Matth. 15, 21-28.
And Jesus departed thence, and escaped into the region of Tyro and Sidon. And, behold, a Canaanite woman went out of that border, and cried after him, saying, Lord, thou Son of David, have mercy on me: my daughter is evil afflicted with the devil. And he answered her not a word. Then came his disciples unto him, and besought him, saying: Let her go from you, for she is crying out to us. But he answered and said: I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And she came and fell down before him, and said, Lord, help me. And he answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs. And she said, Yea, Lord; but the dogs eat of the little bread that falleth from their masters' tables. And Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, thy faith is great: let it be done unto thee according to thy will. And her daughter was healed that very hour.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
1 This is a high gospel. However, it was placed on this Sunday, just like others, because it also says about exorcism; thus they wanted to indicate that one should become pious, confess and go to the sacrament out of obedience to the pope. But it is a bad, and right papal piety, which lets itself be saved for a whole year until this time, and is performed with miserable fasting and unwilling confession, since mau has no command of it, and forced sacrament-going, without all desire of the heart.
Therefore we must first know that this gospel does not speak of such child's play and trifling, but it is a high and difficult teaching of the right fight and fear of death in faith before God, from which we are to learn this: that no thing should deter us from calling and praying to God, even if He Himself says no to it, as one experiences in mortal distress; there the devil pushes and pushes everywhere with thoughts, that our Lord God cannot be looked at differently, as if He did not want us. The situation is terrible, because the thick black clouds dim and cover the bright sun; there is distress above all distress.
3 Such a struggle is presented to us here in the woman, since not only the person, but all other circumstances are so evil that they could not be more evil. First of all, she is a Gentile woman, which is the first circumstantia (circumstance) that makes the matter difficult, that she is not a child of Abraha nor of Abraham's seed, therefore has no right to ask anything here, because she is a stranger. The same should have pushed her in front of the head in such a way that she should have said: What shall I ask? It is lost. Cause, I am a stranger and in addition a Gentile woman, but he is a Jew and sent to the Jews etc.
(4) If we should feel such a violent shock in our hearts, we would soon lie down and give up prayer. For it is no joke when the conscience stands there and says: Oh, you are not one of them who should pray, you do not belong to Christ, let Paulum, Petrum pray, our Lord God does not hear you, you have no faith, perhaps you are not chosen, you are not worthy nor enough.
sam to such high work that you should come before God and ask Him for something. With such thoughts, the devil can bring us to despair, because it is a very big push.
(5) Now look here at this woman, and learn how to behave in such a case as she behaves. She goes and does not see this, but is blind in spirit, so that she forgets the play and cannot remember that she is a Gentile and he is a Jew. For her trust and heart in Christ is so great that she thinks: He will not let me go. With such faith she cancels out the fact that she is a Gentile and he is a Jew. Another person without faith would not stand this, but would have thought: You are of the devil, it is in vain that you pray; let his people ask, it will not do with you. So he would never have asked. But the woman does not let herself be challenged, does not dispute with herself: You do not belong in the house, you are an excluded pagan and not worthy to be carried by the earth.
This is a hard and evil temptation, when the devil stirs up in the heart and says: "Why do you want to pray so long, you are mine; lift up for it and curse God, it is just as much, you will not be saved. Such devilish thoughts can prevent an untrained heart from praying at all and falling into despair.
(7) Therefore this history is written for our sake, that we may not be offended at it, whether the evil enemy would reproach us, saying, Thou art not a Christian, it doth not do with thy praying. No, by all means, do not turn to it, but say thus: Be I who I will, I ask nothing of it. For though I be a sinner and wicked, yet know I that therefore my Lord Christ is not a sinner nor wicked, but abideth righteous and gracious. The more sinful and wicked I am, the more I will cry out to him and cry out to him, and turn to nothing else. For now I have no time to argue whether I am chosen or not, but I feel that I need help, so come and seek it in all humility.
8. that is called following this example correctly, if you do not forget the thoughts that are
If you want to hinder prayer, overcome it with firm faith and say: "The Canaanite woman was not chosen either, because she was a Gentile: if she has asked and has not been hindered in prayer, then I will also pray; for I need help and must have this and that. Where else would I take or seek it, but from God in heaven through His Son and my Savior Christ Jesus? This is a battle piece and a very great miracle in the heathen lady.
