Daily Devotional For Monday, December 1, 2025

Good morning Southside and most of you are either back to work or school or resting from the Thanksgiving Holiday. (If you normally read this daily devotion early in the mornings, you may have noticed that Sunday’s devotional was missing yesterday morning. For some reason, the devotional would not load. So I attempted it after church on Sunday and it loaded. If you missed Sunday’s devotional, it is there now.) We are making our way through the Gospel of Matthew and today we come to one of the most interesting passages not only in Matthew, but to me, the whole Bible. Look at Matthew 15:21-28:

“Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. (22) A Gentile woman who lived there came to Him, pleading, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.’ (23) But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then His disciples urged Him to send her away. ‘Tell her to go away,’ they said. ‘She is bothering us with all her begging.’ (24) Then Jesus said to the woman, ‘I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.’ (25) But she came and worshiped Him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help me!’ (26) Jesus responded, ‘It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.’ (27) She replied, ‘That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.’ (28) ‘Dear woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘your faith is great. Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was instantly healed” (NLT).

We are told that Jesus withdrew to two Gentile cities, Tyre and Sidon. Both were Canaanite port cities on the Mediterranean Sea north of Israel. Both were very wealthy cities also. I think Jesus went here to get away from the nagging Pharisees and religious leaders. In David’s time, Tyre had been on friendly terms with Israel (See 2 Sam. 5:11). After David, the city became extremely wicked and at one time their king claimed to be a god (see Ezekiel 28:1-19). When Jerusalem was totally destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 BC, Tyre rejoiced because their competition, Israel, was gone. Tyre’s profits would increase with Israel gone.

There has been a lot of discussion about who this woman was that approached Jesus for healing for her daughter. Was she Greek? Was she Syro-Phoencidan? Roman? Canannite? Technically, all the above. This area was a very diverse and eclectic area in the Roman Empire. Having been conquered multiple times by countries such as Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, it had seen its time of infiltrating cultures, religious beliefs and traditions that changed with the next conquering country. New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton helps with understanding who this woman was:

“Matthew called her a Canaanite; Mark described her as a Gentile, a Syrophoenician. Both descriptions are correct. Mark’s designation refers to her political background. His Roman audience would easily identify her by the part of the Empire that was her home. Matthew’s description was designed for his Jewish audience; they remembered the Canaanites as bitter enemies when Israel was settling the Promised Land. Matthew’s Jewish audience would have immediately understood the significance of Jesus helping this woman. Some Bible translations identify her as a Greek. This is also correct because she was a Greek-speaking native of the Phoenician area which had been converted to Greek language and culture after the conquest by Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C.” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 308).

This woman addressed Jesus as, “O Lord, Son of David!” This was her way of saying I believe you are the Jewish Messiah. Many Gentiles converted to Judaism due to the immorality and sin in a Gentile culture and maybe this woman had as well. If you have ever had a child that is deathly sick or battling some malady, you can understand this mother. As we read this story it seems that Jesus is being cold-hearted and uncompassionate towards her and her daughter. If you believe this, then you have read this story incorrectly because Jesus does eventually heal her daughter. 

Jesus knew it was a time to teach His disciples another lesson in ministering to people. Jesus' disciples want to keep this mother away from Jesus. She was a Gentile. Jesus’ response to her in verse 24 seems to reinforce Jesus’ belief He came for only the Jews. When the disciples heard this, they probably became even more adamant that she leave Jesus alone. Jesus knew we can be so busy doing ministry we overlook a need right in front of us, especially if we have some bias or prejudiced against that person.

Jesus’ response to her in verse 24 does not contradict other biblical truth that God’s message was for all people all over the word (see Psalm 22:27, Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 28:19, and Romans 15:9-12. Don’t forget that Jesus is now in Gentile territory, not Jewish. Previously,, Jesus had ministered to Gentiles BUT in Jewish territory (see Matthew 4:24-25 & Matthew 8:5-13). Jesus was telling this woman that God wanted the Jews to hear the Gospel (the message of salvation) first because God wanted the rest of the Gentile world to hear from the Jews (see Genesis 12:3). Jesus knew He only had 3 years to get the Gospel, the message of salvation out to the Jews. This is why He primarily limited His travels to mainly Jewish territories. When Jesus sent His disciples out to share the Gospel, He reminded them of this in Matthew 10:5-6. 

Contrary to some’s misunderstanding, Jesus was not rejecting this Canaanite woman and her daughter, but was reminding her His own humanity was limited as well as His time. So, for His own disciples’ sake, He tested her for them to learn an important lesson and what is that lesson? – faith in Him is available and possible in all – both Jewish and Gentile. But this woman is relentless in saving her daughter from this demon.

Another thing we must remember here. She is a Gentile, not Jewish. He would not have spoken Aramaic to her, but Greek. She kneels before Jesus begging Him. Our God is not cold-hearted to the work of the demonic in our lives, no matter our background (vs. 26). She mentions “dogs.” This is the Greek New Testament word [κυνάριον, kunarion]. This refers to a small household pet. Meaning even when a household has a small dog, it would not be right to give food to the dog before feeding the children. Yes, some Jews referred to Gentiles as “dogs” in a derogatory way. 

We see this use in Philippians 3:2, “Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved” (NLT). The word “dogs” here is [κύων, kuon]. This refers not to dogs that are household pets, but scavenger wild dogs that were vicious, veracious and viperous in their search for food. It is possible that Jesus was saying that His “spiritual food” had to be given first to His disciples, then the Jews and then the Jews give it to the Gentiles. God had a preordained timetable and method. 

This woman gets Jesus’ point but she will not back down (vs. 27). Her point is this. “Jesus, I understand that. Children who have a household dog as a pet often intentionally drop food for that dog to eat.” Meaning, the dogs often ate simultaneously as the children ate. She was not asking for the full meal, but just the scraps from it for her daughter. This woman came in humility and with persistence. She understood Jesus’ Lordship and His priorities as the Messiah. Jesus exclaimed, “Great is your faith.” And her daughter was healed. We are reminded that what attracts many people to the Gospel is the compassion of Jesus. In going to Tyre and Sidon, Jesus was revealing the Great Commission before He officially gave it. This is the point of Ephesians 2:11-13.

Assignment: Many times non-Christians judge our faith, the Gospel and even Jesus on our actions and attitudes. Is this a fair assessment? Why or why not? When it comes to a need in your life or another’s, how persistent are you with the Lord to get an answer from Him? How is it that you have a bias against or are prejudiced against someone – so much that you will not share the Gospel with them? Who is it you need to show some compassion to with the Gospel?

Scripture To Meditate On: Galatians 3:28, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

Prayer To Pray: “Lord, give me a heart for those who are lost that I have issues with due to either past hurts, or arguments or disputes or differences. Lord, convict me not to hold back sharing the Gospel over such petty and temporary issues. I want a faith like this woman that does not let up. Help me to have this kind of faith. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly