Why did Jesus say to the Canaanite woman “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” in Matthew 15:24

Question

I am a first time reader of the Bible. I'm reading chapters from old and new each night and have started to feel at times the Bible was written solely for the children of Israel.

If as stated in one of your answers that the lost sheep of Israel are all who believe in Him, why was Jesus turning her away by saying that? Obviously she was a believer and he ultimately healed her daughter, so again, why did he say he was only here for what I interpret as Jacobs descendants?

Answer 1

Jesus himself taught an explanation of this in the parable about the wedding feast as found a few chapters later in Matthew:

Matthew 22:1-14

And Jesus answering, spoke again in parables to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son. And he sent his servants, to call them that were invited to the marriage; and they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage. But they neglected,¹ and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise. And the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death. But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city.² Then he saith to his servants: The marriage indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.³ And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.⁴ And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment?⁵ But he was silent. Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

¹ Those Jews who did not accept Christ.

² Those Jews who killed Christ and His Apostles. The sacking of Jerusalem.

³ The Gentiles. Hosea 2:23.

⁴ Zechariah 2:11.

⁵ The state of justification, or, the state of grace. The robe or wedding garment is the righteous state of the believer (Revelation 19:7-8). Having been washed in the blood of Christ, made ready for the Feast, into which "no unclean thing" will be admitted. (Revelation 21:27)

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A lot, nay all, of Jesus' teaching methods are didactic. (John 13:13) Jesus was to come and give the first choice, as it were, to the Jews. Knowing they would reject Him, in justice He nonetheless fulfilled His intention in asking them (to know implies He has already asked them, in the future). (John 6:6) Then, as prophesied, the Gentiles were to be grafted in. In making known that He has come and given them the priority and first choice, He is vindicated in going to the Gentiles; giving to dogs, as it were, that which was not eaten by the children. (Matthew 15:26) By using the analogy of a dog, he doesn't put Gentiles on the level of animals, He rather shows the dignity of what it is to be a child of God, and of Israel His chosen. Such disrespect as denying and killing their own Messiah is the reason that what the children of Israel rejected, the Gentiles received all the more, readily and abundantly.

Answer 2

While the two previous answers (JBH and SolaGatia) are valid I would want to point out a few things that will not only help understand this passage but the scriptures in general.

First of all, the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" are not "unsaved Jews" but rather the faithful Jews who had no faithful shepherds. They were part of Yehovah's devoted "sheep" but scattered and troubled because the leadership of the Jews did not care for them as they ought to have:

NIV Ezekiel 34: 1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

7“ ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

11“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. ... 22I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken. ... 30Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”

So this mission of Jesus was to locate the faithful but scattered Jewish "sheep" of Yehovah God and to tend to them. By saying "I am THE good shepherd" Jesus claims that he is the "David" prophesied in Ezekiel:

NIV John 10: 11“I am the good shepherd [promised to the Jews]. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

The "other sheep" are the gentiles:

NIV John 10: 14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

So the sheep that loved Yehovah God also responded to Jesus because they recognized that he was speaking what God had taught him:

BSB John 14: 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, carrying out His work.

So while Jesus was on this mission specifically to gather the lost sheep of Israel under Paul's ministry there would be an establishment of a new assembly where the distinction of Jew vs gentile would not limit the flock (Eph 2). This woman, by her faith received some of what was then promised only to the Jews.

Answer 3

Jesus was a master teacher. He regularly used situations to teach more than just the obvious person. Jesus used the ability to discern what was in people's hearts (Matthew 22:18, Mark 2:8, etc.), so I believe we can assume He knew about the woman's faith. So why did he make her earn the reward for her faith? One possible answer is to look at the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) from the point of view of what it would mean to Peter.

In Acts chapter 10 we read the story of Peter and Cornelius. Imagine, for a moment, Peter witnessing the vision of food that failed the Levitical law and contemplating what it meant. There was a part of Peter that still believed that the children's bread should not be "cast ... to dogs." Jesus was about to change that perspective forever!

While the Bible does not say what Peter thought, I believe it is possible that when he stood before Cornelius, the memory of that discussion with the Canaanite woman came to mind. It is little wonder, therefore, that Peter concluded:

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10:34-35)

But, the most amazing conclusion?

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 10:44-45, emphasis mine).

It was the same lesson, but when Jesus met the Canaanite woman, Peter wasn't yet ready to learn it. But Jesus (I believe) wasn't willing to waste the opportunity for a lesson.

Ultimately, we do not know why Jesus did or said anything. But we can see the patterns of His gospel woven throughout the Biblical narrative. And those patterns are also valuable.

