Matthew
15:21–28
The
Canaanite Woman Pleads with Jesus to Heal Her Demon-Possessed Daughter
Matthew 15:21–28 records
the story of a Canaanite woman — an ordinary Gentile woman whose name was never
even recorded. The original reader of Matthew is Jewish community in the 1st
century AD. What is the connotation of Canaanite Woman to them?
Yet because she was a
loving mother, a mother crying out for her daughter, the greatness of her
maternal love shines vividly before the world of Scripture readers.
Like all mothers, her
daughter was her flesh and blood, her legacy, the continuation of her life —
indeed, her very life itself. She held her, nursed her, and taught her. She
poured all her heart and effort into raising her daughter. Watching the child grow
day by day — intelligent, beautiful, and lovable — she felt herself to be the
happiest woman in the world.
Like every mother, she
imagined again and again a bright future for her daughter, weaving beautiful
dreams for both her child and herself. Her daughter was her joy, her
satisfaction, her everything.
But suddenly, one day,
everything changed in an instant!
She discovered that her
daughter had fallen terribly ill. The girl’s condition constantly tormented the
mother’s heart: her daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit. As time
passed, the child’s suffering grew worse day after day. When every attempt at
help had failed, the mother’s anguished heart was torn apart by complete
despair.
Then one day, one
exciting news spread around: Jesus of Nazareth had arrived. The great prophet
Jesus had come to their region — the Jewish prophet known for healing diseases
and casting out demons.
She had heard countless
stories about Him: how He touched a leper and the man was instantly cleansed; how
the servant of a centurion was healed; how He commanded a paralytic who had
been bedridden for thirty-eight years to rise and walk; how a woman suffering
from bleeding for twelve years was healed merely by touching the fringe of His
garment; how Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead; and most astonishingly,
how demons cast out from two possessed men entered a herd of pigs that rushed
down a cliff into the sea.
She had also heard people
say that Jesus was the great prophet, the Son of David, the Messiah foretold in
the Jewish Scriptures.
And now Jesus had come
here — to her village. The Canaanite woman said to herself:
“I must go out to meet Him and beg Him to heal my daughter, because only He can
heal her.”
So, she rose, settled her
daughter as best she could, and hurried out of the village. Perhaps she
hesitated for a moment: “I am a woman, a Gentile woman, a Canaanite woman —
will Jesus reject me?”
But such thoughts
vanished almost immediately. She no longer cared about such things, because
deep inside she knew that only Jesus could heal her daughter.
She ran desperately
toward the outskirts of the village. From a distance she saw Jesus and His
disciples approaching, and as she ran she cried out with all her strength:
“Lord, Son of David, have
mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession!”
Again and again, she
pleaded:
“Lord, Son of David, have
mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly!”
She would not stop crying
out. What a heartbreaking scene — the desperate cries of this Canaanite mother.
Yet “Jesus did not answer
a word” (Matt. 15:23).
Jesus’ response is deeply
puzzling. Hearing the agonized cries of a suffering woman, He remained silent. Isn’t
this response a typical one or rightful one from Jewish community?
His disciples, meanwhile,
became visibly impatient. Jews despised Gentiles, especially Canaanites, and
they complained to Jesus:
“Send her away, for she
keeps crying out after us.” (Matt. 15:23)
Then Jesus finally spoke:
“I was sent only to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24)
It seemed as though the
last door of hope had been shut in the woman’s face.
But the Canaanite woman
did not give up. She came and knelt before Jesus:
“Lord, help me.” (Matt.
15:25)
Again and again, she
pleaded:
“Lord, have mercy on me.
Lord, save my daughter.”
Then Jesus spoke a second
time:
“It is not right to take
the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matt. 15:26)
These words struck
painfully at the mother’s heart.
If the story ended here,
one might ask:
Is this truly the
compassionate and gracious Lord Jesus?
