Context

Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment. -Matthew 15:28 (NIV)

On Sunday, I preached a sermon on how all of us could use an use an upgrade in life. I tried to help people determine if they needed an upgrade by making statements like: If you think an apple is only a fruit and not a computer, you might need an upgrade. If you're trying to watch Netflix movies on your dial-up internet connection, you might need an upgrade. And then I did it...I went from preaching to meddling...I woke up the sleeping giants... and I said: If you're still a Tennessee Volunteer fan after the football and basketball season that they've had, you might need an upgrade. (Yep, saying that to a room full of Tennessee fans will likely mean that I'll need an upgrade in next week's offering).

Hopefully those of you who were there and heard my crack on the Vols know that I wasn't serious. I was smiling when I said it. I realize that The Big Orange Nation won't be down forever so I figured that I'd go ahead and make a jab while I could. Don't hold it against me Volunteer fans! I love the Tennessee Vo...nope, can't go that far.

All of this reminds me that context is important. If you didn't know the context of my sermon, that I was using an opening illustration to try and get people to think about the need for an upgrade in a humorous way, you might not have understood my comment. If you were not there to see the twinkle in my eye or the smile on my face when I said it, you might not have known that I was trying to be more funny than mean. Knowing the context is important.

In today's scripture reading, I'm not sure that the text tells us enough about the context in which Jesus and the Canaanite woman converse. She comes to him asking for mercy and help because her daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly. We're told that at first Jesus doesn't even answer her. When he finally does say something, it's not to the woman but instead to his disciples, saying in essence, "I was sent to the people of Israel, not to people like her." When he finally does speak to the woman, he implies that she's a dog. On the surface, it appears as if Jesus is being cruel and hurtful and arrogant.

But imagine Jesus saying these things with grace on his face, a twinkle in his eye, and a smile on his lips. Imagine that his facial expressions clearly communicate that he is not trying to shame or hurt this woman. Imagine when he initially doesn't answer her that he's looking at her and nodding his head as if to say, "Don't worry. It's going to be okay. I just want to use this as a teaching moment for these disciples." Imagine when he says that he came only for the lost sheep of Israel that he glances over at the Canaanite woman with a look that says, "I don't believe this at all, but unfortunately these disciples do." Imagine that when he says it's not right to take the children's bread and give it to dogs that he's being sarcastic, inviting her to stand up for herself and defend her dignity. Maybe in addition to her faith that it is some nonverbal communication cue from Jesus that motivates the Canaanite woman to be so persistent and so determined. Maybe she knows by his body language that he is not being ugly or hurtful but is instead inviting her to respond in faith.

I've asked you to imagine these things but the reality is that they're entirely possible: context is important and impacts the way things are heard and received.
   
Reading the Bible by yourself can be difficult because it was never really written to be read in isolation. It was written to be read in the context of community. If you're not involved in some kind of small group study of scripture, let me encourage you to find an existing one or start one of your own. Context is important when seeking to understand the words of God and you need that context!

May God grant you the grace to understand the importance of context today.




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Tomorrow's suggested readings: Matthew 16

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