Matius 15:21-28

A Canaanite Woman’s Faith

15:21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre ¹  and Sidon. ²  15:22 A ³  Canaanite woman from that area came ⁴  and cried out, ⁵  “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then ⁶  his disciples came and begged him, ⁷  “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So ⁸  he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 15:25 But she came and bowed down ⁹  before him and said, ¹⁰  “Lord, help me!” 15:26 “It is not right ¹¹  to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” ¹²  he said. ¹³  15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, ¹⁴  “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 15:28 Then ¹⁵  Jesus answered her, “Woman, ¹⁶  your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Lukas 18:1-8

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 Then ¹⁷  Jesus ¹⁸  told them a parable to show them they should always ¹⁹  pray and not lose heart. ²⁰  18:2 He said, ²¹  “In a certain city ²²  there was a judge ²³  who neither feared God nor respected people. ²⁴  18:3 There was also a widow ²⁵  in that city ²⁶  who kept coming ²⁷  to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 18:4 For ²⁸  a while he refused, but later on ²⁹  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ³⁰  18:5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out ³¹  by her unending pleas.’” ³²  18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ³³  18:7 Won’t ³⁴  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ³⁵  to him day and night? ³⁶  Will he delay ³⁷  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ³⁸  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ³⁹  on earth?”

[15:21]  ¹ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[15:21]  ² map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[15:22]  ³ tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[15:22]  ⁴ tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.

[15:22]  ⁵ tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:23]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

[15:23]  ⁷ tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:24]  ⁸ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.

[15:25]  ⁹ tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).

[15:25]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”

[15:26]  ¹¹ tn Grk “And answering, he said, ‘It is not right.’” The introductory phrase “answering, he said” has been simplified and placed at the end of the English sentence for stylistic reasons. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[15:26]  ¹² tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

[15:26]  sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.

[15:26]  ¹³ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.

[15:27]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “she said.”

[15:28]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.

[15:28]  ¹⁶ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.

[18:1]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ¹⁹ tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).

[18:1]  ²⁰ sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start: …they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).

[18:2]  ²¹ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

[18:2]  ²² tn Or “town.”

[18:2]  ²³ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

[18:2]  ²⁴ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:3]  ²⁵ sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.

[18:3]  ²⁶ tn Or “town.”

[18:3]  ²⁷ tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.

[18:4]  ²⁸ tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:4]  ²⁹ tn Grk “after these things.”

[18:4]  ³⁰ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:5]  ³¹ tn The term ὑπωπιάζω (Jupwpiazw) in this context means “to wear someone out by continual annoying” (L&N 25.245).

[18:5]  ³² tn Grk “by her continual coming,” but the point of annoyance to the judge is her constant pleas for justice (v. 3).

[18:6]  ³³ sn Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! The point of the parable is that the judge’s lack of compassion was overcome by the widow’s persistence.

[18:7]  ³⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:7]  ³⁵ sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

[18:7]  ³⁶ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

[18:7]  ³⁷ sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

[18:8]  ³⁸ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

[18:8]  ³⁹ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.