What is the meaning of Matthew 15:23? But Jesus did not answer a word. • The Lord’s silence is deliberate, not indifferent. Isaiah 53:7 notes, “He opened not His mouth,” showing that purposeful silence can be part of God’s redemptive plan. • Jesus often waits before acting—John 11:6 records Him lingering two extra days when Lazarus was ill—so that faith can mature and God’s glory can shine more brightly (cf. Psalm 13:1; James 1:3). • For the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22), the quiet moment becomes a faith-stretching pause rather than a rejection. So His disciples came • The twelve repeatedly step in as intermediaries (Mark 6:36; Luke 9:12), reminding us that believers can misread situations while thinking they are helping. • Their approach shows how quickly concern for order can eclipse compassion, revealing a mindset still shaped by cultural boundaries. And urged Him • “Urged” carries the flavor of pressing, even pestering. Similar pressure appears in Luke 18:39 when the crowd rebukes the blind beggar for shouting to Jesus. • The disciples’ impatience contrasts with the Lord’s measured pace, highlighting the difference between human urgency and divine timing (2 Peter 3:9). "Send her away" • They want resolution through dismissal, not deliverance. Elisha’s servant once reacted the same way to the grieving Shunammite—“Push her away” (2 Kings 4:27)—yet Elisha uncovered a deeper need. • The request exposes lingering ethnic prejudice; in their minds a Gentile woman has no rightful claim on Israel’s Messiah, despite earlier lessons like the Roman centurion’s faith (Matthew 8:10). "For she keeps crying out after us." • Her persistence mirrors the widow who “kept coming” to the unjust judge until she received justice (Luke 18:1-8). • Repetition is not rude to God; it is commended—“Keep asking…keep seeking…keep knocking” (Matthew 7:7). • Mark’s parallel account notes she “kept asking” (Mark 7:26), underscoring that determined faith often precedes divine breakthrough. summary Matthew 15:23 portrays a purposeful silence from Jesus that draws deeper faith, disciples who misinterpret the moment, and a Gentile woman whose relentless cries anticipate grace for all nations. The verse reminds believers that God’s delays are not denials, human impatience can obscure divine compassion, and persistent trust pleases the Lord who will soon speak and act. |
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