Sunday Meditation: Satisfied with the Scraps

In this week’s reading, Jesus is up north in foreign countryside of Tyre and Sidon.  Who do you meet when you go to a foreign country?  Foreigners, of course.  Jesus and the apostles come across a very persistent pagan woman.

 

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,

"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!

My daughter is tormented by a demon."

But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.

Jesus' disciples came and asked him,

"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."

He said in reply,

"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, "Lord, help me."

He said in reply,

"It is not right to take the food of the children

and throw it to the dogs."

She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps

that fall from the table of their masters."

Then Jesus said to her in reply,

"O woman, great is your faith!

Let it be done for you as you wish."

And the woman's daughter was healed from that hour.

~Mt 15:21-28

Most people are taken aback by Jesus refers to the woman as a dog.  Dr. Brant Pitre explains the complexity of what is going on.

 

Still Dr. Pitre doesn’t complete the exegesis in this clip, and unfortunately I can’t locate the continuing clip.  So we get an understanding of the layers of meaning behind the “dog” reference, but what is left unexplained is why Jesus apparently insults the woman. 

Here’s what I think.  Jesus and the apostles have been walking in a foreign country and come across lots of pagans.  The apostles being sinners and proud of their heritage mumbling to each other use lots of what we would call racist language as they talk about people they see.  Jesus overhears them and picks up on this language not to insult the woman but to bring down the pride of his Jewish apostles.  It is the apostles who are cut to the heart.  What do you think?

Meditation: “"Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."