And in the case where a person must choose between Jesus's message and their family, it is imperative that they choose his message.It is never made clear what Jesus the
Jew's message really was. But two claims he makes stand out from all of the rest don't they.
Matthew 10:34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword"
Matthew 15:24 "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
But can I ask why you have isolated these passages in particular as defining Jesus, to the exclusion of all other passages?
Well they are specific and to the point. Jesus speaks of his intentions. He also admits, as I have explained, that his intentions will cause division even in the family.
Matthew 15:24 is a comment Jesus makes to a Gentile woman who wants him to heal her daughter, but when pressed he cries "Oh woman, your faith is great!" and does heal her daughter.
So even though he says he is only for the lost sheep of Israel, his actions immediately prove that to not be the case.
How does that prove "that not to be the case"?
Is it yet another ambiguous biblical half story? Or is it Jesus contradicting himself? Why would he contradict himself in the presence of his disciples that he had told his mission was to save Jews only? Have you asked yourself any one of these questions?
It appears that the contradiction is clear doesn't it.? So was this intentional or out of necessity? It was intentional because he wanted her to go away out of necessity.
His actions show to me that he needed to silence this woman as quickly as he could. Take into account what I said to you above : >>>
Stephen wrote: Well when we consider what ancient Palestine was like under Roman rule(read Josephus). I am sure I would be saying
one thing in the open and another behind their backs.#19
You may not have taken the time to find out where Tyre & Sidon was and by whom they occupied and ruled ? Which is where this particular "healing" had taken place; Tyre and Sidon.
This woman has been running after him shouting out " son of David" all over the place and calling him "lord". " send her away" ( get rid of her) was an option.
But then , on top of this , she made a great show of it by worshiping him in full view of everyone including any Romans that was present!: When she did this he was left with no choice but to shut her up himself. It took just twelve words and she was silenced.
25 "Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me". <<<<<<<< In the open for all of Rome to see"!!!!
There are many verses in these scriptures where Jesus specifically forbids his followers never to tell openly what they had witnessed him do or say because , he told them:
"My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.." .
Understandable considering that he was in the middle of building a resistance force and considering he had come to reclaim a throne that someone else happened to be sitting on at the time and put in place by Rome, it was imperative that he keep who he was, and his mission secrete until "his time had come".
And to just point out; there were many Hellenised JEWS among the Diaspora (scattered Jews) making them gentiles in Tyre & Sidon. JEWS - had been under Greek rule before Roman rule since 334 BC and many (like this woman's daughter) would have been "lost" to the gods and customs of the Greeks. There were NO Christians in Jesus` time.
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.