A Welcomed Offense

As we continue our series on the Miracles of Jesus, we will see that the miracle in this week's passage serves ironically as a mere backdrop for Jesus' fascinating interaction with a pleading mother. After debating purity and cleanliness with the Pharisees at the beginning of chapter 7, Jesus goes to a Gentile land and ministers to a woman who would have been considered unclean by the Jewish people. This contrast between the hard-hearted Pharisees and the humble Syro-Phoenician woman is meant to draw our attention. As the woman petitions Jesus for help with her demon-possessed daughter, Jesus challenges her faith by reminding her of the priority of Israel at this point in salvation history, likening her to a "dog". Instead of being offended, this woman becomes a picture of genuine faith. She responds with humility and dependence calling on Jesus to act though her status is humble, and Jesus grants her request. Her example is meant to exhort us in our faith and dependence on the Lord, that we might trust in His goodness toward us even when He seems unconcerned by the problems of our lives.