Matthew 15:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What was the response of the woman? Did she remain quiet upon hearing this? Did she retreat? Did she diminish in spirit? Certainly not! Instead, she enhanced her supplications. This contrasts with our tendencies. When our requests go unanswered, we often abandon our pleas, rather than intensifying our petitions. Who would not be troubled by the words of the Saviour? Just the silence itself could lead the Canaanite woman into despair, and Christ's reply likely compounded her distress. Observing the confusion of her advocates and realizing that her plea could not be granted, it would have been easy to surrender hope. Yet, the woman held on to her hope, recognizing the inability of her intercessors, and she fortified herself with noble resolve.

He states, ‘I am sent solely to the Jews, the lost sheep who have suffered due to the wrongdoing of those in charge of them.' In doing so, He also highlights the faith of the woman to everyone.

The inquiry arises from the following question: How did we, who are not of Israel, become part of the flock of Christ, considering He was sent solely to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? What is the significance of this divine plan, especially since the Lord, aware of His mission to establish a Church among all nations, declared that He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel? It becomes clear that He was to bear witness to Israel in a specific order: first through His incarnation and birth, then through His miraculous works, and finally through the triumph of His resurrection.

This is not to imply that His mission excludes the Gentiles; rather, He was initially sent to the children of Israel. When they rejected the gospel, it became just to extend this message to the Gentiles. He notably states, "To the lost sheep of the house of Israel," allowing us to grasp another parable concerning the lost sheep.

The significance of the evangelists will be underscored. The term "general" pertains to what is applicable to individual matters, while that which is related to individual concerns carries a general implication. Therefore, when He declared, "I came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10), He referred to the universal aspect, represented by Israel in the book of Genesis, which always beholds God; yet, in stating, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," He conveyed the general through the specific.

The mere silence caused the Canaanite woman great anxiety, and Christ's response only deepened her distress. He stated, "I am sent to no one else but the Jews; and these He called the lost sheep of the house of Israel." In the tenth chapter, He instructed the apostles, "Go ye therefore to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Who was this woman? Even recognizing her own contempt and seeing that others who requested aid for her were turned away, she did not succumb to despair. Instead, her profound faith and wisdom empowered her to demonstrate admirable boldness. She drew nearer, despite initially calling out from a distance. In contrast, we often hesitate when faced with obstacles; rather than pressing forward with zeal, we hold back when we should be advancing with determination.

The Lord exhibits patience, allowing Israel to retain the opportunity for salvation. However, the compassionate disciples intercede, and He, aware of the divine mystery of His Father’s purpose, reveals that He has been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This illustrates that the Canaanite woman’s daughter symbolizes the Church, as she persistently seeks what was originally meant for others. Salvation was indeed intended for all, yet the Lord came to His own people, anticipating that faith would first sprout among them; others would receive salvation through the apostles’ preaching. Consequently, He remarked, “It is not good to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs,” (Matthew 15:26).

The Lord responds to the Canaanite woman, saying, “I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This declaration reflects His intention to fulfill the covenant made with Abraham. He assumed human nature from Abraham's lineage (Hebrews 2:16) and selected a mother from this same lineage, becoming incarnate through her. In this true embodiment, He became Man, akin to us in all respects except for sin, thus removing any grounds for justification from the Jews. As previously mentioned, He had promised salvation to their ancestors, vowing to multiply their descendants like the stars of the sky (Genesis 26:4). He came to the Jews, from whom He originated, initially not extending His invitation to the Gentiles but keeping the focus on the Jewish people.

The Lord declares, "Behold, the day is coming when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jer. 31:31). In the most direct and specific interpretation, these remarks are pertinent to Israel and Judah themselves, ensuring that those who remain in their worldly state, relying on the outward sign of circumcision, do not perceive the promises made to the patriarchs as unfulfilled. As the Savior remarked to the Syrophoenician woman, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." When He was met with rejection, He then extended His mission to the Gentiles, to whom the promise and blessings were also given.

Though Jesus Christ preached to both Jews and Gentiles, His ministry was primarily directed towards the Jews. He stated, “I am not sent, but only to the lost sheep... of the house of Israel.” This thirty-year period leading up to His crucifixion was ample for His teachings among the Jewish people. Why did Christ focus His message mainly on the Jews? The purpose of His instruction was not merely to illuminate the world but to prepare those who would bring enlightenment to others; thus, engaging with other nations during this time would have been unnecessary. He did interact with them occasionally, yet His primary efforts were directed to the Jews, who were especially primed for His message through prophecies and promises. Meanwhile, the disciples were already given the mandate to spread the gospel to all, both to Greeks and Jews.

Jesus Christ, in accordance with the promises made by God through the prophets, was sent to the people of Israel and shared the good news with them. The apostles, also from Israel, communicated this gospel in their native language. In response to them, Jesus stated, “I am not sent, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” indicating His intent to initially focus on the Israelites. This was designed to reveal the faith and righteousness of the Canaanite woman, highlighting the contrast with the Jews, who, despite their claims of belief in God, failed to accept what God had declared regarding Jesus Christ. Observe the actions of the Canaanite woman following His response.

Yet, the pleas of the apostles proved ineffective. He responded, "I was not sent to anyone else, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," who have perished due to having hired hands instead of true shepherds. I acknowledge that I have other sheep not of this fold, whom I must gather; a time will come when they too will hear My voice, though that moment has not yet arrived. Salvation must first be offered to the Jews. Christ embodies the glory of God's chosen people, Israel, while simultaneously being the Savior for all mankind and all nations across the earth. Thus, the Savior appears to decline the Canaanite woman's appeal. However, as St. Chrysostom notes, she does not withdraw; instead, recognizing the weakness of her intercessors, the apostles, she takes on commendable courage.

Jesus spoke to His disciples, stating, “I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” These remarks should not be interpreted in a strictly literal sense, as Jesus had often conveyed that His reign, the kingdom of God on earth, would embrace all nations and not solely the Jewish people. When He commissioned the apostles to share the good news after His resurrection, He directed them to proclaim the gospel universally, extending beyond just the Jews. However, given that the Jews were the chosen people and that the arrival of the Messiah was foretold specifically to them, it is reasonable to understand that the announcement of God's coming kingdom would initially be directed at the Jews.

In His response, the Lord addressed the disciples rather than the woman who was calling out from behind. He stated, "I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Here, the "lost sheep" refers to the Jewish people, highlighting the entire nation of Israel in contrast to the Gentiles. The Lord emphasized that His mission was primarily directed towards the Jews, reflecting the Jewish perspective on Gentiles. However, the underlying message is that He came first to the Jews because they were the ones to whom the Messiah was promised; they were chosen to prepare humanity for the coming of the Messiah, and it was among them that He revealed Himself. The Lord’s mission to include all nations and Gentiles in His kingdom is clearly supported by various teachings found in the Gospels, as seen in passages such as Matthew 8:11-12, 24:14, 31, and 28:18-20, among others.