08/19/2026
Good morning faith family,
I keep seeing posts where “pastors” are describing Jesus as racist or wrong in the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, and having preached on this a bit this past Sunday, I feel like I need to correct the record.
The "present day" or "current year" common reading or theme in these messages goes something like this: Jesus calls this woman a dog as a slur, she challenges His prejudice, and Jesus realizes He was wrong and learns that God’s grace should extend beyond Israel. Main point: JESUS was wrong. SHE taught HIM a lesson.
I cannot stress enough how WRONG that is, both based on obvious basic theology, but primarily on the Greek used in Matthew. The result: I don’t think that reading does justice to Matthew at all.
Matthew deliberately identifies her as a Canaanite woman. Details like this in scripture are there for a reason. It's an old, loaded term for someone who could not be farther outside Israel’s covenant. She cries out to Jesus for mercy, calling Him “Lord, Son of David.” She even uses almost the exact same prayer as Peter from Matthew 14 - "Lord, save me" as "Lord, help me." The wording is SO close (rescue vs assist).
And who actually says, “Send her away”? The disciples.
Then Jesus hits them with their own thoughts: He was sent for Israel. You don't take what is Israel's and give it to "the dogs". But the woman gets who He is, and knows the promises better than them. She challenges Him, because of her faith - not because He's wrong. **There is enough bread.** She says, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” - i.e. I'll take whatever you have to offer, even if it's the leftovers.
BUT LISTEN. Matthew has already set us to hear that differently.
Just one chapter earlier, Jesus fed 5,000 people, multiplying 5 loaves and 2 fish into 12 baskets of food and everyone ate and was satisfied, and there were twelve baskets of pieces left over. Leftovers.
The leftovers weren’t a different meal. They were the SAME BREAD.
So when this woman talks about the “crumbs” from the table, she isn’t asking for some crappy version of God’s mercy left for outsiders. She KNOWS the bread falling from the table is just as good and sufficient as the bread served AT it.
And Jesus doesn't say, “GOLLY GEE YOU WERE RIGHT,” but, "Woman, you have great faith!” Throughout Matthew Jesus is constantly telling the disciples and those around them...what...that they have "little faith."
This is a story about an someone forced to be an outsider who understands the abundance of God's Kingdom better than the insiders do.
And all of this sits just so beautifully alongside Isaiah 56, where God speaks directly to the foreigner who fears being excluded and promises, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Israel’s covenant is real. Israel came first in salvation history. But “first” doesn't mean “only.” God’s promise was and always has been moving outward toward the nations.
That is the Kingdom Jesus is revealing. He's not being racist. He's not wrong. If you hear someone teaching that, walk the heck away. Matthew 15 isn't showing us a racist Jesus being corrected by a morally superior person.
Jesus is exposing the smallness of the human categories around Him. That instinct to decide who belongs at the table, who deserves the bread, and who should be sent away.
The Canaanite woman recognizes what the disciples don’t realize yet at this point: God’s Kingdom is not scarce. There is enough mercy, grace, bread, and the feast is for all.
God bless you this week, and consider and pray strongly over the Word when you hear someone preaching it. We've always had people who don't do the research, but we're seeing people who are now re-shaping God's Word into stupid, worldly narratives that have NOTHING to do with His Kingdom.
If you ever have questions, please give me a shout. Love you always - take care. Don't let the rulers of this world fool you with fake gospel and false words.
- Pastor Kevin
