Jesus' words, His answer to the Gentile woman's request that He free her daughter from the power of dark forces, may seem excessively harsh, even cruel. Yet there was no cruelty in them, only the statement of a simple fact obvious to everyone at the time: the world is divided into...
Jesus' words, His answer to the Gentile woman's request that He free her daughter from the power of dark forces, may seem excessively harsh, even cruel. Yet there was no cruelty in them, only the statement of a simple fact obvious to everyone at the time: the world is divided into Jews and Gentiles, into the people of God and all the other nations. This was a fundamental division that could not be ignored.
In this case “dog” is not an insult, but simply a symbol of uncleanness: for a Jew every Gentile was unclean by definition, regardless of the life he led and even of whether he believed in the God of Israel. It is God who cleanses a person. To be clean, one must belong to the people of God, who, as the sages of the Second Temple period taught, constitute a spiritual unity, a kind of single spiritual body. No one can be clean without belonging to it. Gentiles, of course, saw the matter differently; but the woman mentioned in the Gospel story was addressing a Jew and hoping in the power and mercy of the God of Israel, so her own opinions and views were not what mattered in this case.
By comparing Gentiles to dogs, to unclean animals, Jesus thereby makes the matter absolutely clear. The people of God really are the people of God, purity truly matters, and paganism truly stands below Yahwism—as far below as any pagan religion, whatever may lie behind it, stands below the faith of Abraham and Moses. The coming of Christ did not mean that all boundaries became blurred and all distinctions were erased; as such, they remained unchanged. What changed was something else: the general order of things, which, while preserving distinctions and even boundaries where they are appropriate, decisively destroyed every wall and barrier. In the fallen world, making a boundary impassable often becomes the only guarantee of its reliability.
It is not so in the Kingdom: there are no boundaries or distinctions there that cannot be crossed or overcome. Yet the distinctions themselves do not disappear; they merely acquire a new quality and cease to be hostile to one another. These are the distinctions Jesus invites the Gentile woman to accept, and along with them her own spiritual and existential condition as a given. Without accepting herself as she is, she cannot enter the Kingdom.
Naturally, there could be no question of this woman's having a right to her daughter's healing. But in the Kingdom there is no talk of rights at all: rights enter the discussion only when every relationship has been destroyed and each person who once took part in it now feverishly tries to preserve the remnants of what he once possessed in fullness, naturally and freely. The woman accepts the rules of life in the Kingdom: she claims nothing; she merely asks Jesus to enter her life and her daughter's life. Then He does enter, for such trust opens to Him doors that, for the one who opens them, become the doors of the Kingdom.
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.