Gospel for the 14th Sunday After Pentecost, Year A

August 17, 2008

Matthew 15:10-28
Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: ¹¹it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” ¹²Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” ¹³He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” ¹⁶Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

²¹Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²Just 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.” ²³But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Who is this Jesus who says that what comes out of the heart and mouth is what defiles, but then in the next moment insinuates that a woman who is not and Israelite is a dog? Is this the same Jesus who in a while will tell his disciples that "whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me"?

The actions that defile (vs 19) are certainly horrendous. But the next verse basically says that a person isn't unclean because they don't follow the same religious ritual. And, following that, Jesus is given the opportunity to put his words into action.

There are so many ways to explain away or explore this episode. It is a bit troubling after all - I personally would rather Jesus be open and welcoming immediately without having to have the woman groveling for the health of her child.

I choose not to explain it away. But rather to ask, what does this tell us about God's kingdom? What does this tell us about Jesus? What does this leave open for confusion and questioning? And is that confusion/questioning and only partial understanding of Jesus a bad thing?