The next encounter of Jesus we are studying is with the Canaanite woman. Jesus is in the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile area of the country. It’s significant to note at the very beginning that this is the only time in his entire life that he left Jewish territory for a Gentile land. Now that in itself doesn’t surprise us, but it does underscore an important theme in Matthew’s Gospel.
The fourth lesson we learn is that although we are inadequate and Jesus is adequate, nevertheless, we are to be a bridge between himself and other people. And you see that’s the point with which we began. Jesus chooses to use us as his coworkers. I marvel at the way he does that in the story: He calls the disciples to him, takes what they have, multiplies it, gives it back, and they distribute it. And then at the end they’re gathering it up, no doubt in order to have it later to give out to other people. You see, although they have nothing in themselves, nevertheless they are the bridge between the Master and the masses.
Now the second thing I see in the story is that Jesus in his compassion for the masses works to help them through other people. You find that in Matthew 9, which I mentioned was where Jesus had compassion on the people because they were harassed and helpless. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plenteous, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore to send out workers into the harvest field” (v. 38).
Now the story tells us a number of interesting things, and let me just start with them so we don’t miss any of what is important. First of all, it tells us about the compassion of Jesus Christ. You can hardly read the story and miss that. Jesus looked at the masses, and verse 14 says that “he had compassion on them, and he healed their sick.”
