Even the Dogs Eat Crumbs - Matthew 15:27

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus, “departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, you Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she cries after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-seven of his book, Matthew shares how the woman told Jesus, “truth Lord': yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table” where we read:

And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

The verse reads, “And she said, Truth, Lord:”. Matthew began with the words, “and she said” or “the woman uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “truth” which means “even so, surely, yes, verily and assuredly”, “Lord” or “One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah”. Matthew shared how the woman declared to Jesus that He was speaking the “truth” as she acknowledged Him as “Lord and Master”.

The verse continues, “yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.” Matthew added the words, “yet the dogs” which means “even so, also and indeed the little dogs or puppies” “eat of the crumbs” or “consume and devour the little bits or morsels” “which fall” or “that are cast or thrust down or descend, ” “from their master's table” which refers to “from the eating table of the dog's chief, possessor or owner”. Matthew shared how the woman contended that the “little puppies” are able to eat of the “tiny morsels” that fall from their “owner's table”.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see the continued effort exerted by this woman to have her daughter delivered from the demon. She noted and confirmed what Jesus declared about not taking “children's food” and giving it to “little puppies”, but reasoned that the “little puppies” are taken care of through the “little bits of food” that fall from their “owner's table”. God loves this persistence, and when a person comes to Him for “salvation” while pleading and contending, they demonstrate their “faith and trust” that He is able to “save” them and deliver them from whatever “demons” they have in their lives.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus told the woman, “O woman, great is your faith”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.