A Place at the Table (Feb. 7, 2026)
There are moments in Scripture that make us uneasy, and Jesus’s encounter with the Canaanite woman is one of those. When this desperate mother cries out for help, Jesus initially ignores her. When he finally speaks, his words feel harsh to modern ears.
And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matt. 15:26).
Dogs? Did Jesus just use a racial slur? Many readers have thought so. After all, Jewish people in the first century sometimes called Gentiles “dogs” using the Greek word κύων, which meant wild, unclean animals roaming the streets. But that is not the word Jesus uses here.
Jesus uses κυνάριον, which means a small dog, a household pet, or a lap dog (like Finn). This distinction is essential. Jesus is not throwing an insult. He is creating a picture of a family gathered around a meal. The children are at the table, and the family’s cherished pet dog is there too. This word is not an image of exclusion. It is an image of inclusion.
Why does Jesus speak this way to the woman? He seems to be doing what he sometimes did with others: testing them to reveal what is in their hearts. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, Jesus told him to sell everything he had. This was not a universal command but a specific test meant to expose the man’s love of possessions. Jesus wanted the man to see his own heart clearly.
Something similar happens here. Jesus seems to be testing the woman’s faith. Did she come just because she heard he was a healer? Or does she truly understand who he is and approach him with the kind of faith he values? Her response reveals everything.
She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (Matt. 15:27)
She does not demand. She does not assume she deserves anything. She doesn’t defend her own righteousness; she simply asks if there might be mercy for her daughter. This reflects the humble, trusting faith Jesus was seeking.
Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matt. 15:28)
The woman arrived as an outsider, but through her humble faith, she left as someone welcomed at the table. How we approach Jesus matters. He is not our cosmic genie or wishing well. He is the Son of God, and we come to him not demanding what we think we deserve, but trusting entirely in his mercy.