9 Now the text says that she cries out, "O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me," and laments her distress, "My daughter is tormented by the devil. Christ hears such cries, but he does not answer her a word. This is the other shock, that Christ faces her just as she was. She is a pagan who does not belong to the inheritance and should not enjoy the benefits. Therefore, when she runs after Christ and asks him, he remains silent as if he had nothing to do with her. From such two cartouches a tower, yes, an iron wall should fall down. For she should ever have thought: Where is now the man who is so praised to me by everyone, how he is merciful, listens soon, and helps gladly? But as I see and experience, he hears when he wants and not when we need it. But the poor woman is not yet frightened. But what else does she encounter?
(10) Third, the disciples are tired of crying out and are, in their mind, more pious than Christ himself, because they think that he is too hard and unkind, and therefore they go away and pray for the woman, "Oh, Lord, give and help her! This is a delicious example that one should not let go in prayer.
Taulerus writes an example that one should desist. But it is wrong to preach in this way. For we ourselves are all too familiar with the practice of refraining. So this example also shows sufficiently that one should by no means desist, but always pray, and say with the woman here: I cannot now dispute whether I am pious or wicked, worthy or unworthy, I cannot wait now; I have something else and more necessary to do. My daughter is badly afflicted by the devil, so I need advice and help.
to have. Such distress is so hard for the woman in her heart that she drowns all these hard blows and blows she encounters.
12) There is the third challenge or thrust, that Christ says, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," and strikes the disciples also on the head, and will not hear either the woman or them that pray for them.
13 Then she should have thought: This must be a hard man, who also does not want to hear other people, who ask from himself and uninvited. And is the truth. Christ is nowhere painted so harshly in the whole Gospel as here. Nevertheless, it does not desist, but lusts for and for, has devoured three great cartouches.
14 Since her cries and the disciples' intercession do not help, she also enters the house, as Marcus says. This may well be called an impudent woman: she ran after him in the street with a shout; now that Christ is going into the house to get rid of her, she runs after him and falls down before him. But these things are prescribed for our learning and comfort, that we may learn how heartily Christ is pleased when a man thus leaseth and continueth.
(15) Nevertheless the Lord is not yet to be found, as she would have him. For listen: What does he say to this woman? "It is not good to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. If he had said such words to me, I would have run away in disgust, thinking, "What you are doing is in vain; there is nothing to be gained. For it is also the hardest blow that the Lord thus throws her to the feet; do not let it remain that she is not a child or a heathen, but call her also a dog. This is worse than if he had badly called her a heathen; indeed, it is just as much as if he had said, "You are the devil, however you walk and stand; just troll away, you have no business here. That means highly tempted. So if he said to me, how should he frighten me! Yes, if St. Peter or St. Paul, or any other great, excellent man said such a word to me, I would be scared to death. What should it
but now that Christ himself says it to this female?
(16) Therefore this is a great and excellent example, by which it is seen what a mighty, powerful and strong thing faith is. It seizes Christ in his words when he is most angry, and turns a harsh word into a comforting inversion, as we see here. You say, she says, I am a dog. I let it happen, want to be a dog gladly; so hold me also now, like a dog. So catch him with his own word, and Christ also likes to be caught like that. Well then, says she, because I am a dog, I desire no more than a dog's right. I am not a child, nor of Abraham's seed; but thou art a rich lord, and holdest a glorious table. Give your children the bread, set them at the table; I do not desire such things; only let me, like a dog under the table, gather up the crumbs, and let me have that which the children do not need, nor enjoy without that; I will be satisfied with the same. Thus she catches the Lord Christ with his own words and wins not only the right of the dogs, but also the right of the children. For where is he going, dear Jesus? He has caught himself, he must now leave. But if only he could, he would gladly let himself be caught like this.
(17) Now this is the true masterpiece, a peculiar and strange example, which is therefore prescribed for us, that we should learn it, and not let ourselves be rejected by the man, God granting that he may stand against us as he pleases, calling us dogs or heathens. As this woman says: Dogs must have masters and crumbs, so also the Gentiles must have a God.
