THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
The Canaanite woman: Mt 15,21-28
The evangelists seem agreed that Jesus' ministry was mainly in Galilee followed by a limited time in Judea and Jerusalem. They are reluctant to allow Jesus to leave for pagan territory during his life time. Luke keeps him in Jewish lands throughout the Gospel because he has a second volume for his story, the Acts of the Apostles. Mark and Matthew need to address within their Gospels issues which were those of their largely Gentile communities. This trip northwards by Jesus is an opportunity to do this.
Matthew though keeps the trip to just the one episode, our Canaanite woman. This shows that this encounter is important for the evangelist and he makes more of it than Mark. He certainly highlights the drama of the scene.
Further, Matthew has changed Mark and presented the whole episode as a dialogue (or an attempted dialogue, verse 23). Three times the woman speaks to Jesus, calling him "Lord" though Jesus replies only twice (and reluctantly).
Matthew also adds to Mark the exchange between Jesus and his disciples, 15,23-25.
In verse 22, Matthew changed Mark's description of the woman from Syrophoenician to Canaanite, a notable anachronism. (Someone once commented that it was like calling Danes "Vikings".)
The woman then breaks all taboos: as a Gentile and as a woman she should not be approaching Jesus. "Lord" though is his Christian title and "Son of David" is used several times for healings (9,27). Her cry on behalf of her daughter is a prayer which is that of all followers of Christ.Jesus' refusal to answer the woman (verse 23) is unusual for him and his only justification may the limited way he saw his mission: only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (as in 10,6). Jesus here is taking an unexpectedly narrow view of his mission. Even the disciples seek to discourage her as a foreigner and send her away.
Yet the woman calls him "Lord" throughout, this is the Christian title following the resurrection.
And in verse 25, the woman persists. Like a number in this Gospel from the Magi (2,11) on, she prostrates herself and worships Jesus with her request: Lord, help me. To this reply Jesus still needs further persuasion in their third exchange (15,26). The children are the people of Israel, the dogs the Gentiles.
In verse 27, this determined woman in her third approach to Jesus gives a strong reply, even a witty reply. Jesus is then able to affirm her great faith in verse 28. This is a much stronger response than Mark where the story is an exorcism (Mk 7,29-30).
The woman's faith in Jesus despite opposition even from Jesus himself stands in marked contrast with the previous discussion about the Pharisees and scribes (15,1-20). They are blind guides, more concerned with details of the law than the mercy of God.
We can though ask questions about Jesus' own attitude. We don't expect Jesus to be so bad tempered and having an off day, but that is part of his humanity. Given that the woman's language is that of the later Christian community, it may be that this story reflects tensions within the evangelist's own community. That must challenge our own attitudes.
The Sunday Gospel: 20th Sunday OT
Looking at year B, the Gospel for the 22nd Sunday comes immediately before the encounter with the woman while the Gospel for the 23rd Sunday follows immediately after it. The omission of this scene is obvious. Avoiding repetition in the different cycles was part of the editorial policy for the lectionary even though passages are often or usually more different than they appear. Often too it is the "easier" version which is preferred. In this instance, Matthew's version of this encounter actually shows Jesus behaving badly which is not what the Sunday congregation may expect to hear. He does though make more of this scene than Mark as we have seen.
Isaiah 56 opens the last part of the prophecy of Isaiah with the exiles back in Jerusalem. The previous part of Isaiah, chapters 40-55, is known as the book of the consolation of Israel, encouraging the people to return across the desert from their exile in Babylon. Now they have arrived in Jerusalem and they have to face harsh reality.
It is therefore remarkable that the first oracle, Is 56,1-8, presents such an open-minded vision. God will bring even foreigners to his mountain. It's not perhaps surprising that the eunuchs have been omitted, they are not really relevant to the woman of the Gospel. It is that openness which needs to be carried over to the Gospel, even though at this stage of the Gospel Jesus himself seems to be struggling with it.
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