Matthew 15:21-28  (NIRV) New International Reader's Version

21 Jesus left Galilee and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A woman from Canaan lived near Tyre and Sidon. She came to him and cried out, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on me! A demon controls my daughter. She is suffering terribly.”

23 Jesus did not say a word. So his disciples came to him. They begged him, “Send her away. She keeps crying out after us.”

24 Jesus answered, “I was sent only to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep.”

25 Then the woman fell to her knees in front of him. “Lord! Help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owner’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! You will be given what you are asking for.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.


1. Who is Jesus to you?

The woman is a “foreigner” to Israelites. She has a great need but she also has great faith in Jesus.

She knows Jesus as the Messiah despite being a foreigner.


Discussion 1:

Who is Jesus to you? A foreigner’s God? A good man? A giver of grace? Your Lord? Please share.


2. Are you discouraged by delayed Grace?

It is difficult to understand why Jesus ignored her plea until urged by the disciples. 

“I was sent only to the people of Israel”. Does it mean that Jesus do not care about other people except the people of Israel?

The woman “kept crying out” and Jesus finally helped her. Why did she keep crying out?


Discussion 2:

Have you been discouraged by delayed Grace or unanswered prayer? Please share.


3. Who are you to Him, the Lord?

The dialogue between the woman and Jesus is interesting. 

Did Jesus discriminate against the foreigners and insulted them by implying the foreign woman as dog?

What are dogs in the context of a house?

Why did Jesus say that she have great faith? What is a great faith?


Read Matthew 8:10-12 about a Roman centurion (commander) asking Jesus to heal his servant. The Roman commander is the only other person (also a foreigner) being commended by Jesus of having great faith in the Book of Matthew.: 

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those following him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. In Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west. They will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of heaven. They will sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 12 But those who think they belong in the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness. There they will weep and grind their teeth.”


Calling: God’s grace is for everyone. Do you have faith to receive it?


Prayer: