The story of the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter sometimes strikes the reader by the apparent harshness of the Savior's words addressed to the healed girl's mother...
The story of the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter sometimes strikes the reader by the apparent harshness of the Savior's words addressed to the healed girl's mother. The comparison with a dog, unworthy of attention, really looks at least excessively harsh. Meanwhile, the woman's own reaction to this seeming harshness is quite calm.
Traditional exegesis explains what happens by the woman's deep repentance, her readiness to acknowledge any sin in herself if such acknowledgment will help her daughter. On closer examination, however, the dialogue between Jesus and the woman who turned to Him with a request for her daughter's healing resembles a parable more than anything else, a parable the woman understands and in whose language she answers the Savior. It may also be noted that the image of a dog as a symbol of uncleanness occurs in the Gospel text fairly often. This is not surprising: the Torah really does include the dog, like the pig, among unclean animals, and among all such animals these two were the ones Jesus' interlocutors and listeners most often saw.
Then Jesus' question takes on a definite meaning: does the clean person have the right to the Kingdom, while the unclean person, for example the same Gentile, does not? And the Syrophoenician woman was undoubtedly a Gentile. Can someone who has never known either purity or sanctification share in the Kingdom opened to the children of God, and all who belonged to the people of God were such children? And the woman, understanding the Savior perfectly, speaks of the crumbs that fall from the table. In essence, she accepts both Jesus Himself and the Kingdom He brought into the world. She accepts it while understanding that she herself has no right at all to this Kingdom that has come into the world. But she does not claim much either. She asks only for the smallest thing; the faintest reflection of the Kingdom's light is enough for her, enough for her daughter's healing. And she receives what she asks, receives it as an undeserved gift that she could not have expected in any way.
Thus the question of the people of God and the Gentiles is resolved in relation to the Kingdom. The one who asserts his rights to this Kingdom will have to prove the rights he has asserted; he will have to correspond to what he has claimed. But to the one who claims nothing, understanding that he has no rights to anything, the Kingdom will be given freely, on one condition: his humility must be genuine. It can only be, to use philosophical language, an existential choice for the one asking, and not at all a tribute to politeness, even religious politeness. Thus the Kingdom reconciles all: both those who feel their own strength and those who feel weak and unworthy of what they seek. It reconciles them by the love that both the strong and the weak need equally.
6
6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens - Sympathize with, and assist, each other, in all your weaknesses, grievances, trials. And so fulfil the law of Christ - The law of Christ (an uncommon expression) is the law of love: this our Lord peculiarly recommends; this he makes the distinguishing mark of his disciples.
6:3 If any one think himself to be something - Above his brethren, or by any strength of his own. When he is nothing, he deceiveth himself - He alone will bear their burdens, who knows himself to be nothing.
6:4 But let every man try his own work - Narrowly examine all he is, and all he doeth. And then he shall have rejoicing in himself - He will find in himself matter of rejoicing, if his works are right before God.And not in another - Not in glorying over others.
6:5 For every one shall bear his own burden - ln that day shall give an account of himself to God.
6:6 Let him that is taught impart to him that teacheth all such temporal good things as he stands in need of.
6:7 God is not mocked - Although they attempt to mock him, who think to reap otherwise than they sow.
6:8 For he that now soweth to the flesh - That follows the desires of corrupt nature. Shall hereafter of the flesh - Out of this very seed.Reap corruption - Death everlasting. But he that soweth to the Spirit - That follows his guidance in all his tempers and conversation. Shall ofthe Spirit - By the free grace and power of God, reap life everlasting.
6:9 But let us not be weary in well doing - Let us persevere in sowing to the Spirit. For in due season - When the harvest is come, we shall reap, if we faint not.
6:10 Therefore as we have opportunity - At whatever time or place, and in whatever manner we can. The opportunity in general is our lifetime; but there are also many particular opportunities. Satan is quickened in doing hurt, by the shortness of the time, Rev 12:12.By the same consideration let us be quickened in doing good.Let us do good - In every possible kind, and in every possible degree.Unto all men - Neighbours or strangers, good or evil, friends or enemies.But especially to them who are of the household of faith.For all believers are but one family.