Answer 4

This is a very good question, Darlene! One which many should be asking, rather than avoiding. Many of the answers above or typical "Christian" responses; however, they are not completely accurate.

First, there is a difference between a New Testament "Jew" and the lost sheep of the house of Israel. If you have read all the way through Matthew, you probably picked up on some conflicting statements from Jesus regarding these groups and his purpose vs. what people currently teach that his purpose was.

The "lost sheep of the house of Israel" did not kill, nor did they reject Jesus.... They were the ones following him and John the Baptist throughout the land. Remember that Jesus was purposed to lead his people and he did so! He was never sent here to change or save the Pharisees who are often equated to the "Israelites" by the generic term "Jew".

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Mat 3:5-6

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. - Mat 4:25

John makes the distinction between the "Jews" who include the Pharisees who were religious and political leaders and the people who were Israelite descendants and considered the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Pharisees who actually had Jesus killed are never said to be descendants of Jacob or Judah, therefore they are never said to be strictly Israelites.

Mat 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Mat 3:8 Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

From John's encounter with the Pharisees, it is immediately clear the Pharisees and Sadducees were never part of the redemption and salvation plan. They were identified as the enemy, the serpent, who would, according to John, burn in hell. This is made clear right off the bat in the New Testament.

It was descendants of Jacob specifically, and not of Abraham, who was given the promise of a Messiah. Which is why John made the comment that God could make rocks descendents of Abraham. Remember that Abraham had many descendents who became great nations including Esau, Ishmael, and the sons of Keturah, his second wife. The descendants of Jacob are the lost sheep of the family of Israelites, who were without proper leadership whom Jesus was sent for.

So the short answer to your question is that Jesus says that he was only sent for these certain people because he was. Afterall, Israel has a special mission and Jesus came to help them carry that mission out, which is why he and his disciples only taught the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [Mat 10:6]

However, he also demonstrates through the story of the Canaanite women that from times of old, people, also called sojourners and strangers in the old testament, had always been grafted into the family and became a part of the family and the same still holds true. While they may not have the same mission as Israel, they too can receive the benefits through their faith in the God of Israel. Also, according to scripture, these adopted children must also submit to the complete law or Word of the God of Israel to be grafted in... Im not talking about the ten commandments, but the WHOLE message and purpose of the God of Israel.

Also the woman says some things that should not be ignored.

She says,

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. -Mat 15:25

So she knew who he was and that he was someone to be bowed to. But then Jesus essentially calls her a dog.

And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. -Mat 15:25

She agrees that she is a dog! First, this takes us back to a great "Israelite" who was a fearless leader but was not actually an Israelite. Rather, he was either an Edomite or Canaanite. He was a decadent of Kenaz, son of Esau [Gen 36:11], who lived in the Canaanite's land [Gen 15:19] and were therefore also a Canaanitish people. Also, Esau married Canaanite women, making his descendents Cannanitish! His name was Caleb, which means "dog" in Hebrew.

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. -Num 32:12

So the moral of the story is that Jesus, whose name was really Yahushua, was sent to his own people as promised in Old Testament scripture, but since the beginning of Israelite history, when people submitted to the God of Israel they became like Israel in so many ways. They never become Israel, but like the Canaanite women point out, others are allowed to eat from their table. Which means they share the same benefits as the Israelites when they make themselves as one, having been adopted. The Canaanite women knew scripture and reminded Jesus of this truth. She held him to the word of God which demonstrated her faith in the truth of God's word.

I hope this helps to give you a complete understanding of this statement and other's like it that Yahushua made!

Answer 5

This shows a contradiction in the bible. Contrary to the official narrative, not all Jews rejected Jesus. Many accepted him. All of the 12 apostles were Jews and the James Jerusalem church was composed of Jews.

Answer 6

The outcome of the passage is clear: Jesus regards human hearts and sincerity of faith in love, responding to those things and not to genetical-national-cultural belonging of a person. And was not it His desire that people could understand that? Of course it was, as we see in Luke 4:14-30, where the people at the Nazareth synagogue were provoked by His words and agitated to kill him just for that teaching that He did not come to Jews only, but - as Elijah the prophet came to a non-Jew Sidonian widow and Elisha the Prophet came to a Syrian man Naaman - He came to all good-hearted people ready to accept Him.

Given that, and taking for granted the Jesus does not contradict Himself, so as to assert one time this and another time the opposite, we can see His statement in exactly in this universal light: He speaks out not His mind and His intent, but dismantles the communis opinio of the Jews and gentiles alike that He came only as a parochial messiah of Jews rather than a universal messiah. It was a pedagogic question to edify both Jews and non-Jews in understanding of this "novel", universal dimension of messiah-ship.

