St. Matthew 15:21-28
The allusion to sacramental living in the gospel lection for
today is somewhat hidden but very forthright. It makes us stop and
think about this woman and her demon-possessed daughter. The church
must ponder this account in order to come to a better understanding of
the sacred nature of what God gives to us. What, could it be, that
Jesus wishes to teach those around Him at the coming of the Canaanite
woman?
Even more, what is Jesus trying to teach the church of all ages?
Furthermore, what is St. Matthew trying to teach us? Jesus is pursued
four times in this account. The Canaanite woman, sorely troubled by
her daughter's dreadful condition, says to Jesus, "Have mercy on me, O
Lord, Son of David? My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
Jesus did not respond to her. The second is a statement but begs the
question posed to Jesus. It is the disciples who speak, "Send her
away, for she cries out after us." The Greek gives us the picture.
It literally says that "she cries out from behind us," thereby giving
us the image that as the woman begs for mercy, Jesus simply walks
right by her, as do the disciples.
One might be led to conclude by the disciples' words, that they are
annoyed at her presence and simply wish to be left alone, but such is
not the case. Jesus answers the disciples, "I was not sent except to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Christ's reply would not make
sense if the disciples were annoyed at her presence. It is quite the
opposite. The disciples, too, are begging Jesus to help this poor
Canaanite woman. We see the merciful hearts of the disciples at this
early time.
The woman, in her persistence, shows the character and nature of
Christian worship. She came and worshipped Jesus, saying 'Lord, help
me.'" The sort of worship that is demonstrated is illustrated by the
Greek word for worship, which means she gets down on her knees in
submission to Him. She asks the third question, but Jesus still
resists, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to
the little dogs." Jesus speaks of the Jews, God's chosen people,
calling them children.
Then the woman pleads the fourth time, "yes, Lord, yet even the
little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
This account is strange in that we see a side of Jesus that appears to
be hesitant to help and heal. We do not see this very often in the
New Testament. In fact, we often see just the opposite. But, this
woman, a Canaanite, was not a Jew and despised in Jewish society.
Even in the Old Testament, the Canaanites were the enemies of the
Jewish nation.
This account must be read in conjunction with the first part of this
chapter, particularly in verse 11 where Jesus is complaining about the
false confessions of faith by the Pharisees: "not what goes into the
mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a
man." In the first part of chapter 15, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees,
considered to be the children of God, for their hypocrisy. They do
not confess the faith that God's people should confess and they don't
live as God's people should live.
This being the climate of the first part of the chapter, we then see
the marked contrast of the Canaanite woman. She is not one of God's
chosen and blessed children. She is like a dog, lowly, mangy, and
filthy. Yet, she is not only willing to confess that Jesus is God and
Lord, but she is insistent upon it. She has faith that insists that
God will look upon her and smile, giving her and her daughter peace.
If we see no relevance of this encounter with Jesus to our lives
today, then we are to be pitied. This woman simply wanted just the
crumbs of Christ's blessings because she knew that even just the
crumbs were more than enough to bring peace and blessing. The crumbs
alone were more than the sinful world had to offer.
Such is the reality of sacramental living today. Every human being
is born in Original sin. No one can be spiritually neutral in this
world. Either you belong to God or you belong to the Devil. There is
no in between. Either you are filled with evil spirits, or you are
filled with the Holy Spirit. Until a person is washed through the
waters of Holy Baptism and comes to believe in Jesus Christ, they are
filled with evil spirits and, like the daughter of the Caananite
woman, she needed the crumbs of Jesus to fall upon their plate.
In Holy Baptism the evil spirits are cast out and the Holy Spirit
comes to make His dwelling, thereby making the child holy. Today the
church sees the crumbs of Christ falling onto us through this
sacramental washing and gift. Jesus looks for the person who comes to
kneel before Him and cry out, "Lord, help me." For those who cry out
and confess Jesus to be God and Lord, there is an answer, a dropping
of crumbs from heaven, as Jesus comes to you in the Eucharist.
I cannot stress enough that the church must be sacramental if it is
going to find the kinds of spiritual blessings that this Canaanite
woman was seeking. One cannot look to emotions and feelings to find
the evidence of God's blessing. What makes the woman so persistent?
Does she at a certain point conclude that she "feels God's presence."
Is she making her own "decision for Christ" in order to have her
daughter healed? No. The woman's persistence and Jesus' response
gives the sacramental answer. Jesus was merely testing her to
emphasize the point.
Jesus said, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you
desire." The woman had great faith because she knew that Jesus had to
say it for it to come to pass. "Let it be to you as you desire."
Jesus commanded it to come to pass. She had to hear it. He had to
say it. She did not want to be left to wondering if God loved her and
would heal her daughter.
It is the same today. The sacramental nature of the church is such
that if you are to receive the crumbs of Christ's blessings, it has to
be Christ's command. He has to say it for it to be so. If Jesus
doesn't say it or command a blessing to you, then you are left
wondering. This is why we are a sacramental church. We look to
Christ's command at the end of St. Matthew, "Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you…."
In that command is both the sacrament of Holy Baptism, as well as the
teaching and preaching aspect of the Holy Ministry. At another time
Jesus also gives the command to "take eat, take drink this is my body
and my blood for the forgiveness of sins. This do in remembrance of
me." Then with the apostolic office, Jesus also commands that pastors
forgive sins: "receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you
retain the sins of any, they are retained." Then Jesus adds in St.
Matthew, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.
Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
From the mouth of Jesus the church has the promised blessings.
Through the mouth and command of Jesus you shall be made holy through
the sacraments and through the instruction into Christ's teachings.
These gifts are sacred and carry with them eternal results. Being
baptized makes you Christ's children and eating and drinking Christ's
body and blood make you holy and having the pastor forgive you your
sins makes it so in heaven as well.
Great are the children of God who are so blessed as to receive the
crumbs which fall from the table of the Lord. Amen.
--
Rev. Chad Kendall
www.frchadius.blogspot.com
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lowell, Indiana
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