Harsh Sayings of Jesus: Calling a Woman a “Dog”

May 1

Harsh Sayings of Jesus: Calling a Woman a “Dog”

But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. (Matt. 15:26)

Around the time we first became Christians and began learning the Bible, I remember one evening sitting down with my wife in conversation and she had just read where Jesus called a woman a dog. Not being familiar with the passage I was shocked. I told, her, “No, Jesus could not have done that. You’re probably reading it wrong. She showed me the passage and sure enough, that is what He called her. I could not believe that my loving Jesus who I was just coming to know would intentionally insult someone. Yet, there it was. I knew there had to be some explanation for this but at the time I did not even know where to begin to find it.

Later I learned that Jesus was not being intentionally harsh and insulting here. He was teaching several lessons to this woman and all others who would read the recording of this incident. The first lesson was for His Jewish disciples. A certain amount of racism existed in the hearts of the Jews. They believed that their race was superior and others inferior. To them Gentiles were nothing more than dogs. They needed to see that anyone who comes to Christ in faith will receive from Him. It is a lesson that they failed to learn when Jesus healed the servant of a Roman soldier who was one of the very people the Jews disdained as their oppressors (Matt. 8:1-13).

He also needed to teach all of us the necessary perseverance of faith. He insulted this woman with the common belief that was held by all Jews concerning her race. Instead of her feeling slighted and walking away in an angry huff, she replied, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table” (Matt. 15:27). Again, Jesus took this opportunity to show that faith and humility, not national origin, is the key to receiving God’s blessings and miraculous answers to prayer.

Jesus did not actually view this woman as a dog. He loved and valued her but it was necessary to insult her in order to test her faith, bring a lesson about the love of God to His disciples, and rid them of racial prejudice in preparation for their ministry to all of the nations (Matt. 28:18-20). Perseverance of faith brings blessings and God’s blessings are available to those, be they Jew or Gentile, who are not easily discouraged by seeming denials.

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