Name-Calling

“But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs”” (Matthew 15:25–26).

The reactions to the words of Jesus in this encounter with a Gentile woman are varied.  There are skeptics who use them to claim that Jesus was just another racist bigot who shared in the sinful prejudices of His fellow Jews.  But even some who have faith in Christ struggle to understand why Jesus would refer to anyone as a “dog.”  It seems so out of character for the Savior revealed in other parts of the Bible.  What is going on here?  While a definitive answer may be elusive, let me offer some thoughts that may help.

First, technically speaking, Jesus didn’t directly call her a “dog.”  The “dog” was part of His illustration about the priority of His mission to the Jewish nation (cf. v.24).  Yes, there was likely a veiled reference to the ongoing Jew\Gentile tension of the day (and the words used by some to describe that tension), but there is nothing in the text to indicate that Jesus even remotely supported such attitudes.  Jesus DIDN’T say: “You Gentile dog, get away from me and don’t bother me with your insignificant problems!”

Second, the woman seems to receive the illustration in the spirit in which it was offered.  Rather than a racially-motivated slur, it appears to be an effort on the part of Jesus to reveal the heart of the woman -- a test of faith if you will.  There is no indication that the woman perceived the words of Jesus as being unkind or cruel.  In fact, her faith leads her to humble herself to the point of being willing to accept the crumbs of Jesus’ ministry if that is all she can have.  And her response prompts Jesus to grant her request and praise her for the greatness of her faith.

As always, read carefully and consider the context when seeking to understand the attitudes and actions of Jesus.

God loves you!

Mike