There's a whole book here I am sure.
I was prompted to examine the account of the Lord's dealing with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. Here's the passage:
21Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
I have heard it taught that Jesus was sent only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel".
This is axiomatic: it's written right there in the text. Never argue about what the black and white (and sometimes red) of what the text reads.
However, what some people think is that "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" means "Jews" or "Israelites". So, when they teach the passage, they teach that Jesus was only sent to the natural Jews.
But let's look at what actually happens in the passage.
Woman cries out.
Disciples tell Jesus to send her away.
Jesus says "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
I can only assume that the disciples believe the Lord will ignore her completely after His remark.
BUT the woman worships Him and says "Lord, help me!"
The story ends with the the woman's daughter being healed.
"Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour."
Paul would write: "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
And this is what we are seeing here.
HOWEVER, there is more...
Jesus cannot lie. He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. So who is the woman from Canaan?
A lost sheep from the house of Israel.
Not by birth, but by faith.
Paul would also write: "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel"
And this is my point: The Lord's use of Israel, here, is to be understood spiritually, not physically.
I was prompted to examine the account of the Lord's dealing with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. Here's the passage:
21Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
I have heard it taught that Jesus was sent only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel".
This is axiomatic: it's written right there in the text. Never argue about what the black and white (and sometimes red) of what the text reads.
However, what some people think is that "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" means "Jews" or "Israelites". So, when they teach the passage, they teach that Jesus was only sent to the natural Jews.
But let's look at what actually happens in the passage.
Woman cries out.
Disciples tell Jesus to send her away.
Jesus says "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
I can only assume that the disciples believe the Lord will ignore her completely after His remark.
BUT the woman worships Him and says "Lord, help me!"
The story ends with the the woman's daughter being healed.
"Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour."
Paul would write: "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
And this is what we are seeing here.
HOWEVER, there is more...
Jesus cannot lie. He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. So who is the woman from Canaan?
A lost sheep from the house of Israel.
Not by birth, but by faith.
Paul would also write: "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel"
And this is my point: The Lord's use of Israel, here, is to be understood spiritually, not physically.