>One gospel example that reinforces this view is the story of the
>woman who asks for scraps from the table where Jesus was eating. He
>refuses at first, for she is not a Jew. Her subsequent argument,
>however, convinces him to change his mind. I see in this a step
>along his way to awareness of who he is and what his mission ought
>to be.<
>Any other interpretation seems to portray Jesus as rude.<
Although the chronology of the Synoptics is not necessarily certain,
earlier chapters include the story of the centurion's faith, the
healing of the presumably Gentile Gerasene demoniac, and the
assessment of the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba as superior to the
first-century Galileans. The interaction with the Samaritan woman is
early in John, but not directly correlatable with this incident.
Thus, the reaching out to Gentiles does not seem to be a novel idea
to Jesus at this point. At the same time, there is a general
limitation of His ministry to the Jews; as Paul says in Romans, they
are first in line for good or bad.
Without indication of the tone of voice, the nature of Jesus' reply
is open to interpretation (e.g., Dorothy Sayers, The Man born to be
King). Jesus regularly challenged those coming to him; here,
persistence seems to have been the goal He had in mind. The woman
proved that she wanted healing for her daughter (the "crumb in
question) and was convinced that Jesus could provide it.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted
Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at
Droigate Spa
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