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Pentecost 11, 08/20/2017
Sermon on Matthew 15:10-28, by Judson F Merrell
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?" 13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit."
15 But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 Then he said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.
19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.
20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile." 21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." 26 He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." 27 She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly. (Mat 15:10-28 NRSV)
Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today we continue our journey through Matthew’s account of the Gospel. But unlike the past few weeks, today our lesson does not pick up where last week’s left off. Last week our lesson out of Matthew 14 left us in the boat with the disciples and Jesus after he has come to them by walking on the water. In order to understand our text today fully in it’s context, we need to know what is missing between where that lesson ends (14:33) and the where we begin today (15:10). Since Jesus came to the disciples on the water and they professed that “Truly you are the Son of God”, the journey has continued across the Sea of Galilee to the land at Gennesaret. There Jesus continued with his ministry of healing and teaching. Chapter 15 starts with us learning that even the scribes and the Pharisees left Jerusalem and followed Jesus to this foreign land. There they try to trap Jesus with questions of the law. But Jesus will not be trapped, and like he often does, he uses his answer as a teaching moment. Part of Jesus’ answer to them is where we find ourselves with our lesson today.
The pericope that we have as our Gospel text begins with Jesus teaching the crowds about what defiles a person. Jesus brings up the ancient dietary laws and turns them on end. He tells the crowds that it is not what you put into your mouth that defiles you, but instead it is the things of the heart, words and thoughts that come out of your mouth, that defile you. This is offensive to those scribes and Pharisees because they are THE keepers of the law. How dare Jesus say something that contradicts them? How dare he teach people that eating with unwashed hands is ok. But that is what Jesus does. If we were to go back and look in Exodus (Ex. 30:17-21) or Leviticus (Lev. 15:11) we would see that the ancient tradition doesn’t require it…so this notion that the scribes and Pharisees are following an ancient law is doesn’t exist.
Our text then makes a not so smooth transition. We don’t get a reply from the scribes and Pharisees, but instead Matthew tells us that Jesus just leaves and goes to the district of Tyre and Sidon. As soon as he arrives, a Canaanite woman comes out and starts shouting at Jesus. Her daughter is tormented by a demon and she wants her daughter healed. She pleads for mercy, calling Jesus “Lord” and “Son of David.” This woman, labeled a Canaanite, is a pagan. She is not a believer in the Jewish God. The disciples want her gone ASAP. Even Jesus says he was “sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But this woman is persistent, coming and kneeling before him she again pleads for help. Jesus’ answer to her here is rather interesting. “It is not fair to take the Children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Yes, he called the woman a dog. Remember that parable a few minutes ago? This woman is about to become a physical answer to that teaching on defilement. “Yes, Lord, even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” The use of the word “dog” is a reminder to the disciples and to this woman that she is not a Jew. Matthew says she is a Canaanite, a pagan. The woman acknowledges she is not a Jew, but also confesses that God is not just for the Jews. The Master is for all, those at the table and the dogs under the table.
This is a powerful confession from this woman. What has come out of her mouth is something that has cleansed her in the presence of God. It is something that has come from her heart, a confession that Jesus is Lord, Son of David, God made flesh. While Jesus had previously said that things from the heart defile, she has proved that things from the heart can also cleanse. This is the explanation to the parable that the disciples needed. While the transition from Jesus arguing with the scribes and Pharisees to now being in Tyre and Sidon was abrupt and not really smooth, the transition from teaching to example works perfectly.
For two weeks now, our Gospel lessons have ended with a confession that Jesus is the Son of God. Last week it was the disciples, and today it is a Canaanite woman…although perhaps we should label her differently because she is not a Pagan anymore if she believes in Jesus. Her faith is great, her daughter is healed, and she is changed forever. No more will this woman be known as a Canaanite, because from her confession comes a new beginning. From her feeling unworthy comes her entry into the life of Jesus. Jesus’ teaching about defilement and the story of this woman serve as an example for us today. What are the things in our heart that defile us? Or on the flip side: what are the things that come out of our heart that make our faith great? Soon we will confess our faith using the words of the Apostle’s creed. Don’t just read the words, don’t just say them if you have it memorized. Confess it. I believe. Think about it. I believe. Pray about it. I believe. The words that come from your heart don’t have to defile you. But they can change you, just like they changed this woman. In the name of the Father, and the +Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.