Matthew 15: 21-28
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Today's sermon is a drama based on the gospel reading. It is set as a talk show in the time of Jesus. (I know there was no TV back then so you have to use your imagination!) Jesus and the Canaanite woman are being interviewed about their encounter. Some of the things said will sound harsh to your ears, but remember that they reflect the thinking of the time.
As you read it, think about who you relate to most in the story. What parts bother you most, and why?
A Teachable Moment
Anchor: Thanks so much for agreeing to come on the show tonight, Jesus. It was quite a scoop to get you and that Canaanite woman who attacked you. Just relax and we'll start in 2 minutes.
Jesus: Actually she didn't attack me --
Anchor: Hold that thought. (to someone in the wings) Jesse, can you make sure the chair is sanitized properly after that Canaanite woman leaves? You know those kind of people never follow the purity rituals properly and I don't want anyone sitting in a contaminated chair. Thanks.
Ruth: I have a name, it's Ruth.
Anchor: Pardon? Were you talking to me?
Ruth: Yes, you keep calling me “that Canaanite woman,” but I have a name and I'd like you to use it. It's Ruth.
Anchor: Look, you know the story is really about Jesus, don't you? He's the big news these days. No one cares about you, not only are you a woman, but you're a Canaanite. You're not Jewish and you're not from Israel. Three big reasons why you don't matter, Jesus does. We just invited you on the show for the shock value.
Ruth: If you don't use my name, I won't stay. You won't have much shock value without me, will you? Everyone will watch your rival on “What's Happening with Herod” instead.
Anchor: Jesus, don't you have anything to say about her attitude?
Jesus: I think you should call her by her name, Ruth.
Ruth: Thank you, Jesus.
Jesus: Anytime Ruth.
Anchor: (Looks to side) Oh, you made me miss my cue, we're starting in 3 seconds!
Welcome to the Galilee Grapevine, where we dig into the top stories of Galilee to get you the latest information. I'm your host Leah and here with me today are Jesus, a wandering teacher who has been gaining in popularity, and that Canaanite woman who raised eyebrows by attacking him in public last week.
Okay then, Jesus and uh, Ruth, thank you for coming on the show today. Let's start with Jesus. Everyone has seen the video of that Can – I mean Ruth, attacking you on the streets of Tyre last week, screaming and shouting like a mad woman. I heard it took three Roman soldiers to get her to stop hitting you.
What can you tell us about that traumatic experience?
Jesus: Well Leah, it wasn't like that at all. Ruth didn't attack me and we weren't in Tyre, we were in a small village near the city. I was visiting some Jewish friends there. So really, we were the outsiders in that situation, it's a Canaanite area.
Anchor: Yes, but she still had no right to attack you!
Jesus: As I keep saying, she didn't attack me. She stood near me and called out to me, asking me to heal her daughter.
Anchor: That's a verbal attack! Women aren't supposed to approach men like that, they're supposed to wait for men to acknowledge them and then speak quietly and respectfully.
Ruth: Would you speak quietly and respectfully if your daughter was possessed by a demon and looking like she was going to die? I was desperate! Even in Tyre we heard the stories about how Jesus could heal people and cast out demons. When I learned that he was in my village, of course I went to talk to him!
I knew that if I approached him quietly he would ignore me. I hoped that by being loud he'd have no choice but to listen to me.
Anchor: Okay, fine, you didn't attack him. Jesus, what was your initial response to this, uh, loud and animated approach?
Jesus: I'm ashamed to say that at first I ignored her. I was so tired. I went north to stay with my friends because I was exhausted from all the teaching and healing I had been doing.
I have to confess that I wanted a break from it all. When I heard Ruth shouting, all I could think was - no, not again, not now. I can't deal with this.
I thought the fact that she was Canaanite gave me the perfect excuse to ignore her.
Anchor: And rightly so. Jews don't usually speak to Canaanites, we avoid them at all cost because they're different. Their religion is wrong and their customs are so strange.
If you ignored Ruth at first, how did you end up healing her daughter after all? Did she threaten you?
Ruth: Threaten him? What kind of person do you take me for? You don't threaten a person who you hope will have mercy on you!
Jesus: No, she didn't threaten me, although my disciples threatened both of us if she didn't stop shouting. They weren't very happy.
I couldn't deal with the yelling and with pouty disciples, so I decided to talk to Ruth. I told her I couldn't help her because I was only sent to help the lost sheep of Israel, no one else.
