The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Matthew:15:21-28

kjv@Matthew:15:21 @ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

kjv@Matthew:15:22 @ 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.

kjv@Matthew:15:23 @ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

kjv@Matthew:15:24 @ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

kjv@Matthew:15:25 @ Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

kjv@Matthew:15:26 @ But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

kjv@Matthew:15:27 @ And she said, Truth, Lord : yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

kjv@Matthew:15:28 @ 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.

Today's notes:But to the Lost Sheep of Israel

Context:

Before - What defiles a man
After - Three days/4000+

What is man believing/doing?:

disciples attempting to keep masters location hid kjv@Mark:7:24
woman discovering, crying out for Lord's mercy
disciples becoming weary of woman's cry
disciples seeking Jesus to do something about this disturbance
woman's return worshiping Jesus

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

woman's chance to have daughter delivered, possible intel from certain local Jews
Jesus has healed non-Jews (as in the Centurion's servant) and released from devils (as in the two across the lake), she has likely heard of His fame from certain Jews there in/near to Tyre
she had approached once and Jesus seemed to ignore her, she sees that the issue has been brought again to Jesus' attention and that He did not have them send her away, she takes that as a good sign, she changes her approach from crying to worshiping, her reverence is then doctrinally tested to be genuine

Notes:

Tyre was north of the border on the coast in modern Lebanon. Tyre vaunted itself at the earlier destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians kjv@Ezekiel:28:2-6 and was punished that once by God. Certain Jews from Tyre along with others had occasion ealier in His ministry to hear and be healed by Jesus in (plain/Galilee?) kjv@Luke:6:17.

Jesus may have (secretly kjv@Mark:7:24-30) come up to the the very borders of His country on behalf of these Jews. This border is near to the biggest city visited of His earthly walk, Tyre. Sidon (Zidon) is twenty mile north of even that. These two Gentile cities are specifically identified as being seen in a more favorable judgment than the hardened cities along the sea of Galilee that He performed so many of His works in.

This Gentile (Syrophenician - Greek Phoenician from Syria) woman appears to be a beneficiary of living in/near a city with inquisitive open minded Jews, not only in that Jesus' presence could not be hid, but also that she may have found out more background information about the Messiah from these others.

The dog that would be allowed near the family table would be the family dog. It is not used here in the sense of vile reproach as a Jew would use toward say a Samaritan. Could it be the young pup dict:strongs G2952 that will be sent out later to coral the lost sheep?

The tone of this discourse and it's outcome seems more pointed toward the Jewish ears present, revealing the soon coming change/expansion of mindset that will be required of them.

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

As Gentile believers, we commonly detach this woman's experience of Christ from the Jewish threads that hold her account together; as if she herself singlehandedly overcame by persistence. The account better describes a woman that quickly learned her certain place and reverently accepted it and came back a second time of a better mindset.The difference is measurable, the one discerning a faith humbled and meek befitting an outsider allowed into the fray, the other describing a faith insolent and compulsive and insistent.
The traditional Hebrew mindset would likely make this concept of Gentile inclusion a point of utter rejection if not introduced to the concept slowly and methodically within the framing context of their own Abrahamic election.
The non-believer's or Unitarian mindset is likely to favor the more common interpretation that productive faith equates to determination and uncompromising persistent demands.

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Matthew:15:21-28
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:15:21-28 rwp@Matthew:15:21-28 mhcc@Matthew:15:21-28
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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