Finding Faith ... in not making religion more burdensome for the faithful

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodically authorized minister. The journey together these past four years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on Aug. 23, 2023.

This week's gospel: Matthew 15:10-28

Things That Defile

10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith

21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.

The message:

There is no way to slice tonight’s gospel that makes it easier. 

These are simply some harsh words that come from Jesus’ mouth. … And I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time hearing them … without cringing. 

I mean, what if someone new to the faith were to hear these words? … What if there was a newcomer to our church tonight, sitting here in these pews for the first time and they heard this about our supposedly loving savior …

“But he did not answer her at all.” … What do you think that newcomer would think about Jesus ignoring this pleading woman?

Or worse, what do you think they’d think about Jesus uttering these words … 

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” … And even worse …

“It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

Oh my heavens … did Jesus just call this woman a dog? … Could that be? 

So what do we do with passage tonight, Faith Family? … How do we process it?

First, I should tell you that there are volumes of academic writings about this particular passage. Writings that suggest a varying number of interpretations of this text. … And some of it’s helpful, and some of it … well just makes me angry. 

That being said, I think that we have to address this from the start tonight: How this passage impacts you largely can be determined by your place in this world.

For instance, first imagine hearing this text as someone like a first century Jew who lived in an honor and caste-bound society. … Now hear this text as a disciple standing there witnessing this encounter. … Now, hear this text as a 21st century person of privilege. … And, finally, hear this text as a 1st century Canaanite woman was on the margins of society. 

So ask yourself … from what place do you hear this passage? 

And second, I personally think it’s really important to include versus 10-20 in the gospel reading … even though the lectionary writers listed them as optional. … You can see that on your bulletin.

I don’t believe that with a passage this potentially hurtful that leaving out the optional versus is helpful in the least. 

Because … I believe that the answer to understanding Jesus’ seemingly uncharacteristic reaction to this pleading woman is found in those first 10 verses. … We just don’t know it at first.

Those verses, I think, are a set-up -- or foreshadowing, if you will, if you are a movie buff -- to this very uncomfortable interaction between the Canaanite woman and Jesus, the proclaimed savior and God incarnate.

The very same Jesus who preaches mercy and had a hand in so many kind miracles before this encounter.

So let’s unpack …

Remember that in those first 10 verses Jesus is trying to teach the disciples a lesson about the Pharisees. Not a lesson that the Pharisees are bad for their ardent beliefs about purity and the laws handed down to them by their leaders going all the way back to Moses. 

But rather a lesson that a blind following of the law … is not really a following of the law.

Because God never intended to place stumbling blocks in front of the faithful but rather he intended the biblical laws to help guide his faithful into harmonious living …help guide us into recognizing the Kingdom of Heaven right here on earth.

Whereas, the Pharisees in their blind effort to adhere to the religious laws that guided everything even down to daily living practices … harmed many of the faithful who ACTUALLY understood and took to heart God’s abundant mercy.

Jesus refers to the Pharisees as blind guides, and cautions the disciples about following blind leaders. And he adds that it’s what comes out of their mouths that defiles the gospel, Jesus says. … Not unclean food that anyone puts into their mouth.

Now, some understanding of basic Jewish kosher laws is helpful here, but not necessary. … Ultimately, Jesus is saying that in matters of faith, it’s far more important what we do and how we treat people … then it is to blindly follow the religious laws handed down to the Jewish people.

In other words, whether you’re eating unclean food is not the principle question in matters of faith.

You get me here? Does that make sense?

So, now, we tackle the second half of this gospel text … the encounter with the Canaanite woman.

It is imperative that we remember that these two sets of verses are connected. … This isn’t story No. 1 and story No. 2. … This is more like Scene No. 1 and Scene No. 2. … This is all related.

And I like to think of this very difficult text in this way: Let’s just say, maybe, that Jesus happens upon a very teachable moment for his disciples who a minute ago openly said they didn’t understand the Pharisees’ taking umbrage with Jesus for taking them to task.

And just moments later … as this Canaanite woman pleads with Jesus, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” … And after Jesus pauses without responding to the woman, what is the disciples’ very first reaction: “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”

Let’s just let that hang there in the air for a moment … “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” … And that is coming from those who are supposed to be Jesus’ most faithful and ardent followers. 

And they are immediately ready to send the woman away … because she’s a nuisance.

Does anyone now start to feel the connection to the first 10 verses of tonight’s gospel?

I think … and I know that this is my own interpretation … but I think that in the next moments, Jesus calculatedly says, “Ok disciples, time for a lesson.” …

And he barks at the poor Canaanite woman in a way that we think is unimaginable. … Unfathomable for our loving savior!

But rather than shrinking from Jesus, even after a couple of rebukes, the woman responds: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

And Jesus rejoices with: “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”

Faith Family … in my humble opinion, I don’t think this was a character change for Jesus at all.

See, I think Jesus knew exactly what kind of faith was in the woman’s heart … and so … I think that this is another one of those instances in which Jesus responded in an unexpected way to teach the disciples … and us … something important.

Just as the Pharisees often did in the first century, the disciples … and therefore we too … often allow the rigidity of the religious laws that we were taught to place a roadblock in the way of those we see as less faithful than we are.

Just as the disciples were quick to jump on the Pharisees for their blindness in the first set of 10 verses …

… we see the disciples doing much the same in immediately wanting to turn the Canaanite woman away in the second set of versus. 

And Jesus sets us all up for a lesson of the utmost importance. … “Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer. But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.

In other words, Faith Family, the key to being faithful is not about making religion more burdensome for people. It’s not a contest about who follows the religious doctrines more closely, but rather the key to being faithful is what we say and do out there … which is our actual true understanding and revealing of who God is.

And that is the Good News for this Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, the 12th week after Pentecost. … Amen.