Matius 15:21-24

A Canaanite Woman’s Faith

15:21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre ¹  and Sidon. ²  15:22 A ³  Canaanite woman from that area came ⁴  and cried out, ⁵  “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then ⁶  his disciples came and begged him, ⁷  “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So ⁸  he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Markus 7:27-28

7:27 He said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and to throw it to the dogs.” ⁹  7:28 She answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Roma 15:8

15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised ¹⁰  on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ¹¹ 

[15:21]  ¹ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[15:21]  ² map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[15:22]  ³ tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[15:22]  ⁴ tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.

[15:22]  ⁵ tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:23]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

[15:23]  ⁷ tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:24]  ⁸ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.

[7:27]  ⁹ tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

[7:27]  sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request. This is the only miracle mentioned in Mark that Jesus performed at a distance without ever having seen the afflicted person, or issuing some sort of audible command.

[15:8]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “of the circumcision”; that is, the Jews.

[15:8]  ¹¹ tn Or “to the patriarchs.”