Anchor: And that didn't stop her?
Ruth: Are you kidding? I knew he had healed that Roman centurion's servant a few months ago so I knew there was a chance he would help me. Now that he was at least talking to me, I decided to try a different approach.
I knelt at his feet and begged him to help me.
Anchor: You sure are persistent, aren't you?
Jesus: Yes! That's one of the many things I have come to admire about Ruth. I love her persistence.
Anchor: So is that when you changed your mind?
Jesus: No, I'm ashamed to say that I was equally persistent in being hard hearted. I told her – I told her --, agh, I'm so ashamed to say the words now, but I had no difficulty then.
Ruth: I don't think you really meant it, Jesus. You were just in a bad mood and I was an easy target.
Jesus: No Ruth, thank you for trying to protect me, but I have to own what I said. I told her that it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. I said it and in that moment I meant it, God forgive me.
Anchor: That's not so bad. Everyone calls the Canaanites dogs. And she had just attacked you so she deserved it.
Ruth: I did not attack him!
Jesus: Even if she had attacked me, which she had not, she didn't deserve to be called a dog. No one does.
Anchor: Come on Jesus, it's not that offensive. Lots of people love dogs. I do, so if I call someone a dog it's not really even an insult. You could almost call it a compliment.
Ruth: Give me a break. Would you like it if I called your daughter a dog? In front of your whole audience?
Anchor: That's different! I'm not a Canaanite.
Jesus: Please let me finish, Leah. Maybe you'll understand if I tell you the rest of the story. Instead of getting angry at what I called her, and you can tell she's not the sort of person to hide how she feels, Ruth just said, yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.
Isn't that brilliant? Even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.
Anchor: That is pretty smart. How did you come up with that, Ruth?
Ruth: I am pretty smart, Leah. Haven't you figured that out yet? Anyway, I remembered how Jesus talked about mercy a lot, how he said that mercy was more important than sacrifices or following all those crazy purity laws you Jews have. It seemed to me that anyone who could say all that would have to have mercy on me and my daughter, even just a few crumbs of mercy.
Anchor: You have a point there, Ruth. How about you, Jesus?
What was your response to her comments?
Jesus: It was like she hit me between the eyes with the realization that all people are God's children. It doesn't matter if you're Jewish or Gentile, Israelite or Canaanite, man or woman, we're all God's children and everyone deserves to be treated with love and respect.
Anchor: So you taught her a lesson on love and respect.
Jesus: No, no, no! She taught me. I was the one who needed to learn how wide God's mercy is. Ruth's faith is a model for all of us.
As I sat there, stunned, I remember how a few weeks ago I said: “If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” I knew I had to help her and heal her daughter, that it would be a sign for all people that she and all Canaanites and truly, all people, are part of God's kingdom.
Anchor: Let me get this straight, you Jesus, the great teacher, were taught an important lesson by a Canaanite woman.
Jesus: Yes! Not just an important lesson, a key lesson, a transformational one! She has changed the direction of my teaching. I'm no longer here just for my own people, I'm here to try and bring the good news of the kingdom of God to all people.
Anchor: So you want everyone to be Jewish?
Ruth: I hope not! With all due respect I'm quite happy with my own religion.
Jesus: She's right. I don't think everyone has to become Jewish. What matters is living in God's way, doing what Ruth taught me to do, to listen to all people with respect and compassion, to try and avoid judging and instead try helping.
I really messed up with Ruth at first. I'm so grateful that she was persistent and gave me another chance to learn and to act.
Anchor: Are you trying to tell me that Ruth is the hero of this story, not you?
Jesus: Exactly! That's it, she's the hero, not me. Imagine how much we all could learn if we started listening to people who are different from us instead of putting them down, if we loved them instead of hurting them.
Ruth: I guess that means I have to love and respect Leah here, is that what you're saying, Jesus?
Anchor: What? But I'm better than you! Wait, maybe I'm not, after all, Jesus just learned a huge lesson from you. And I was kind of harsh and judgmental with you.
Ruth: Kind of?
Anchor: Okay, I was harsh and insulting and, and, I'm sorry. That was wrong.
Ruth: Thank you, apology accepted.
Jesus: And I owe you an apology too Ruth, for the way I treated you. I just realized I was so overwhelmed by what you taught me that I never apologized.
Ruth: Thank you Jesus, that means a lot. I think we all learned a lot, not just from our first encounter, but today as well. Maybe God is working in all of us.
Anchor: Amen!