(18) With such hard holding and firm faith the Lord is caught, and answers, O woman, if thou canst suffer and endure these blows in thine heart, let it be done unto thee according to thy faith. This is a strange judgment to me. The other Jews are soon annoyed with me and recoil after a word, even though I speak such salutary doctrine to them. But you hold fast to the hope that I will help you and will not let go of me.
19 Here you can see why the Lord is so
and refused to hear her, namely, that he did not show his unkindness because he did not want to help, but so that her faith would be revealed, and the Jews, who were heirs to his kingdom and children, would learn from the Gentile woman, who was neither an heir nor a child, how they should believe in Christ and put all their trust in him. For Christ wants to have such things, and pleases him so well that he can no longer hide his goodness and kindness, and says: "Go, be it done to you, as you wish"; thus he not only gives her the right of the dog and does not only make her daughter healthy, but offers to give what she desires and wants to have, and sets her among Abraham's seed. Faith brings her to such grace that she is no longer called a dog or a pagan, but a beloved daughter and a truly holy woman.
20 Such an example serves to show us whether our Lord God is holding us up for a long time, so that we should not let up, but firmly believe that he will finally say yes to it; and whether he does not say it out loud or publicly, that he still says it secretly in our hearts until the time comes that we experience it and see it, as long as we are not lazy in praying and stopping. As can be seen in other examples. Joseph cried out and held fast with prayer for twelve years or even longer, God wanted to help him. But the longer he prayed, the worse he became. Christ himself cried out and called for help and salvation at the time of his suffering, but God was distant; as the 22nd Psalm v. 2. 3. says: "I cry, but my help is far away. My God, I call by day, but you do not answer." So it is still today with the Christians. When they have cried out and cried to God for a long time, they feel no improvement, but the longer they cry out, the worse they get, just like Joseph. If God had heard Joseph soon and delivered him sooner, Jacob, his father, would have been happy, but Joseph would have had to remain a shepherd. But since it took so long, he became a ruler over all Egypt and the greatest man among all his brothers, and through him God accomplished much good in the world and church government.
and pretends not to know ours, and makes us suffer so miserably, as if we had not known
we have no God. But it will not always remain so, God will reward us well. Therefore let us have no doubt, we have the word of consent in heaven, which is certainly in the heart of the Lord Christ and God his Father, and will be revealed in his time. He may build four or five iron walls in front of it, and the devil shoots a vain no to it. But learn to say: I hold the yes, that God will be gracious to his church and save all who cry out to him for help. The yes is in his heart, according to Christ's promise, John 14:13: "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, that I will do." Therefore I will not dispute whether I am chosen or a Gentile and unworthy, but I insist that the word of consent be there.
(25) So this history is a particularly beautiful example of right faith, that it must be practiced, and yet finally overcome and attain everything. Therefore we should not despise the word so much, but hold fast to it and have no doubt that our prayer is heard, even though God has tarried for some time. How this woman cries and screams, and will not let the Lord Christ himself take the word out of her heart that he is kind and will help.
26) May our dear Lord God help us to come after this, and to rely on His word and promise with all our heart, and through Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be eternally saved, amen.
God still wants to do this with us. If he has long denied us our request and always given us the no, but we hold fast to the yes, then it shall finally be yes and not no. For his word will not lie, John 16:23: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, that shall he give you." Because the word is true, it will certainly happen.
But our reason is highly annoyed by such delay and would like God to hear us as soon as possible. It is necessary not to be angry. Let our Lord God say no and hold out the request for a year, two years, three years or even longer, and only beware that we do not let hope and faith in His promise be torn from our hearts: then in the end something will have to come of it, that He will give far more than we have asked to give. As it happened to this woman: if she had desired and wanted more, he would have given it to her.
23 Therefore our Lord God will teach us that it is not always good to hear soon. In great distresses he does so, as when you fall into water or are at war, there is no need to wait long when the distress is so near and great. He does the same in high and severe spiritual trials. But where endurance and delay can be endured, we should learn that he is pleased to forgive us, too well. But still, as the prophet Habakkuk says Cap. 2, 3: "If the promise be consumed, wait for it; it will surely come, and will not be left out.
(24) So now he also departs and lets the pope and the Turks rage against us. We cry out and do miserably, but he hears us.