Matthew 15.  Jesus and his  disciples were in the middle of a concerted campaign to reach “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” with the gospel.  They are proclaiming his message, and he is backing up their words with miracles (29-39).  Matthew records two incidents that highlight the difficulty that they face reaching ethnic Israel.

1. The Pharisees and scribes object to the disciples of Jesus because they do not ritually cleanse their hands before eating.  If the disciples had done that, they would have identified themselves as followers of the traditions.  Jesus wanted the crowds to know that following the traditions was not the way into the kingdom.  He explained to the scribes and Pharisees that one could follow the tradition of outward washing and still be spiritually unclean.  In fact, the false witness and slander brewing in the hearts of those critics were more defiling than any unwashed hand (1-20).
2. In God’s providence, a Canaanite woman appeared when Jesus and his disciples were in the northern cities.  She needed her daughter delivered from a demon.  When Jesus ignored her, she went after the disciples.  They asked Jesus to send her away. She was distracting them from their ministry!  He refused again, saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  She returned to Jesus, and responds “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.” Jesus grants her request.  She is a foreigner, but her faith is greater than that of the religious experts in Israel (21-28).

LORD, may we have the courage to forsake any tradition that keeps us from obeying your commands.  You are our master.