To speak in Derridian categories, Jesus first states as a question a wrong perception of Jews and non-Jews about the role and scope of mission of the messiah in order to deconstruct it eventually and open a way to the correct understanding of messiah. He appreciated and praised the daring of the Canaanite woman, the daring of faith out of love and pure heart, for this daring was based on an intuition that all humans are loved by God and, if so, why would He grudge His mercies to non-Jews? Jesus responded to this correct intuition by dismantling the egotistic vision of the Messiah.

The very fact that Jesus healed the daughter of the poor woman was the final touch of this education and enlightening on the part of Jesus, for His praiseful words ("great is your faith") was in fact an invitation and invocation to all non-Jews to follow her lead.

Answer 7

Because Jesus (who is Yahweh God Himself in the flesh) DID only come for Israel. He said it and he meant it. He specifically tells his disciples not to enter foreign cities. He tells them to ONLY go to the lost sheep of Israel, who is Jacob's lineage. The entire Old AND New Testaments are written to Israel and Abraham's descendants. Yahweh specifically tells Israel out of all families of the earth, THEY are the only ones he knows. The OT is the love affair between Yahweh and His people - Israel. No one else is mentioned, except when Yahweh kills His people for fornicating with Canaanites, or when Yahweh commands His people to exterminate Canaanites. The Law is given only to Israel and Adamic man - Abel's descendants. Cain's descendants are dogs who are not under law and whom Christ did not die for. Israel has been dispersed throughout the world, and that is who is meant by the "nations" - Christ came to Judea and was rejected by Judeans, but he came for ALL OF HIS SHEEP - which is ISRAEL - dispersed across the nations. The modern human mind cannot accept this because we have been blinded as to who Israel actually is, and we can't fathom God would care about or place one race over others. It's the cold truth and the entire Bible proves it without question.

The Pharisees who killed Christ were Edomite/Canaanite as was Judas Iscariot. The Romans who crucified him were Israel (white race) which is why Christ tells Yahweh to "forgive them for they know not what they do". He says this about the Romans (who ARE of his sheep) not the Edomite Pharisees, who knew exactly what they were doing, and who were "of their father the devil". Yahweh tells us he hates Esau, and Edom will be "the end of the world (Satan's current world) while Jacob (Israel) is the beginning of the world" (Kingdom of Heaven)

Christ died for Israel, as it is written. No other race is mentioned in the Bible as having any favor with Yahweh. Gentile" means "nation", not "non Jew". Nation means Israelites scattered across the world - think European continent. The KJV has been doctored to suit universalist ideology. From the time of Christ until only a few hundred years ago, when the scriptures were purposely and subtly manipulated, everyone knew the truth. At the time of Christ everyone knew exactly who Israel and Edom were. The idea of multicultural universal salvation wasn't even fathomable and would have been literal blasphemy, until only recent times, because Christ literally told his people specifically who he came for.

Corinthians tells us a non believing spouse is sanctified by their believing partner. This alone decimates universal, individual salvation. It completely throws out the idea that salvation is a matter of personal belief in Christ. It proves that it is a given both people in such a situation are of the same race, of ISRAEL, and thus are ultimately saved by their race, as they are "children of the promise".

Christ does not tell the Canaanite woman to go and "sin no more". He doesn't tell her what she has to do or welcome her into "spiritual Israel" or anything beyond commending her faith in Him being able to heal her daughter. He throws her a bone and then sends her on her way. If we were supposed to interpret this verse differently, it would be in the text. There would be SOMETHING there that explains, "yes it does seem like this entire book is written exclusively to one race of people, BUT it's actually for every human being who believes and here is some proof so as to not discourage the non Israelites reading this and teetering on the edge of belief". Instead we have a non Israelite being ignored and then called a dog and told they are not of the children of God.

This is the truth, it's right there in the Bible. Read it and you will understand. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. All of this is verifiable and factual, anyone can prove it for themselves. You cannot however, prove that anywhere in the Bible does Yahweh/Christ preach salvation of anyone other than Israel.

God, the Creator, tells us Himself that one race of people are His people. He further instructs His people not to even be associated with other races. He tells Israel not to marry, have children with or cohabit with non Israelites. This doesn't suddenly change because of Christ - for Christ himself GAVE these laws as Christ is the eternal Yahweh/God himself, of the OT and NT. It's up to us now to wake up and understand who Israel is and who Edom/the "dogs" are to make sense of the world. Hint - the Jews of today who literally murdered God Himself and openly declare their hatred for Christ, are not Israel.

There is Israel and there are the dogs. This is human history in a nutshell and prophecy is confirming this today.