Matthew 15:21-28 Meaning: Why Jesus Went to Tyre and Sidon
21Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
23But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
24But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22And, 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.
23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28Then 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.
21And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.
22And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.
23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.
27But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
21And Jesus having come forth thence, withdrew to the parts of Tyre and Sidon,
22and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, `Deal kindly with me, Sir--Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.'
23And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying--`Let her away, because she crieth after us;'
24and he answering said, `I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'
25And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, `Sir, help me;'
26and he answering said, `It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast to the little dogs.'
27And she said, `Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table;'
28then answering, Jesus said to her, `O woman, great is thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.
21And Jesus, going forth from thence, went away into the parts of Tyre and Sidon;
22and lo, a Canaanitish woman, coming out from those borders, cried [to him] saying, Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.
23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came to [him] and asked him, saying, Dismiss her, for she cries after us.
24But he answering said, I have not been sent save to the lost sheep of Israel's house.
25But she came and did him homage, saying, Lord, help me.
26But he answering said, It is not well to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs.
27But she said, Yea, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their masters.
28Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, thy faith [is] great. Be it to thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus travels to Gentile territory and meets a Canaanite woman whose persistent faith breaks through barriers and receives healing.
Context
This passage comes right after Jesus has been teaching about what truly makes a person clean or unclean. He has left the crowds and the Pharisees behind and taken his disciples north to the region around Tyre and Sidon. These were Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean coast, outside the borders of Israel. For a Jewish rabbi to go there was unusual. The Gospels tell us Jesus went to hide for a while, perhaps to escape Herod’s attention. But what he found in that Gentile territory was not opposition but faith. A woman from the local Canaanite population approaches him, crying out for her daughter. Her persistent faith provokes a surprising back-and-forth with Jesus, and in the end he heals her daughter from a distance. This story is a small sign that Jesus’ mission, though first for Israel, would open to all who trust him.
Key Words
Three words in this passage show the depth of what is happening. The woman’s first word to Jesus is eleēson, “have mercy.” In Greek this verb means to feel compassion for someone in need, to help the wretched. She does not claim any right. She simply asks for mercy. Later, the text says she prosekunei him, she fell down and worshiped. The word describes prostrating oneself, the posture of a subject before a king. Even after Jesus says it is not right to take children’s bread and give it to dogs, she does not run away. She kneels lower. And Jesus uses the word megalē for her faith, “great.” It is the same word used for a great wind or a great light. Her faith is not small. It is enormous, and it moves the heart of the Lord.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across Christian traditions, commentators read this story as a turning point. Wesley and Clarke saw it as a test of her faith, with Jesus drawing out her humility and persistence. Calvin and Matthew Henry noted that it foreshadows the gospel going to the Gentiles after the resurrection. The Cambridge Bible emphasizes that her faith was praised even though she had no knowledge of the Jewish law or traditions. Gill, a Baptist, highlighted her acceptance of her place as a “dog” and her clever argument for crumbs. All agree that Jesus was not being cruel, but using the moment to teach his disciples and to commend a faith that refused to give up.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think Jesus was being rude or unloving when he called the woman a dog. In fact, the Greek word is a diminutive: kunarion, meaning a little pet dog that lives in the house, not a wild stray. Jesus used a gentle comparison, and the woman herself accepted it with a witty faith. He was not insulting her; he was drawing her into deeper trust, and she rose to it.
Living This Out
This week, you may feel as if God is not answering your prayer. You have asked and asked, and only silence comes back. The Canaanite woman knows that place. She kept crying, kept kneeling, kept holding on to one small thread: that Jesus is good, and even a crumb from his hand would be enough. You can do that too. You do not need a perfect argument or a great track record. You need the courage to say, “Yes, Lord, but even the crumbs.” Keep bringing your one need to him, however small or big. He sees a faith that will not let go.
Main takeaway: Persistent faith that humbly clings to Jesus, even when he seems silent, receives his mercy and blessing.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A mommy was very sad because her little girl was sick. She asked Jesus for help, but at first Jesus did not answer. She did not go away. She kept asking and bowing down to him. Jesus saw how much she trusted him, and he healed her daughter from far away.
For ages 9, 12
In this story, Jesus was in a place where most people did not follow God. A woman came to him whose daughter was suffering terribly. Jesus acted like he would not help her. He even said it was not fair to give the children’s food to dogs. But the woman was humble and clever: she said even dogs get crumbs. Jesus was amazed by her faith and healed her daughter. It teaches us that God loves persistent, humble prayer.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus call the woman a dog?
Jesus used a common Jewish saying that compared Gentiles to dogs. But the Greek word means a little pet dog, not a wild animal. He was testing her faith, not insulting her. The woman understood and replied that even pets eat crumbs from the table.
Was Jesus being mean when he ignored the woman at first?
No, Jesus often used silence to deepen someone's faith. He knew what he would do in the end, but he wanted to teach his disciples and the woman herself that persistence in prayer is precious to God.
What does this story teach about faith?
It shows that faith is not about being perfect or deserving. It is about holding on to Jesus even when circumstances look hopeless. The woman had no Jewish background, but Jesus called her faith great.
Why did Jesus go to Tyre and Sidon if he was only sent to Israel?
Jesus went there to withdraw and find rest, but also to show that his mercy would eventually reach all nations. This story is a preview of the gospel going to the Gentiles after his resurrection.
What does the word 'crumbs' mean in this story?
The woman used the word to show that she did not need the full blessing meant for Israel. Even a tiny amount of Jesus' power would be enough to heal her daughter. It expresses humility and trust.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study