Harrison Woodard

The Syrophoenician Woman

In Matthew 15 and Mark 7, the Gospel writers record the story of Jesus healing the possessed daughter of a Syrophoenician woman. This story has been taught and read so many times that some folks simply take it for granted. That should not be the case. Just the other day I found a blog that claimed in all seriousness that Jesus called a woman a dog. And then presented a case for the insensitivity of the remark. That is religious thinking. If you KNOW Jesus, you are far less likely to make bad assumptions like that. Scripture interprets Scripture, meaning that the entire Word helps you understand individual passages, events, and verses. And if you are a Believer, the Holy Spirit resides in you to lead you to the Truth. So when you read or hear something that seems out of character from Jesus for instance, you should sense there is a problem in your spirit. It is likely that someone has “missed” it. Jesus, our Savior and Lord, Love Himself, did not call the woman a dog. Strap in and prepare, as we take a closer look at this wonderful story.