Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ ”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, February 4, 2020
by Daniel D. Maurer, Clergy Stuff
The story today for our Narrative Lectionary daily devotional is well known, but not necessarily beloved. After all, Jesus comes as close than ever to calling a woman a "bitch.” That is, a female dog.
At least that’s the comparison that he uses. Perhaps in that day and age it wasn’t as harsh as that word is today, but I don’t think so. Especially in ancient near-east cultures, calling a person a "dog” meant that they were the lowest of the low. Ancient cultures did not revere dogs as beloved pets in that day. Instead, wild dogs often fed on the remains of criminals who were executed.
In this sense, I don’t feel that Jesus was necessarily “testing” the woman. I believe he genuinely believed that the good news was meant first for the House of Israel. The woman corrects that view in such a way as to remain humble and still use the exact metaphor which Jesus did!
I genuinely believe that Jesus was surprised by her answer. So much so, that he stood corrected by another person.
This fact disturbs some today—is it possible that Jesus in this event was not all knowing and all wise? I believe yes, because it means that Jesus was a human being. We don’t need to get into the stickiness of whether Jesus was sinful. That’s not the point. The issue is that the woman one-upped Jesus and he had the humility to admit he was wrong.
Food for thought. Every day. What are your views of this reading?
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