Stubborn Faith

Stubborn Faith

Reminiscere, the Second Sunday in Lent – 3/16/2025

Matthew 15:21-28

Rev. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration today is our Gospel lesson from the fifteenth chapter of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew with special emphasis on verses twenty-six through twenty-eight which read as follows:

“And [Jesus] answered, “’It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.’  Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This passage from Matthew is a gripping one. Jesus has a, for lack of a better word, confrontation with a Canaanite woman who is not of the house of Israel. Jesus says plainly that He has come to save Israel, not the Gentiles, but the woman refuses to back down. She would be happy, she says, to even get the crumbs. And her dogged refusal to look anywhere else than Jesus for help is commended as an example of great faith. The Canaanite woman is easy to sympathize with. She was, no doubt, desperate to see her daughter healed. And she, in her great need, came to Jesus. This was no fluke or accident; she did not come to know Jesus in by a dream or sudden spiritual awakening. The report of Christ was circulating the countryside; the Lord’s reputation was widely known at this point. And so she went to see if Jesus could do anything for her. This is the root of trust that makes faith. And this passage is a profound teaching on faith—what it is, where it comes from, and how it clings to Christ alone. Many misunderstand faith as something we muster up ourselves, but as we will see, faith is entirely a gift from God, sustained by His Word.

I. The Canaanite Woman’s Faith Was Not Her Own Doing

Jesus travels to Tyre and Sidon, where a Canaanite woman (a Gentile) approaches Him, crying out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”[2] 

This woman was not raised in the faith of Israel. By birth, she was an outsider, a pagan, a member of the race that Joshua was commanded to destroy when the Israelites settled in the land after their forty years of wandering in the wilderness.  Yet she calls Jesus "Lord, Son of David"—a Messianic title! How did she come to know Jesus as the Christ?

Faith comes by hearing; she must have heard reports about Jesus—His miracles, His teaching, His compassion. Her faith was not something she created; it was the work of God in her. Yes, even these simple reports about Jesus were enough for God  the Holy Spirit to enkindle faith in her. It is hard not to be reminded here of that famous passage, Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Faith is not a decision we make but a gift we receive. The woman did not reason her way to faith or claim she deserved Jesus’ help. She simply trusted in Him.

   This also means that we should not over think our sharing of the Gospel nor should we underestimate the power of God’s Word. Sometimes we Lutherans get nervous about our ability to share Jesus and His saving work with others. But we should not fear. The power of the Gospel does not lie in those who preach or share it, but in the Word of God. And even if we only give the most basic and simple of treatments of it, God will do with His Word what He will. Indeed, we also have the promise that not one of those who have been elected, chosen, and given to Christ will be lost, even if our witness is imperfect.

II. The Testing of Faith Strengthens It

At first, Jesus appears to ignore her: "He did not answer her a word."[3] Even when the disciples urge Him to send her away, Jesus responds, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”[4] Yet she does not give up. She kneels before Him and pleads, “Lord, help me.”

Then comes Jesus’ most difficult response: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (v. 26) At first glance, this seems harsh. She is not of the house of Israel, she is a Canaanite, a pagan, a member of a people who should not exist by God’s own command to Joshua. But this is not a sign that the Lord does not want her or that she is seen as unworthy of Him. No, Jesus’s words, stern words of Law, draw out her faith and strengthen it. Her response is remarkable:

“Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”[5] She does not demand or claim any right to God’s grace. Instead, she clings to Jesus even in the face of testing and trial. She knows something that the disciples seem not to: while salvation is first to and through Israel, it is not for Israel alone. Indeed, salvation is for all who believe, who put their trust in Christ as their God and Savior.[6]

    Classically, theologians say that faith consists of three parts, so to speak. The first, and foundational aspect is trust. When we have faith, we trust in someone or something to do for us. In other words, faith takes an object; it must be in something. There is no such thing as faith in general or faith in abstract. It is always concrete and always focused somewhere. This applies to both lesser faiths, such as having faith in our boys basketball team to win last night, and in the primary, foundational sort of faith that is the cornerstone of how a person sees the world around himself or herself, such as Christian faith. Secondly, faith includes knowledge. It is hard to trust in someone or something that one does not know anything about. This is the realm of doctrine. This is why, for example, all of us grumpy Lutheran pastors insist on right doctrine, that is, right teaching. Getting bad knowledge may not destroy the trust that is the foundation of faith, but it certainly can and, sadly, has. On the other hand, while doctrine and knowing are important, we must never equate faith to simply knowing about Jesus and what He has done. The theologians have long made the point that even the Devil knows all the facts about Jesus, yet he does not trust the Lord for salvation and therefore does not have saving faith. Knowledge apart from trust is what the theologians call historical faith, that is, it treats the Christian faith as trivia data and not a living encounter with God our Savior. In other words, it is enough to know that the teaching of the Creeds is true; one does not need to be a PhD-wielding theologian in order to be saved. Thirdly, there is an element of ascent. This is not to be confused as if we, by our choice and will, earned our way into salvation. This is simply the observation that we must do more than be able to know something about Jesus, but that we must acknowledge it as true. There are many religious stories in the world; only one of these is the real deal, the genuine history of salvation. We must treat it accordingly.

III. Faith Clings to Christ Alone

This woman reminds us that true faith clings to Jesus even when He seems distant. Jesus then praises her: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.”[7] What made her faith “great”?

• It was not great because of her effort or strength.

• It was great because of its object—Jesus Christ.

Luther once said, "Faith clings to Christ as a ring clings to a jewel.”[8] The Canaanite woman did not trust in herself, her status, or her own goodness—she trusted in Christ alone to save her. This is the same faith we are called to have:

• A faith that knows we have no right to God’s mercy, yet trusts in His grace anyway.

• A faith that receives Christ’s gifts—not by works, but through Word and Sacrament.

  
  

IV. Faith is Sustained by the Means of Grace

How does God give and strengthen faith today?

• Through His Word – Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

• Through Baptism – Titus 3:5: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

• Through the Lord’s Supper – Matthew 26:28: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Faith is not a one-time event but something God continually strengthens through His gifts. Just as the Canaanite woman clung to Jesus' words, we too must cling to His Word and Sacraments, where He delivers forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Conclusion: Faith is a Gift that Trusts in Christ Alone

·         The story of the Canaanite woman teaches us:Faith is not our own doing; it is given by God.

·         Faith is tested and strengthened through trials.

·         Faith clings to Christ alone, not our works.

·         Faith is sustained through the Means of Grace.

May we, like the Canaanite woman, persist in faith—not because we are strong, but because Christ is merciful. In Him alone we trust, for He alone is our salvation.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Matthew 15:26-28 English Standard Version

[2] Matthew 15:22

[3] Matthew 15:23

[4] Matthew 15:24

[5] Matthew 15:27

[6] Romans 1:16

[7] Matthew 15:28

[8] Quoted in Ewald M. Plass, What Luther Says, A Practical In-home Theology for the Active Christian. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1959 Edition, 10th Printing (1994), p. 490