Good doggie [Lent 2; St. Matthew 15:21-28]

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE.

Jesus speaks today, saying:

“Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.”

It was Jesus Who also said, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” (Matt. 7:6)

So right off the bat, dogs have a bad rep and you can attest to that. Dogs do not belong inside. They do really disgusting things with their biles and they have gross habits and tendencies. Its amazing that we keep them around.

Even the philosopher’s use dogs to describe a man who is of an impure mind. We actually carry this thought in our own language today, when we talk about unfaithful or wayward husbands. And it is true when St. Peter quotes the Proverb speaking of fools, “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:22)

However, despite all that dogs are called man’s best friend. They are fiercely loyal, even to those who beat them and mistreat them. They remain constant and persevere under harsh conditions, continuing to wag their tails in front of evil masters, though not out of intelligence.

So what do we say then of one of Jesus’ harshest comments made to a suffering person? Do we say that this is how God is, Almighty first, demanding perfection and worship before He performs mercy? Do we say that Faith given to us is given solely to strengthen us to face a bipolar God?

If your only answer to this event is that Jesus is Almighty and He can do what He wants, then you are dead wrong. Although you would be half right. For in this exchange we do see what power faith has. That it can take God by the scruff of the neck in prayer and hold Him accountable to His Word saying, “Your Word promised me this. Where is it?!”

Faith bites into God like a dog, not letting go until it has received a blessing, even though it is buffeted and shaken. Faith hangs on till the end and receives its reward.

Thus, your faith will hang on to this Gospel reading until the end, until it finds peace, like a dog. For in it, we do not find only a woman being insulted, but something greater than the woman.

We look to 2 Samuel for this answer. In it we find that Saul has died and David is king. Saul’s son, Jonathan has also died. He was David’s best friend and David wished to show the Lord’s kindness to Jonathan’s family and household.

The last person David encounters is one of Jonathan’s sons who is crippled in both feet. The son says to David, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” (2 Sam. 9:8). And David commences to restore all the lands of his grandfather to this boy and commands that he regularly eat at the king’s table.

And another place which says, “But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.” (Eccl. 9:4)

Repent. You are the person with the impure mind. The dog of war, against God, that is never at rest, never satisfied, and never grateful. What more of an apt description for a person with a rebellious, unclean heart that makes petition before a holy God.

And since Jesus is using the phrase, He agrees. Even the Greek word for “worship” is eerily similar to the word for dog, meaning to bow down to the position of a dog: face in the dust. But, a living dog is better than a dead lion. We just want to know how that is.

Jesus says, “But I am a worm and not a man,

    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

 All who see me mock me;

    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;

    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” (Ps.22:6-8)

On His cross, Jesus claims mastery. He does this by assigning Himself the position beneath the dog, that of worm. Are we bowed down to the dust? Christ is down in the dust, eating it. Are we severely oppressed by demons? Christ has taken them all upon Himself and judged them. Are we beggars in front of God? Christ was judged and found guilty by God.

Here now we see quite clearly, that the first is last and the last is first. The woman is not the dog. Jesus is talking about Himself. Jesus is the man Who would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of His God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (Ps. 84:10)

Jesus has come down to exalt the sinners bowed down in the dust. Sinners that have been killed beneath the weight of their sins are now lifted up to the status of sons. Jesus returns to the vomit that is sinful creation and produces a lavish banquet at the King’s table.

Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross; being made a dog on your behalf, purifies every sinful thing. When He wrestled with Jacob, He did not beat Him down to prove a point, but lifted him out of his sins. In dealing with the crippled prince: he was also lifted to the status of king.

Now we can answer that boys cry. What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I? The Lord has revealed to you that you shall be king. In the Blood of Christ you shall inherit a kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:32). In the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God, you will be high and lifted up (Isa. 57:15) discarding dust and ashes for flesh and blood.

In the Kingdom of Christ the Crucified, the dogs never had it so good, because their Lord became like them in every way except without sin (Heb. 2:17, 4:15). There is no High Priest or Friend greater or more sympathetic, because He has been there and done what you have been through. He has suffered, He has been betrayed, and He has died.

But even the dog that takes on the sins of the whole world, eats at the master’s table. Even the Lamb Who was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), lives and reigns to all eternity. And because of His suffering and death on the cross, this woman need not be ashamed that she is called a dog, for she is a child of God.

In C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, the last story describes the end of the old heavens, the old earth, and the old Narnia, which came to a close in war and strife. But those who were to be saved were rescued and brought to the heavenly Narnia. One man that was saved was astonished that he was there with everyone else and said this:

[He spoke to me, saying], "'Beloved…unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek'...And since then…I have been wandering to find him and my happiness is so great that it even weakens me like a wound. And this is the marvel of marvels, that he called me Beloved, me who am but as a dog.”

To the repentant sinner who confesses his sins, wishing to do better, who trusts in His Lord’s promises, and believes that God sent Christ Crucified for him; no purer words of the Gospel were ever spoken. It is true you were dogs in your sins, but today you are kings in Christ.