There are entire fields of discussion surrounding what are thought to be the authentic sayings of Jesus in the New Testament and which were placed in his mouth by the authors to give authority to early Christian Teachings. The first written texts did not appear until 300 years after his death and one must remember that most of his disciples were illiterate fishermen. Most would accept that the sermon on the mount for example is a collection of wisdom sayings and not an actual homily delivered in one sitting. One would better believe that the Pharisees and Sadducees came and recorded what they heard in looking for heresies against Talmudic Law. This as prelude to saying that I don't believe that Jesus actually spoke verse 24 & 26 in Matt 15. I find it significant that this appears in Matthew whose writings were aimed specifically at a Jewish audience.
What I find significant in this story is the fact that a Canaanite woman had a greater grasp of who Jesus was and his mission than his own Disciples.
That this is so is borne out by the pairing of today's Old Testament Lesson with this Text which specifically speaks of drawing foreigners into the fold.
Psalm 67 further reinforces the idea:
Psa 67:1 God, be merciful to us and bless us; look on us with kindness,
Psa 67:2 so that the whole world may know your will; so that all nations may know your salvation.
The Epistle is a snippet from Chapter 11 of the letter to the Romans which is addressed specifically to Gentiles though the version and verses quoted do not make this clear.
Which brings us back to the Gospel. To fully understand what is going on here one must go back and start reading at verse 1 of chapter 15.
The Scribes and Pharisees had indeed been recording the sayings and doings of Jesus and his Disciples. In particular they are criticizing them for not adhering to Rabbinical Laws specifically those dealing with cleanliness and the honouring of parents. Modern science might take issue with a literal interpretation of verse 11 but Jesus is not talking about food, infection and cleanliness as such. Rather he is saying that it is not adherence to the letter of the Law that determines righteousness but our intentions which come from within, from the heart as the text reads.
With verse 21 Jesus enters an area outside the Jewish tribal lands and encounters the Canaanite woman. To relate this section to what goes before one must remember that contact with a Gentile and in particular a woman would have violated canon law for an orthodox Jewish Rabbi. What follows is Jesus' recognition that it is the woman's faith and not her ethnic origin that sets her apart.
What I find significant in this story is the fact that a Canaanite woman had a greater grasp of who Jesus was and his mission than his own Disciples.
That this is so is borne out by the pairing of today's Old Testament Lesson with this Text which specifically speaks of drawing foreigners into the fold.
Psalm 67 further reinforces the idea:
Psa 67:1 God, be merciful to us and bless us; look on us with kindness,
Psa 67:2 so that the whole world may know your will; so that all nations may know your salvation.
The Epistle is a snippet from Chapter 11 of the letter to the Romans which is addressed specifically to Gentiles though the version and verses quoted do not make this clear.
Which brings us back to the Gospel. To fully understand what is going on here one must go back and start reading at verse 1 of chapter 15.
The Scribes and Pharisees had indeed been recording the sayings and doings of Jesus and his Disciples. In particular they are criticizing them for not adhering to Rabbinical Laws specifically those dealing with cleanliness and the honouring of parents. Modern science might take issue with a literal interpretation of verse 11 but Jesus is not talking about food, infection and cleanliness as such. Rather he is saying that it is not adherence to the letter of the Law that determines righteousness but our intentions which come from within, from the heart as the text reads.
With verse 21 Jesus enters an area outside the Jewish tribal lands and encounters the Canaanite woman. To relate this section to what goes before one must remember that contact with a Gentile and in particular a woman would have violated canon law for an orthodox Jewish Rabbi. What follows is Jesus' recognition that it is the woman's faith and not her ethnic origin that sets her apart.
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