Jesus vs Canaanese woman

[Sławomir Ciupka]

Hi,

I have question. We have this scene in the Bible:

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

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

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

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Matthew 15:21-28


I am looking for information about, what did the Canaanites believe? What was their faith?

I'm asking becouse I am sure about that, Jesus known what was their religion, and he knew what was her cult. Thats why, Jesus responded rude to her.

I mean, the answer of jesus to the woman has a direct relationship to what she believed in - as a Canaanite.
What do you think?

 

[WIP]

The way I heard it explained once is that Jesus' reply to her was not rude. As Jesus stated in His response to His disciples, He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel and not to the gentiles. There had been a long rivalry between Israel and the Canaanites and His reference to dogs is that the Jews are the children and the gentiles are the dogs. Children get fed first. Since He had not been preaching to gentiles, her understanding of who He was was unique and His reference to dogs may have been a way of testing her faith. Her response confirmed it basically saying that she was content to just get crumbs from the Mater's table.

 

[for_his_glory]

Jesus wasn't being rude to her as He was probably testing her faith as WIP mentioned.

Even though Jesus said He came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel there were many Gentiles that heard His teachings and believed. This women, being a Canaanite, who no doubt heard Jesus speak came and worshipped Jesus as I would only assume she bowed herself before Him asking for help with her daughter. In vs. 28 Jesus said to her, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." In that instant her daughter was healed by the faith she had in Christ.

Who do Canaanites worship?

Baal, god worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites, who apparently considered him a fertility deity and one of the most important gods in the pantheon. They worshipped many different gods, but not the true God of all creation.