Jesus' unusual way of teaching

Ordinary 20th Sunday, 2011

1. Jesus' unusual way of teaching

At first glance, today’s Gospel bothers us a lot. Especially these two sentences which Jesus told his disciples and the Canannite woman: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, and “it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs”. How come Jesus spoke that way?

This is Jesus’ unusual way of teaching. For the Jews, they considered themselves the chosen ones, the only people of God, and the salvation of God was just for them. They believed that they were the super human of the world. They always choose to separate themselves from other people and consider others unclean. These two sentences that Jesus used were exactly the same thoughts of most of the Jews.

Jesus uses this opportunity to educate his disciples. The Gospel told us, Jesus and his disciples went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. These two places are the non-Jew places. For the Jews, those are unclean places for unclean people. In reality, this is the same place where God sent Elijah when the widow fed him (1 Kgs 17:9). By doing so, Jesus shows his disciples that the salvation of God is not only for the Jews, but also for the gentiles as well. At the same time, Jesus tries to remedy the Jewish understanding of God’s love.

2. Two kinds of Love meet up

The Love of God meets up with the love of a mother. Jesus is the Love of God as the promise to the Jewish people and for the whole world. The Love of God is free gift to all; the Love of God also needs us to reciprocate with love. Love is always a mutual giving and receiving dynamic. Faith works through love.

When I read what the mother responded to the Jewish thinking and attitude to the gentiles which Jesus used purposely, I was deeply touched. She said: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” The sentence which Jesus uses actually was shameful for her. It was so harsh and hurtful for an oriental person. But she did not take it to heart, because in her heart there was a profound love for her daughter. She just wanted her daughter to be released from the demon and to be healed. This is the love of a mother. There is a Chinese saying: “It is when you become parents that you recognize the love of your own parents.” (养儿方知父母心)

Today, the love of a mother meets with the Love of God. This encounter of love creates a miracle. Love is the fruit of faith. Jesus said to her: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish”. The woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

Salvation of God is beyond race, beyond the Jewish nation, it is for all. Faith is a channel to connect with God. Today, the majority of Christians are not Jews, but we receive the same salvation of Jesus Christ. For us Christians, water is thicker than blood. The water of baptism makes us as children of God.

3. How big is your God?

There is a book named “How big is your God?” The Jews think “God” is only theirs; the Islam think “God” is only theirs; the Hindus think “God” is only theirs; even some Christians think “God” is only theirs. God does not just belong to Jews, Islam, Hindus, or Christians; God is a God of all human beings and all creatures. As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite. God does not belong to us; we belong to God who is our Father. And we are brothers and sisters in God’s family.

Our God is a Trine God who loves everyone in all dimensions of life. That is why God spoke through the prophet Isaiah: “my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.”



Our God is the God of all. God loves everybody as His beloved children. Faith in love is the way of being with God all the time. God bless you and all.