The Syrophoenician Woman

WaywardNowHome · #1 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 10:59 PM

I've been reading the book of Matthew lately and today I came across Matthew 15:21-28, which deals with the Syrophoenician Woman and her faith.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew 15:21-28 (NASB)

21 Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cy out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed."

23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us."

24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"

26 And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

27 But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.

My question is, "Was this woman saved or not?"

The reason I ask is because of the way Jesus treated her. Specifically, verse 23 when it says, "But He did not answer her a word." Not only that, but Jesus says that He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The way I interpret this is that this woman is not of His sheep, therefore He has not come for her.

I think I am interpreting this passage incorrectly because I can only come away from it with 2 possible meanings:

1) In the end, Jesus did heal her and commended her faith, noting that it was "great." If she was saved, this means that she was one of His sheep all along. Then what was the reason for verses 24 and 26? I am terribly uncomfortable even pondering the notion that Jesus mistakenly thought she wasn't of His sheep when she really was.

2) Even though Jesus did heal the woman's daughter, the woman still wasn't saved in the grand scheme of things. If this is the case, why did Jesus call her faith "great" and promise that "it shall be done for [her] as [she] wishes"? He just said that he came for the lost sheep of Israel, not the goats.

Whitefield · #2 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:07 PM

There is a third option:

3) She was saved, Jesus knew it, but used it as a teaching moment for the disciples (and us).

In His Grip · #3 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:09 PM

This is actually one of my favorite passages!

I think Christ intentionally did that do demonstrate her faith and persistence...and to also display (to those of us who are gentiles)...His love and mercy towards us! She most certainly was part of His fold, however, He was testing her...and He used it teach the disciples, and more importantly to bring glory to God! She recognized how lowly she truly was, and how great He truly is....that even a crumb from His table would fully satisfy!

WaywardNowHome · #4 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:21 PM

Ah, amazing! I knew there had to be a third option. I came close to reaching that conclusion but never really made it all the way. I suppose I missed the important detail concerning the woman's nationality: a Gentile, not an Israelite! Thanks a lot!