Lexical Summary psichion: Crumb, morsel Original Word: ψιχίον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance crumb. Diminutive from a derivative of the base of psallo (meaning a crumb); a little bit or morsel -- crumb. see GREEK psallo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a prim. word psix (a crumb) Definition a crumb (of bread) NASB Translation crumbs (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5589: ψιχίονψιχίον, ψιχιου, τό (diminutive of ψίξ, ψιχος, ἡ, a morsel), a little morsel, a crumb (of bread or meat): Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28; Luke 16:21 (T WH omit; L Tr brackets τῶν ψιχίων). (Not found in Greek authors (cf. Winer's Grammar, 24; 96 (91)).) Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture Narrative Context The word appears in the parallel accounts of the Syrophoenician (Canaanite) woman whose daughter was demon-possessed. Jesus has withdrawn to the regions of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile setting that itself heightens the tension between Jewish privilege and Gentile need. When the woman pleads for mercy, the Lord replies, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Her humble answer introduces ψιχίον: “Yes, Lord, even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matthew 15:27; cf. Mark 7:28). Cultural Background: Tables, Bread, and House Dogs First-century Mediterranean households commonly used small flat loaves both as food and as utensils for dipping and scooping. Portions too small or too soiled for human consumption were discarded from hand to mouth or allowed to fall to the floor, where house dogs—kept not as pampered pets but as low-status scavengers—would consume them. In that light, “crumbs” suggests the tiniest, seemingly insignificant portion of sustenance. The woman’s statement accepts her social standing without protest while affirming the superabundance of the Master’s provision: even leftovers from Israel’s table are sufficient to meet her need. Theological Emphasis: Abundant Grace Spilling Over to the Nations Jesus’ initial statement reflects the historical priority of Israel in redemptive history (Romans 1:16; Romans 9:4-5). Yet the narrative immediately demonstrates that the covenant blessings were never meant to terminate with Israel. A mere ψιχίον from Messiah’s table delivers the oppressed child and foreshadows the full inclusion of Gentiles through the gospel (Ephesians 3:6). The miracle therefore functions as a living parable of Zechariah 8:23 and Isaiah 42:6: a light for the nations emanating from the promised Son of David. Christological Focus: The Bread of Life John 6 identifies Jesus Himself as “the bread that came down from heaven.” The crumbs episode subtly anticipates that truth: deliverance flows not from peripheral benefits but from the Person who embodies the bread. Even a fragment of His grace possesses divine sufficiency, echoing the multiplication of loaves recorded just prior in each Gospel (Matthew 14; Mark 6). Thus the ψιχίον points to the infinity of Christ’s power in apparent insignificance. Ecclesiological Implications: One Table, One People The early church wrestled with Jew-Gentile relations (Acts 10; Acts 15; Galatians 2). Matthew 15 and Mark 7 supply a narrative foundation for welcoming Gentiles without diminishing Jewish priority or prophetic promise. The image of crumbs gives way, after Pentecost, to a common loaf shared by all believers in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), signifying equal participation in the new covenant. Pastoral Lessons and Applications 1. Persistent Faith: The woman’s refusal to be deterred models the importunate prayer commended by Jesus (Luke 18:1-8). Connections to Old Testament Imagery • Exodus 16: Even daily manna, heaven-sent crumbs, prefigures Christ’s provision. Patristic and Historical Reception Irenaeus saw in the passage a pledge that “the remaining fragments” of Israel’s blessings would fill the Gentile baskets. Augustine highlighted the woman’s humility as the door of faith. Reformers such as Calvin noted that the Lord’s apparent rebuff served to draw forth a confession that honors Him more than an immediate grant would have done. Key Related Passages Isaiah 49:6; Zechariah 8:23; Romans 11:11-12; Ephesians 2:11-22 Summary The term ψιχίον, though denoting a mere crumb, illuminates the boundless scope of divine mercy: from Israel’s expected table blessings to Gentile outsiders, from a mother’s desperation to a daughter’s deliverance, from the smallest particle of bread to the Bread of Life offered for the world. Forms and Transliterations εψόφησας ψιχιων ψιχίων ψόαι ψόαις ψόαν ψόγον ψόφησον ψόφος ψυγμός ψυγμούς ψυκτήρες ψύλλου ψυχήν psichion psichiōn psichíon psichíōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 15:27 N-GNPGRK: ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων NAS: feed on the crumbs which fall KJV: eat of the crumbs which fall INT: of the crumbs which fall Mark 7:28 N-GNP |
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