Matthew 15:26 Meaning Jesus Calling Woman a Dog

matthew 15 26 meaning
Why would Jesus call this woman a dog?

Matthew 15 26 meaning is puzzling because it seems that Jesus called this Canaanite woman a dog, a very derogatory term.

“But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)

Was Jesus calling this woman a dog? Would He do that? It seems like He did in Matthew 15:26 and did it in the presence of His disciples. Wouldn’t that reinforce their prejudice? That does not seem like something that Jesus, Who came to save the world, would do. Here is the story:

“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” (Matt 15:21-22)

The Canaanites were not looked upon with favor by the Jews who had erected social barriers between themselves and such people. Jesus’ response to her was in accord with such an attitude:

“But he answered her not a word …” (Matt 15:23)

While Jesus response (or lack thereof) was consistent with the general Jewish attitude it definitely was not consistent with His character. Remember:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Notice that it says “the world” not “the Jews.” When we see something in scripture that appears to be inconsistent with the character of a loving God, we have to be aware that it could be an example of the mirror principle in action. This often shows up when people are being told or shown something that is designed to get them to look within to see something about their own behaviour or thinking. The disciples definitely had an attitude:

“… And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.” (Matt 15:23)

That verse suggests that she may have kept asking and it was getting annoying to the disciples. They were certainly not being kind to her. It was likely Jesus’ intentional silence that encouraged them to do that. And then He added something that could have just magnified their attitude and discouraged the woman:

“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt 15:24)

While His primary mission was to Israel, He could have an influence on other people and, in fact, the focus on the Jews was to change their thinking so that they, in turn, could influence the different people groups around them.

Was Jesus holding up a mirror for the woman also? He expressed what she was thinking about herself which might have magnified it. However, she was not discouraged:

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.” (Matt 15:25)

mirrorHis response to that was still in line with the disciples’ attitude:

“But he answered and said, It is not meet [appropriate] to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Matt 15:26)

Her response:

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (Matt 15:27)

Persistent, wasn’t she?

“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” (Matt 15:28)

Matthew 15 26 Meaning Explained

Jesus didn’t just suddenly change His mind about her. His kind answer and granting of her request showed His true feelings. And it showed something to the disciples. But why the delay? Wouldn’t His initial silence and then His first two replies have reinforced the thinking of the disciples such that the illustration would have made a much greater impact on their thinking?

This is the mirror principle in action. When we see an action by God or His Son in the Bible that seems to contradict Their loving character, we should consider whether it might be God holding a mirror before them to better see themselves. And it even holds a mirror before ourselves to help us see what is in our own hearts.

This story is a good example of the mirror principle meant to show a person what is in their own heart that they might deal with it. Information and more examples of the Biblical Mirror Principle.

Finally, we could ask “did the message get through to the disciples?”

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” (Luke 9:51-54)

This showed that, at least James and John (known as the sons of thunder, Mark 3:17), had not fully learned the lesson. They still had great prejudice in their hearts towards foreigners. Jesus sought to teach them again, saying:

“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Luke 9:55-56)

The mirror principle is often used for our benefit as well. It magnifies our sinful thoughts and feelings to help us see our desperate need of a change. In fact, much of the Old Testament is written with this extremely important and little-known principle in mind.

Go to this page for other examples and an explanation of this very important Mirror Principle in the Bible.

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