s that Malcom Smith came into our lives. He was one of the valuable teachers for us then, the teachings on the Blood Covenant, and many others were ones that opened our eyes more to the Old Testament. Ed and I were part of the group that got our Baptist pastor to invite him. He came to our church in Houston, and it was an awesome time. ( well actually, it was not for those people that were against anyone that was not a “S. Baptist).– Ed and I were in charge of picking him up and getting him back to the airport in a few days.—Some years later, he left his traveling teaching minsitry , we often corresponded with him prior to that, but did not afterward. However; in just the past six months, his name came up in a new little booklet, and I went to the web site and did a search and found that he is over in C.TS. around the ranch areas in Banderia. Thanks for bringing up his name, and causing me to reflect on his teachings. There were so many excellent teachers during the 70’s that came to Houston, and I think we heard most of them. We have recently pulled some of his old tapes up, and listened to them again. ( It is difficult to find a tape recorded working in good shape that plays cassettes!–but we found a never used one at an estate sale recently in the box all crated up.) L.B.
Mat 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Mat 15:25 But she came and {began} to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
Mat 15:26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
I read this passage yesterday but didn’t notice that Jesus seems to be calling the gentiles “dogs.”
To me Jesus seems very human here.
He is not in a good mood and is reacting emotionally, until He is touched by the strength of the old woman’s faith.
Then He shows those men of faith (His disciples) what faith really is.
By healing the old woman’s daughter.
Take a longer look at the Greek text. The translation “dogs” isn’t quite right. The word really means “puppies.” Dogs were never pets in the first century. They were considered like vermin, roamed freely and ignored. But puppies always have an appeal and occasionally were allowed to enter a home and feed around the feet of children. The poor translation conveys a different message, as does the lack of understanding what life in the first century was really like.
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Hi Skip,
Good point and thank you for clarifying my intention, which was not to imply that Jesus was referring to the Gentiles as vermin.
But it seems to me that Jesus is clearly juxtaposing the Gentile puppies with the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
And He seems to be saying that His primary focus is not on the Gentile puppies; it is on the Hebrew sheep.
BTW I just referred to my hardcopy, The Jerusalem Bible, and it translates the Hebrew word into “house-dogs,” with a footnote explaining that Jesus is using the diminutive form, and there is not much “sting” left in the way he uses the word. .
It goes on to say that “Christ must first devote himself to the salvation of the Jews (children of God and of the promises) before turning to the pagans who to the Jewish mind were “dogs.”
Now if God’s plan is to reach the world (Gentiles) through His chosen people (Jews) and the Jews are being disobedient, not getting it and not fulfilling His purpose, then who do you suppose needs the FIRST lesson? Yeshua comes to the Jews because God needs them to get back to the plan. Through them, the Gentiles will come to Him.
Indeed Skip …. it is about order …. it is about the covenant and it is about the faithfulness of ELOHIM! If Yisrael is not conformed to the purpose then how can the plan be executed?
As you point out time and time again, ELOHIM is the G_D of Yisrael …. just not the ethereal omnipotent being of all eternity!
In all fairness Skip I do agree with Michael to a certain extent that the Goiim are pagans (referred to as those not in relationship with Adonai) and that while in this state rejected (looked down upon) not because of personal defilement but because of spiritual defilement.
Ultimately this dynamic must be viewed in terms of “order” and not “respector of persons” …. The Jew First and then the Gentile …. is all about the plan, the covenant and His awesome control …. not about personal worthiness or ethnic supremecy.
And here seems to be our big rub …. even to this day! Some don’t want to give up this perception/myth of ethnic preference while others don’t want to recognize the order and design of Adonai. What is needed is removal of pride and the great humbling …. The Jew must recognize the Gentile as an equal and full inheritor and the Gentile must realize that The Jew is not the tail but the head! Correct?
This is such a powerful reminder of the state all of us once found ourselves in. Before we heard God calling us to the lovingkindness of the Good Shepherd’s care, He showed us mercy through His patience and longsuffering. We were like dogs, doing what came natural without thought of God’s Way. We were outsiders to the Kingdom, citizens of this world, living according to the vanity of self-absorbed minds and slaves to our lusts, imaginations, and wicked ways. As outsiders to the Kingdom, mere dogs, living creatures without the breath of God, we scavenged for our bread, existing for no other purpose than to live for ourselves and survive. Today, you can ask people how they are doing and so often you will hear the response,…”I’m makin it” Just an expression, to be sure, but Child of God, is this glorifying the all Wonderful Lord!
Although, when Yeshua found us everything changed! Faith came into our heart and we heard His voice telling us we did not have to live that way any longer! We heard Him call us by name into another Kingdom, another world that He created for those who would live out the Life, the Way, the Healing, the Instruction of the Master.
This woman considered herself blessed to be in the Presence of this Master. She knew she was beholding the only one who could meet her need and she knew her true state. Whatever He said to her was the truth and she could trust Him. This was the beginning of wisdom, she knew the one true God was powerful enough to speak the words of life and all was well with her having been in His presence. I wonder if she knew of the beggar, Lazarus, who thought of the crumbs falling from the King’s table a feast for his famished condition! The humility, pain/suffering of this Lazarus resulted in rest in the bosom of Abraham. The humility of this woman Yeshua referred to as a “dog” resulted in the healing of her daughter.
Aren’t we all like these…helpless and mere beggars desperately in need of the MASTER? As followers of the Way, shouldn’t we study this (and the entirety of the Word) until we see who we are and who we should be emulating?
Thank you, Skip, for going deeper and allowing us to go with you.
In the Greek world, Man conceives his destiny as Master. In the Hebrew world, we think of ourselves as partners. Therein lies the difference.
Hi Skip,
I’m a big believer in open communication and partnership and “on board” with your point.
But didn’t you teach us that during the time of Jesus rabbis studied under a “master” rabbi, but that Jesus apparently learned everything on his own.
There is a kind of logic in saying that Jesus didn’t have a “master” rabbi, because He was the Master.
Just a thought.
Kind of. The big complaint by the scribes was that Yeshua did not have the proper pedigree. He was not the student of a previous great rabbi. Notice that Sha’ul does fit the model and was accepted throughout the Jewish synagogues as a result. But saying that Yeshua didn’t fit the model is not the same as saying that he learned it all on his own. After all, the prophets didn’t fit the model either but they came with God’s word and God’s authority. The people recognized this in Yeshua (so did the scribes, etc.) and many considered him a prophet. The comment that he taught as one with authority speaks to this recognition. But Yeshua himself tells us who his instructor really was. Try John 5:19-20