An Anonymous Woman from Sidon

Matthew 15: 21-28

In the Armenian sermon I was mentioning about this risking woman and mother.

She spoke to a man-- taboo.

She was a Canaanite talking to a Jew-- taboo.

She was ready to humbly come to Jesus asking for help--tough job to ask for help.

She called Jesus “Lord, Son of David”. A Canaanite woman calling Jesus Messiah?

WOW, not even a Jew called him this by this name.

The response of Jesus:

1 Jesus was silent. SILENT? The Silence of Jesus is terrifying.

Jesus did stay silent in many places. He was silent in front of Pilate and Herod.

There is 400 years of silence between last book of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

God was silent between Friday and Sunday, the cross and resurrection.

After the silence of God something important happens.

We think God’s silence means that God abandoned us. God is not listening.

No Way, God is listening, but he decides to be silent.

Jesus was listening to the woman. I think Jesus was silent and looking to this woman with penetrating eyes, looking inside her heart. Most likely Jesus was thinking:

“What shall we do with this woman? I left the crowd and came to this place so that no one will bother me. What do we have here. Another need, another cry and not from a Jew.”

Jesus was silent. Some of us are not comfortable with this silence. Therefore, some people give up from God. Others like this woman keep asking, keep crying, and using all kinds of methods. She came back and continued insisting that Jesus give attention to her.

2. Disciples: Too often we are like the disciples. SEND HER AWAY. SEND the 5000 AWAY. SEND THE CHILDREN AWAY. Unfortunately, too often this was the church’s response to HUMAN SUFFERING.

3 She refused to be put off. Nothing could stop her.

Jesus said that his main focus was on the LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL.

Fine, She continued as is if she DID NOT HEAR Jesus’ sentence. She said, “Lord, Help me”.

Jesus answered, “ It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”

4. The anonymous lady was ready to be a dog.

To be called a dog is tough in the Middle East. In the Middle East you do not call someone a dog; it is a taboo. It has been pointed that the actual word that Jesus used was not a dog but PUPPY. Even “puppy” is offensive. Jesus is being tough with her. I do not know why. I understand he came for the Jews; he is drawing a line between Jews and Gentiles. But let us remember that God loved the world. And God has His time to introduce Jesus to the world, and this woman is entering in God’s time.

“ It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”

The woman of Sidon had a choice after this rejection.

Choice one: RUN AWAY.

Choice Two: Stay and weep.

Choice Three: Stay and continue with a new sentence. And she did:

“I know I am dog. I am content with the leftovers”.

5. The anonymous lady was ready to be fed only by the CRUMBS. Leftovers.

What kind of risk is she taking? She knows with whom she is dealing. She knows that even small crumbs can make a difference.

This makes me wonder about our approach God in our daily life.

Dr. Ken Touryan was telling me a story from Hayasdan in 1980’s. It was Soviet time. Churches were always persecuted. Owning a personal Bible was rare.

Once Knel was talking to a group of believers in a home. He gave his Bible to them. You know what they did? They did split the books of the Bible to 66 pieces. Each took a book. They were hungry for the word of God. They were satisfied by the crumbs.

The crumbs satisfied this woman. She knew that even the crumbs are enough to make a miracle in her daughter’s life.

6. “Woman, you have great faith Your request is granted” Jesus said.

Jesus was silent. But look what kind of ending has the story.

I am silent in front of such a faith. I will close my mouth in front of such a woman who did not give up. Persistent faith makes a difference.

There is a saying: “ Be like an Armenian to start a job. But be like a British to accomplish the job”.

Unfortunately, many of us are lacking that zeal to have continuity in our journey of faith.

An unknown author wrote the following about the difference between the strong woman and the woman of strength:

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape, but a woman
of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything, but a woman of strength shows her
courage in the midst of fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her, but a woman of
strength gives the best of her to everyone.

A strong woman walks sure-footedly, but a woman of strength knows God will
catch her when she falls.

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face, but a woman of
strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey, but a
woman of strength has faith that in the journey she will become strong.


Come to God this morning with open hearts and minds. I do not know where are you in your journey of faith. God is listening to you even if you do not think He is.

Come both spiritually and physically, be open. Search for Jesus, ask for miracles, worship him and be available for a blessing.

Amen