15:21-28 What did Jesus mean by saying "it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs"?

15:21-28 What did Jesus mean by saying “it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs”?

(cp also Mk 7:24-28) The children referred to in these passages are the Jews – “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”; bread symbolizes healing, deliverance and all the other salvation benefits God has provided in Christ; dogs is a euphemism Jesus uses here for Gentiles – non-Jews. In this context it is not a harsh word, but refers to little dogs or puppies; not meet (KJV) means not fair or not right.

So in effect what Jesus is saying is that His first responsibility is to the Jews, and it is not fair to take of their blessings and share them with the Gentiles. It is not the Gentile’s turn yet.

But the woman persisted – she wanted the blessing regardless. Even though she may not be entitled to the full blessing, she would be satisfied with a fragment of the blessing – a crumb. As far as she was concerned that was enough to heal her daughter, and on the strength of that confession of faith her daughter was healed.

15:29-38 See comments on Mt 14:13-21.

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