Yet the word Jesus used
here did not refer to filthy stray dogs or scavenging street animals. The Greek
word kunarion refers to a beloved little household pet — something like
“puppy” or “pet dog” in English. These are cherished animals raised lovingly in
the home, with food, shelter, and affectionate masters who play with and care
for them.
So, when Jesus said:
“It is not right to take
the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” perhaps the verse sounds harsh
to modern readers. But look at the Canaanite woman’s response. She did not feel
insulted, humiliated, or rejected. On the contrary, she heard hope and comfort
in Jesus’ words. Her anxious and sorrowful heart became calm, and out of her
deep grief emerged remarkable wisdom and wit:
“Yes, Lord, yet even the
dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matt. 15:27)
What an intelligent,
graceful, and beautiful reply!
The Canaanite mother
understood that Jesus was asking her:
“Woman, are you willing
to let Me be your Master?”
And she fully understood
His meaning:
“Lord, yes. Even the
crumbs falling from the children’s table are enough for this sorrowful woman
kneeling at Your feet. Lord, I am willing for You to be my Master forever,
because You are my hope and my salvation.”
This was a humble mother.
She bowed before Jesus and begged Him to show mercy to her and her daughter.
She was also an
extraordinarily wise and perceptive woman — a thoughtful and beautiful mother.
Her answer astonished
even Jesus Himself:
“Woman, great is your
faith!” (Matt. 15:28)
The Canaanite mother’s
desperate love for her daughter — a love willing to pay any price — led her to
bow before Jesus, worship Him, and accept Him as Lord of her life.
Her love for her child
was transformed into faith in Jesus. A mother’s love is powerful and
transcendent. It enabled her to rise above concerns of pride and racial
boundaries, and finally to believe in Jesus, worship Him, and receive the grace
of God’s salvation.
Jesus could not help but
exclaim: “Woman, great is your faith!”
And: “From that very hour
her daughter was healed.” (Matt. 15:28)
The Canaanite woman
believed the words of Jesus, and her daughter was healed. She rushed home and
found her child completely restored — beautiful and joyful once more.
Through faith, the mother
and daughter — indeed the whole family — no longer needed to live on crumbs
falling from the table, because they had become children of God, able to sit at
the banquet table of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Conclusion
According to the Gospels,
Jesus often rebuked His disciples for their unbelief and little faith. Even
after His resurrection, they were still slow to believe. Yet here, Jesus openly
praised the Canaanite woman: “Woman, great is your faith!” (Matt. 15:28)
Through faith, this
Canaanite mother regained a healthy daughter. Through faith, she also found the
Savior for herself and her family.
She was worthy of the
Lord’s praise because:
- her
love for her daughter was so deep, strong, and self-sacrificing;
- her
confession of faith in the Savior was so accurate and unwavering;
- her
humility and dependence were so sincere and pure;
- her
prayers were so persistent and unrelenting;
- and
her faith was so great, steadfast, and beautiful.
The Bible says that God
so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to humanity. God’s love
surpasses even the love of earthly mothers. He loved the world so much that He
gave up His own life to redeem humanity.
Jesus died on the cross
for sinners, bearing their punishment. His blood cleanses and forgives the sins
of those who come to him, trust him as God and savior.
Today Jesus stands before
every mother and child. He desires to help every desperate and helpless mother,
every humble mother. Jesus wants to save every mother, every child, and every
family, so that they may live blessed and abundant lives in this world and one
day sit with God at His heavenly banquet.
The question is: Do we trust firmly in the Lord Jesus, humble
ourselves before Him, look to Him, serve Him, and allow Him to become the Lord
of our lives and of our whole family?
Holy Spirit, move all mothers and fathers in the world to bow before Jesus and accept Him as the Lord of their lives and homes. With Jesus as Lord of the household, we become children of God’s family. God will surely care for the children in the home — helping them grow in health, wisdom, maturity, and righteousness — and grant us eternal life.
